W Series returned to action following a short mid-season break with round four at Germany's Norisring.
The street circuit is the shortest on the calendar by some distance at just 1.4 miles (2.3km) and meant lap times of well under a minute as Gosia Rdest emerged quickest in the second of the two sessions, posting a time of 50.983 seconds.
The Polish racer was just 0.011s quicker than second-placed Beitske Visser of the Netherlands, with Fabienne Wohlwend completing the top three, a further 0.079s back.
Making her return to the series after missing two rounds, Finland's Emma Kimilainen finished up eighth in FP1 and fifth in FP2 behind Jessica Hawkins.
There was a heavy crash during FP1 between Alice Powell and Esmee Hawkey at Turn 1 which brought out the red flag and meant an early finish to the session.
Powell was taken to the circuit medical centre with a painful wrist, before being transferred to a local clinic for an x-ray. The x-ray confirmed that there were no fractures and she was given the all-clear to take part in FP2, in which she clocked a fastest lap time of 51.396s to go tenth.
Extensive damage to Hawkey's car as a result of the impact meant that she was unable to take part in the second session on Friday afternoon.
A second red flag came out during FP2 after Miki Koyama hit the wall in Turn 2.
Three drivers were fighting for their place on the grid for Saturday's race; Sarah Bovy, Megan Gilkes and Vivien Keszthely. Only one of the trio could qualify for the race, with Keszthely posting the fastest time of the three to go seventh quickest.
Gilkes was eighth and Bovy 11th, meaning they will take no further part in the weekend, though will act as reserve drivers should a rival be unable to take part.
The entire grid was, thanks to the circuit's length, separated by less than a second.
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