Max Wissel boosted FC Basel's slim Superleague Formula title aspirations by setting the quickest time in practice ahead of qualifying for the season finale at Jarama in Spain.
The young German, who is 91 points in arrears with 100 on offer this weekend, lapped the former Spanish Grand Prix venue in 1m20.002sec, three tenths clear of AS Roma's Julien Jousse. Ex-Formula 1 racer Sebastien Bourdais was third fastest for leading Spanish club Sevilla, ahead of Galatasaray's Ho-Pin Tung. Also quick were FC Midtjylland's Kasper Andersen, Porto's Tristan Gommendy and Esteban Guerrieri of Olympiacos.
Surprisingly, the title favorites – Adrian Valles of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur's Craig Dolby – did not figure among the leading times after the three half-hour sessions. Dolby actually topped the opening period, but his eventual 1m22.340sec best left him down in 15th in the quickest of the sessions. Valles was 10th fastest, with 1m21.760sec.
Liverpool and Tottenham have been drawn in the same qualifying group for this afternoon's crucial session, so each will be keen to progress to the knock-out stages to ensure a top-eight position on Sunday's grid. Liverpool holds a 49-point lead at the head of the standings.