The name at the top of the timesheet changed as many times as the weather for the first practice session of the day. Huff, Rydell, Thompson and Priaulx all had a spell as fastest but Yvan Muller of SEAT posted a 1:35.013 which was the quickest overall.

Salvatore Tavano of N.technology posted the second best time, 0.404 seconds behind Muller. Spaniard Jordi Gené was the third quickest with a lap of 1:35.489 at the wheel of his SEAT León.

Andy Priaulx, who was fourth fastest overall, set the best BMW time of 1:35.602 followed by fellow Briton James Thompson and the young Peter Terting. Alain Menu, completed the best lap of the Chevrolet crew, 7th overall.

Piers-Yves Corthals of JAS Motorsport led his independent competitors at the wheel of a Honda Accord Euro R. The Belgian driver's time of 1:36.524 was 15th overall and 0.290 seconds better than fellow independent driver Tom Coronel who was 16th overall.

The session begun on a damp track, which caused a few drivers to spin. Gianni Morbidelli was the man to suffer the most as on his first flying lap he spun his Alfa Romeo 156 at Sheene Curve, damaging his car. Red flags were issued as half of his car was stranded on the track. Minutes after the session resumed, the weather took a turn for the worse and the final ten minutes of the session were run during heavy rain.