Robert Huff set the pace in official practice ahead of the latest rounds of the World Touring Car Championship in Estoril.

The Chevrolet driver from Cambridge was quickest at the end of the two half-hour sessions at the 4.183km former Formula One circuit, situated 15 miles west of Lisbon.

The 29-year-old, currently sixth in the championship, 31 points off the pace being set by SEAT's Gabriele Tarquini, posted a lap time of one minute 48.079 seconds.

Jorg Muller was second in his BMW, just 0.117secs adrift, followed by another Chevrolet Lacetti driver in Alain Menu, with Augusto Farfus fourth in his BMW 320si.

Italian Tarquini, carrying the maximum success ballast of 70kgs in his car for the first time this season, was 0.7secs down ahead of qualifying later today.

Reigning triple world champion Andy Priaulx lost time in the first session with a problem to his right-rear mass damper, but ended up just over 0.6secs behind Huff overall.

Fellow Briton James Thompson, however, endured a wretched morning just when he thought his N.technology team were finally beginning to find their feet this season.

The Leeds star, a former double British Touring Car champion, will start the first of tomorrow's two races - the 11th and 12th rounds of the series - with a 10-place grid penalty.

The engine in Thompson's Honda Accord blew early in the initial practice session, which led to a change and the subsequent penalty.

However, Thompson suffered another engine problem in the second session that forced him to park his car down the pit straight.

It has yet to be determined whether another engine change will be required, so incurring a further 10-place penalty.

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