Chevrolet's Robert Huff was quickest in testing at Oschersleben as lap times knocked chunks off last year's pole position set by Alain Menu.

Huff emerged as the fastest driver in both sessions. His 1:35.455 in the morning was improved to 1:35.324 in the afternoon, compared with Menu's 2007 pole time - also set in a Chevrolet - of 1:36.291.

Several other drivers were close to Huff, with SEAT's Gabriele Tarquini, Honda's James Thompson and BMW's Augusto Farfus and Jörg Müller falling short by a margin of between four and five tenths of a second.

Thompson was especially impressive as he continues to develop the new Honda Accord Euro R car built by N.Technology and JAS Motorsport.

On their first appearance alongside their fellow WTCC competitors, Russian outfit Bears Motorsport took part in the morning session.

Although he completed only 15 laps before being stopped by an engine failure, Viktor Shapovalov clocked a best lap of 1:40.319 in the LADA 110, an encouraging start for the Russian car.

OFFICIAL TIMING - DAY 1

R. Huff (Chevrolet Lacetti) 1:35.324 / 93 laps

G. Tarquini (SEAT León TDI) 1:35.795 / 84 laps

J. Thompson (Honda Accord) 1:35.840 / 46 laps

A. Farfus (BMW 320si) 1:35.856 / 102 laps

A. Priaulx(BMW 320si) 1:35.874 / 99 laps

J. Müller (BMW 320si) 1:35.866 / 112 laps

Y. Muller (SEAT León TDI) 1:36.073 / 58 laps

R. Rydell (SEAT León TDI) 1:36.150 / 98 laps

F. Porteiro (BMW 320si) 1:34.436 / 83 laps

A. Zanardi (BMW 320si) 1:36.601 / 96 laps

V. Shapovalov (LADA 110) 1:40.319 / 15 laps

Eurosport