Ahead of the second meeting of the 2007 WTCC season in Zandvoort, the field had the chance to suss out the circuit.

A thirty minute private testing session saw Alain Menu emerge on top with a time of 1:47.424 behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Lacetti.

Menu was over a second faster than his closest rival, Andy Priaulx in his BMW Team UK 320si. Tiago Monteiro made it three marques in the top three times for he and his SEAT León were third fastest.

BMW man Augusto Farfus was fourth followed by one of the SEAT Sport drivers, Gabriele Tarquini.

James Thompson was the quickest of the N.technology team with a time of 1:49.297 placing him 14th.

Thomspon's team-mate Olivier Tielemans ended his session prematurely after he strayed into the gravel at turn seven after 13 minutes of the session had passed.

The other Dutchman in the event, Tom Coronel, clocked the eighth fastest time.

Roberto Colciago returned after his accident in Curitiba and jumped straight back in as the fastest independent driver and 6th overall in his SEAT Sport Italia car.