Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher topped the times on the first day of the British Touring Car Championship’s two-day tyre test at Snetterton, heading BTC Racing’s Tom Chilton by 0.757 seconds in the dry morning session.
Butcher, who had crawled to a halt earlier in the session in his all-new Ford Focus, posted the fastest time of the day just before lunch with an effort of 1 minute 56.504 seconds.
The morning’s running at the Norfolk circuit had been in the dry, but rain pushed in after lunch and prevented any improvements from any drivers during the afternoon running.
“Today has gone well and it’s good to be at Snetterton will all of our competition,” said Butcher. “The car has been really good straight out of the box.
“We just had a slight niggle this morning – an electrical issue that halted our first run – but since then it has gone really smoothly and we’ve worked our way through our plan.
“We’re definitely in a good place with the car. We decided to do a proper run at the end and see where we are. It turned out to be a good lap and the car was mega.
“Overall, this new Ford Focus is feeling fantastic.”
Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram was third fastest in his Toyota Corolla, although it was the Cheshire team’s test bed car which was the talking point of the day, as development driver Darren Turner shook down the new hybrid development car which is making its first public appearance.
MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill was fourth, just over a second of the pace, on his only day of running at Snetterton. On Wednesday Hill will make way for Esmee Hawkee in the Honda Civic.
Honda’s Dan Cammish was fifth, 1.1 seconds off the pace, ahead of the leading BMW of 1-Series racer Stephen Jelley in sixth.
Ash Sutton put his Laser Tools Racing Infiniti in seventh, ahead of the second BTC Racing Honda of Michael Crees in eighth, Ciceley Motorsport’s Adam Morgan in ninth and his team-mate Daniel Rowbottom in tenth.
Neither of the BMW 3-Series drivers, Tom Oliphant or Colin Turkington, managed to get a fast lap in during the morning as they propped up the timesheets in 25th and 26th respectively, over 11 seconds off the pace.
In total 26 drivers took part in the test, down from the 29 expected at the start of the season, following the recent news that neither BMW’s Andrew Jordan nor Power Maxed Racing’s Jason Plato or Mat Jackson would take part in this year’s championship.
Combined session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 6 | Rory BUTCHER |  |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 36 | 1:56.504 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 54 | 1:57.261 | 0.757 |
| 3 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | |
Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters | Toyota Corolla | 39 | 1:57.474 | 0.970 |
| 4 | 24 | Jake HILL | |
MB Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R | 53 | 1:57.534 | 1.030 |
| 5 | 27 | Dan CAMMISH | |
Halfords Yuasa Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 22 | 1:57.649 | 1.145 |
| 6 | 12 | Stephen JELLEY | |
Team Parker Racing | BMW 125i M Sport | 48 | 1:57.774 | 1.270 |
| 7 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | |
Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 39 | 1:58.034 | 1.530 |
| 8 | 777 | Michael CREES | |
The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 45 | 1:58.048 | 1.544 |
| 9 | 32 | Adam MORGAN | |
Carlube Triple R Racing with Cataclean & Mac Tools | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 45 | 1:58.073 | 1.569 |
| 10 | 33 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | |
Carlube Triple R Racing with Cataclean & Mac Tools | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 46 | 1:58.126 | 1.622 |
| 11 | 48 | Ollie JACKSON | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 60 | 1:58.173 | 1.669 |
| 12 | 66 | Josh COOK | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 41 | 1:58.278 | 1.774 |
| 13 | 31 | Jack GOFF | |
RCIB Insurance Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 56 | 1:58.308 | 1.804 |
| 14 | 18 | Senna PROCTOR | |
Excelr8 Motorsport | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 58 | 1:58.434 | 1.930 |
| 15 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | |
Excelr8 Motorsport | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 55 | 1:58.548 | 2.044 |
| 16 | 41 | Carl BOARDLEY | |
Team HARD. | BMW 125i M Sport | 45 | 1:58.563 | 2.059 |
| 17 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | |
Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 35 | 1:58.625 | 2.121 |
| 18 | 25 | Matt NEAL | |
Halfords Yuasa Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 30 | 1:58.728 | 2.224 |
| 19 | 4 | Sam OSBORNE | |
MB Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R | 53 | 1:59.003 | 2.499 |
| 20 | 21 | Mike BUSHELL | |
RCIB Insurance Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 32 | 1:59.181 | 2.677 |
| 21 | 44 | Andy NEATE | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 53 | 1:59.907 | 3.403 |
| 22 | 180 | James GORNALL | |
GKR TradePriceCars.com | Audi S3 | 38 | 2:01.072 | 4.568 |
| 23 | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | |
ROKiT Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 28 | 2:01.489 | 4.985 |
| 24 | 19 | Bobby THOMPSON | |
GKR TradePriceCars.com | Audi S3 | 25 | 2:03.708 | 7.204 |
| 25 | 15 | Tom OLIPHANT | |
Team BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 36 | 2:07.859 | 11.355 |
| 26 | 1 | Colin TURKINGTON | |
Team BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 38 | 2:12.487 | 15.983 |
Morning session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 6 | Rory BUTCHER | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 27 | 1:56.504 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 30 | 1:57.261 | 0.757 |
| 3 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | |
Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters | Toyota Corolla | 26 | 1:57.474 | 0.970 |
| 4 | 24 | Jake HILL | |
MB Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R | 31 | 1:57.534 | 1.030 |
| 5 | 27 | Dan CAMMISH | |
Halfords Yuasa Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 22 | 1:57.649 | 1.145 |
| 6 | 12 | Stephen JELLEY | |
Team Parker Racing | BMW 125i M Sport | 44 | 1:57.774 | 1.270 |
| 7 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | |
Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 28 | 1:58.034 | 1.530 |
| 8 | 777 | Michael CREES | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 40 | 1:58.048 | 1.544 |
| 9 | 32 | Adam MORGAN | |
Carlube Triple R Racing with Cataclean & Mac Tools | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 39 | 1:58.073 | 1.569 |
| 10 | 33 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | |
Carlube Triple R Racing with Cataclean & Mac Tools | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 35 | 1:58.126 | 1.622 |
| 11 | 48 | Ollie JACKSON | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 37 | 1:58.173 | 1.669 |
| 12 | 66 | Josh COOK | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 24 | 1:58.278 | 1.774 |
| 13 | 31 | Jack GOFF | |
RCIB Insurance Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 35 | 1:58.308 | 1.804 |
| 14 | 18 | Senna PROCTOR | |
Excelr8 Motorsport | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 33 | 1:58.434 | 1.930 |
| 15 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | |
Excelr8 Motorsport | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 26 | 1:58.548 | 2.044 |
| 16 | 41 | Carl BOARDLEY | |
Team HARD. | BMW 125i M Sport | 28 | 1:58.563 | 2.059 |
| 17 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | |
Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 27 | 1:58.625 | 2.121 |
| 18 | 25 | Matt NEAL | |
Halfords Yuasa Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 23 | 1:58.728 | 2.224 |
| 19 | 4 | Sam OSBORNE | |
MB Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R | 40 | 1:59.003 | 2.499 |
| 20 | 21 | Mike BUSHELL | |
RCIB Insurance Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 16 | 1:59.181 | 2.677 |
| 21 | 44 | Andy NEATE | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 39 | 1:59.907 | 3.403 |
| 22 | 180 | James GORNALL | |
GKR TradePriceCars.com | Audi S3 | 8 | 2:01.072 | 4.568 |
| 23 | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | |
ROKiT Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 18 | 2:01.489 | 4.985 |
| 24 | 19 | Bobby THOMPSON | |
GKR TradePriceCars.com | Audi S3 | 12 | 2:03.708 | 7.204 |
| 25 | 15 | Tom OLIPHANT | |
Team BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 11 | 2:07.859 | 11.355 |
| 26 | 1 | Colin TURKINGTON | |
Team BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 11 | 2:12.487 | 15.983 |
Afternoon session results
| POS | NO | DRIVER | NAT | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 31 | Jack GOFF | |
RCIB Insurance Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 21 | 2:03.496 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 24 | 2:03.692 | 0.196 |
| 3 | 41 | Carl BOARDLEY | |
Team HARD. | BMW 125i M Sport | 17 | 2:06.955 | 3.459 |
| 4 | 15 | Tom OLIPHANT | |
Team BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 25 | 2:12.197 | 8.701 |
| 5 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | |
Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 11 | 2:13.881 | 10.385 |
| 6 | 21 | Mike BUSHELL | |
RCIB Insurance Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 16 | 2:14.393 | 10.897 |
| 7 | 24 | Jake HILL | |
MB Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R | 22 | 2:14.440 | 10.944 |
| 8 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | |
Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters | Toyota Corolla | 13 | 2:14.622 | 11.126 |
| 9 | 48 | Ollie JACKSON | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 23 | 2:14.837 | 11.341 |
| 10 | 66 | Josh COOK | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 17 | 2:14.898 | 11.402 |
| 11 | 18 | Senna PROCTOR | |
Excelr8 Motorsport | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 25 | 2:15.217 | 11.721 |
| 12 | 1 | Colin TURKINGTON | |
Team BMW | BMW 330i M Sport | 27 | 2:15.584 | 12.088 |
| 13 | 19 | Bobby THOMPSON | |
GKR TradePriceCars.com | Audi S3 | 13 | 2:15.592 | 12.096 |
| 14 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | |
Excelr8 Motorsport | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 29 | 2:15.820 | 12.324 |
| 15 | 180 | James GORNALL | |
GKR TradePriceCars.com | Audi S3 | 30 | 2:15.931 | 12.435 |
| 16 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | |
Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 8 | 2:16.092 | 12.596 |
| 17 | 32 | Adam MORGAN | |
Carlube Triple R Racing with Cataclean & Mac Tools | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 6 | 2:17.220 | 13.724 |
| 18 | 25 | Matt NEAL | |
Halfords Yuasa Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 7 | 2:17.777 | 14.281 |
| 19 | 33 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | |
Carlube Triple R Racing with Cataclean & Mac Tools | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | 11 | 2:17.799 | 14.303 |
| 20 | 6 | Rory BUTCHER | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 9 | 2:18.318 | 14.822 |
| 21 | 4 | Sam OSBORNE | |
MB Motorsport | Honda Civic Type-R | 13 | 2:18.996 | 15.500 |
| 22 | 44 | Andy NEATE | |
Motorbase Performance | Ford Focus ST | 14 | 2:20.234 | 16.738 |
| 23 | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | |
ROKiT Racing with Team HARD. | Volkswagen CC | 10 | 2:20.704 | 17.208 |
| 24 | 12 | Stephen JELLEY | |
Team Parker Racing | BMW 125i M Sport | 4 | 2:21.200 | 17.704 |
| 25 | 777 | Michael CREES | |
BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 5 | 4:35.052 | 31.556 |