Josh Cook was flying from the off in FP1 at Thruxton, bringing a possible change of fortune for the One Motorsport team.
After a season high of fifth last time out, Cook would have been confident knowing that is favoured track was coming up next. The #66 car was 0.469 seconds quicker than championship leader Ash Sutton.
Sutton has been nothing short of consistently fast so far this season and that has not changed at Thruxton. The NAPA Racing UK driver was second only 0.068 seconds ahead of Tom Ingram.
Ingram, who is also right behind Sutton in the standings, returned after a weekend of illness at Snetterton. Arriving feeling much better, the initial pace has been shown in the opening moments.
Jake Hill was the highest place BMW in the MB Motorsport car. As much as the gap behind Cook was big, the gap of the group behind could not be much tighter. Hill was only 0.064 seconds behind Ingram.
Making it five teams in the top five was Rory Butcher for Toyota Gazoo Racing UK. The gap became even tighter displaying how tight the field is as they headed into the weekend. Butcher was 0.034 seconds behind Hill.
The first repeat manufacturer in the field was the NAPA Racing UK team with Dan Cammish ending FP1 in sixth. After a dejected Snetterton the now fourth in the standings Cammish will be looking for much better results at Thruxton. Even closer than those in front, he was 0.008 seconds behind Butcher.
Árón Taylor-Smith is flying high in the Vauxhall for Power Maxed Racing in seventh after the opening session. The Irishman had the largest gap to the driver in front behind Cook with a 0.299 gap to Cammish in front.
Colin Turkington was next on the timesheet ahead of the impressive Dan Lloyd. Lloyd was the last driver within a second of Cook 0.999 seconds behind. Lloyd was also the highest placed Cupra only 0.039 seconds behind Turkington.
Stephen Jelley rounded out the top 10 making it three BMW’s in that group. The Team BMW driver only missed out on ninth by 0.039 seconds. Incidentally Jelley was only 0.005 seconds from losing his place within the top 10.
Session results
| POS | NO | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 66 |  |
Josh COOK | One Motorsport with Starline Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 14 | 1:15.577 | – |
| 2 | 116 | |
Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 14 | 1:16.046 | 0.469 |
| 3 | 1 | |
Tom INGRAM | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 14 | 1:16.114 | 0.537 |
| 4 | 24 | |
Jake HILL | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 15 | 1:16.178 | 0.601 |
| 5 | 6 | |
Rory BUTCHER | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 13 | 1:16.212 | 0.635 |
| 6 | 27 | |
Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 13 | 1:16.220 | 0.643 |
| 7 | 40 |  |
Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 13 | 1:16.519 | 0.942 |
| 8 | 4 | |
Colin TURKINGTON | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 14 | 1:16.537 | 0.960 |
| 9 | 123 | |
Daniel LLOYD | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 14 | 1:16.576 | 0.999 |
| 10 | 12 | |
Stephen JELLEY | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 16 | 1:16.632 | 1.055 |
| 11 | 32 | |
Daniel ROWBOTTOM | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 15 | 1:16.637 | 1.060 |
| 12 | 37 | |
Ricky COLLARD | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 14 | 1:16.773 | 1.196 |
| 13 | 19 | |
Bobby THOMPSON | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 11 | 1:16.805 | 1.228 |
| 14 | 11 | |
Andrew WATSON | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 13 | 1:17.044 | 1.467 |
| 15 | 33 | |
Adam MORGAN | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 12 | 1:17.141 | 1.564 |
| 16 | 16 | |
Aiden MOFFAT | One Motorsport with Starline Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 15 | 1:17.237 | 1.660 |
| 17 | 77 | |
Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 14 | 1:17.382 | 1.805 |
| 18 | 42 | |
George GAMBLE | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 16 | 1:17.449 | 1.872 |
| 19 | 17 | |
Dexter PATTERSON | Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD. | CUPRA Leon | 16 | 1:17.450 | 1.873 |
| 20 | 88 | |
Mikey DOBLE | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 15 | 1:17.459 | 1.882 |
| 21 | 3 | |
Tom CHILTON | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 4 | 1:17.597 | 2.020 |
| 22 | 70 | |
Will POWELL | One Motorsport with Starline Racing | Honda Civic Type-R | 11 | 1:18.208 | 2.631 |
| 23 | 96 | |
Jack BUTEL | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 17 | 1:18.323 | 2.746 |
| 24 | 99 | |
Jade EDWARDS | Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD. | CUPRA Leon | 14 | 1:18.433 | 2.856 |
| 25 | 14 | |
Ronan PEARSON | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 13 | 1:18.842 | 3.265 |
| 26 | 28 | |
Nicolas HAMILTON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 16 | 1:18.887 | 3.310 |
| 27 | 22 | |
Nick HALSTEAD | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 12 | 1:22.796 | 7.219 |