The new season opens with the old masters being fast, but with a rookie challenging for honours already.
In the first free practice session in ideal sunny conditions, Owen Jelf set fastest time at 00.48.74 for his hot lap.
But hard on his heels was Rookie Ugis Gross from the local Latvian team, who turned in a lap of 00.48.89 an amazing time for his first event.
Jonas Andersson was third fastest with 00.49.50, a second down, but rapidly finding the set-up to take him back into world championship form.
The drivers took their chance in the Free Practice at the famous 5-pin course. After a break of one hour, the First Timed Trial will see the tempo step up, and start the fight for the Match Race challenge and the allocation of the grid positions for tomorrow's Grand Prix at 12 o`clock
sharp local time.