The final event of the 2005 FIA WTCC season got underway in Macau yesterday as the expanded field completed a 30 minute testing session. For many drivers it was their first outing on the streets of the temporary circuit, but the experience of Andy Priaulx, Jörg Müller and Tom Coronel showed through as they posted the best times. However for the Alfa Romeo Racing Team's WTCC title contender Fabrizio Giovanardi, the meeting started in the worst possible way as he hit a wall in his Alfa 156.

Jörg Müller and Priaulx were constantly switching positions as the fastest driver in their respective BMW cars. Jorg’s best time was 2:35.368 but Priaulx went 0.876 of a second faster on his last lap to take top spot at 2:34.492. Coronel was among the quickest drivers for the entire session in his GR Asia SEAT. His time of 2:35.529 was third fastest overall and by far the best in the Independents’ category. Local driver, André Couto completed the fourth fastest time for Alfa Romeo, the best of the quartet.

With five minutes remaining, fellow Alfa driver, Fabrizio Giovanardi set a lap in 2:36.491 but then crashed at the Dona Maria bend. His time however, was good enough for sixth fastest place overall.
 

“A wall just jumped out at me..." commented Giovanardi later. "To avoid a collision with another car I had to choose the wall. Luckily I managed to slow down before crashing, so the car is not badly damaged. It’s a shame, because on the lap I crashed I was half a second faster than my previous lap. The car is good and I have immediately found the right feeling with the track,” he added.

Jordi Gené headed the SEAT Sport drivers with the fifth best time while Rickard Rydell was 8th overall. Chevrolet were represented in the top ten with Nicola Larini’s time of 2:36.491 placing him 7th. Michael Funke achieved the 14th quickest lap in his Hotfiel Sport Ford Focus. The quickest of the Asian Touring Car Championship drivers was Engstler Motorsport’s Peter Scharmach who was 19th overall; his team-mate Paul Poon was the only one of the 31 drivers not to take part in the test, due to electronic problems.