Free practice at the Norisring: Legend Larini clocks fastest time.

Lightning-quick legend Nicola Larini shone once again in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, setting the fastest lap time in free practice at the Norisring. The 49-year-old Italian’s time of 1:00.089 minutes was the quickest of the day on the spectacular street circuit. The former DTM champion had already won the opening race of the only natural gas-powered one-make cup in the world at the Hockenheimring earlier this year. Three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner (47) was also among the front-runners in the 22-man field, clocking the fifth fastest time of 1:00.374 minutes.

In glorious sunshine and in front of hoards of spectators around the circuit, the remaining two racing legends, Harald Grohs (69) and Marc Duez (56), also showed that they have lost none of their ability. The fans can look forward to what promises to be a dramatic race: only three hundredths of a second separated Larini from Denmark’s Kasper H. Jensen, who was second fastest in practice. Series leader Kelvin van der Linde from South Africa set the third fastest time.

Qualifying with the Cup-Scirocco gets underway at 12:00 on Saturday, before the race in the “Franconian Monaco” then begins at 16:35.