Tom Ingram topped the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Free Practice Session of the weekend at Snetterton this morning (Saturday), after lapping the full 300 circuit in 1m55.302s in scorching summer conditions.
Ingram, who heads into the weekend second in the outright standings was in fine form around the Norfolk circuit's longest layout, setting 13 timed laps in total in the hot weather. Ingram's Hyundai i30N was followed by fellow title challenger Jake Hill who was just 0.097s adrift, a very small margin on a circuit of this length.
Hill was one of two WSR BMW drivers in the top-three, with his ROKiT MB Motorsport branded entry placing just ahead of Colin Turkington in the final order. Four-time champion Turkington was 0.614s off the overall pace in his Team BMW entry ahead of qualifying later today during which he will run with no hybrid boost due to his status as championship leader.
Daniel Lloyd was fourth quickest in a second EXCELR8 prepared Hyundai, 0.761s in arrears of his teammate Ingram, whilst Rory Butcher completed the top-five in his works Toyota Corolla. Ricky Collard was just behind his Toyota Gazoo Racing UK stablemate in sixth, with the Ciceley Motorsport BMW of Adam Morgan next, one place ahead of Stephen Jelley's factory 330e M Sport.
Tom Chilton and Gordon Shedden roudned out the top-ten at the end of the 40-minute session ahead of a second Free Practice and Qualifying later on this afternoon.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Snetterton, Free Practice 1, Result
1. Tom Ingram, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8, Hyundai i30N,
1m55.302s
2. Jake Hill, ROKiT MB Motorsport, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.097s
3. Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.614s
4. Daniel Lloyd, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8, Hyundai
i30N, +0.761s
5. Rory Butcher, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla,
+0.783s
6. Ricky Collard, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK, Toyota Corolla,
+0.905s
7. Adam Morgan, Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport, BMW 330e M
Sport, +0.994s
8. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.997s
9. Tom Chilton, Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8, Hyundai
i30N, +0.998s
10. Gordon Shedden, Halfords Racing with Cataclean, Honda Civic
Type R, +1.056s
For full timings and results from this weekend's event, please click here.