Junesung Park managed to secure an impressive top ten finish on both his and the South Korean Solite Indigo Racing team's TCR Europe debut at Portimao, while a competitve qualifying session for his team-mate Junui Park will see him start near the front of tomorrow's second race.

Junesung Park was able to avoid the first lap fracas and found himself battling in the top ten throughout the race, eventually crossing the line ninth, albeit just after a brave dive on the Lynk & Co of Viktor Andersson and the rival Hyundai Elantra of Julien Briché to try and steal seventh on the final lap.

"It was a really tough race," said Junesung Park. "There were some dramas that I was able to avoid on the first lap. This championship is still very new to me, and I’m working hard to adapt to the tyres and the track. Near the end of the race, I tried a move to pass Briché and Andersson, but my tyres were almost gone and I had a huge lock-up."

Team-mate Junui Park qualified seventh, and so with the reversed top ten grid, is well-placed for tomorrow's second heat.

"Today I had a bit of a bad start. In this championship, it’s very tough, as there are many competitive drivers and it’s very different to TCR Italy. However, tomorrow I start P4, and my goal is to try and finish on the podium."