Excelr8 Motorsport’s Tom Ingram topped the times in the opening British Touring Car Championship practice session around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, just 0.028 seconds ahead of Ciceley Motorsport’s Adam Morgan.
Ingram hit the top of the times just after the half-way point of the session with his effort of 48.089 seconds, which was already just one tenth of a second away from the qualifying lap record for NGTC machinery.
The Hyundai driver deposed the BMW of Morgan, who had three times re-taken the top spot in the 40-minute session, ultimately posting a time just 0.023 seconds slower than Ingram.
Stephen Jelley was the best of the WSR-run 3 Series’, a further 0.012 seconds back, and a mere 0.002 seconds ahead of the fourth-placed Team Dynamics Honda of Gordon Shedden.
Indeed, as is typical of the Brands Hatch Indy circuit a large number of cars were within a second of the pace, in this session the top 25 being within that marker.
BTC Racing’s Josh Cook was fifth fastest, exactly a tenth off the pace, ahead of MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill in sixth.
Colin Turkington was just behind his stablemate in seventh, whilst Jason Plato made the top ten in eighth in the second BTC Honda.
Toyota’s Rory Butcher and Power Maxed Racing’s Ash Hand completed the top ten, which was covered by just over two tenths of a second.
Several drivers had off-track moments during the session as they explored the limits, including the BTC’s Cook and Excelr8’s Daniel Lloyd, the latter being 17th fastest.
Series new comer Will Powell, in the Team HARD CUPRA which was originally earmarked for Jack Goff, ended the session in 28th, having admitted that this weekend is simply about learning the championship and car, having completed little more than a shakedown in the car prior to the weekend.
Second practice is scheduled to get underway at 12:05 BST.
Session results
| POS | NO | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 80 |  |
Tom INGRAM | Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 27 | 48.089 | – |
| 2 | 33 | |
Adam MORGAN | Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 23 | 48.117 | 0.028 |
| 3 | 12 | |
Stephen JELLEY | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 30 | 48.129 | 0.040 |
| 4 | 52 | |
Gordon SHEDDEN | Halfords Racing with Cataclean | Honda Civic Type R | 27 | 48.131 | 0.042 |
| 5 | 66 | |
Josh COOK | Rich Energy BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type R | 29 | 48.189 | 0.100 |
| 6 | 24 | |
Jake HILL | ROKiT MB Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 30 | 48.202 | 0.113 |
| 7 | 50 | |
Colin TURKINGTON | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 31 | 48.227 | 0.138 |
| 8 | 11 | |
Jason PLATO | Rich Energy BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type R | 27 | 48.278 | 0.189 |
| 9 | 6 | |
Rory BUTCHER | Toyota GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 20 | 48.281 | 0.192 |
| 10 | 97 | |
Ash HAND | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 30 | 48.298 | 0.209 |
| 11 | 9 | |
Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 23 | 48.312 | 0.223 |
| 12 | 3 | |
Tom CHILTON | Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 18 | 48.385 | 0.296 |
| 13 | 32 | |
Daniel ROWBOTTOM | Halfords Racing with Cataclean | Honda Civic Type R | 25 | 48.388 | 0.299 |
| 14 | 16 | |
Aiden MOFFAT | Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 29 | 48.407 | 0.318 |
| 15 | 42 | |
George GAMBLE | Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 29 | 48.428 | 0.339 |
| 16 | 1 | |
Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 28 | 48.430 | 0.341 |
| 17 | 123 | |
Daniel LLOYD | Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 27 | 48.489 | 0.400 |
| 18 | 19 | |
Bobby THOMPSON | Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero | CUPRA Leon | 29 | 48.533 | 0.444 |
| 19 | 777 | |
Michael CREES | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 28 | 48.628 | 0.539 |
| 20 | 48 | |
Ollie JACKSON | Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan | Ford Focus ST | 29 | 48.707 | 0.618 |
| 21 | 17 | |
Dexter PATTERSON | Laser Tools Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 32 | 48.815 | 0.726 |
| 22 | 40 |  |
Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing | CUPRA Leon | 30 | 48.821 | 0.732 |
| 23 | 99 | |
Jade EDWARDS | Rich Energy BTC Racing | Honda Civic Type R | 21 | 48.838 | 0.749 |
| 24 | 28 | |
Nicolas HAMILTON | Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing | CUPRA Leon | 32 | 48.974 | 0.885 |
| 25 | 96 | |
Jack BUTEL | Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com | Hyundai i30 Fastback N | 34 | 49.080 | 0.991 |
| 26 | 21 | |
Ricky COLLARD | Toyota GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 28 | 49.136 | 1.047 |
| 27 | 77 | |
Sam OSBORNE | Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan | Ford Focus ST | 26 | 49.157 | 1.068 |
| 28 | 20 | |
Will POWELL | Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero | CUPRA Leon | 31 | 49.353 | 1.264 |
| 29 | 62 | |
Rick PARFITT JR | Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing | Infiniti Q50 | 26 | 49.738 | 1.649 |