Excelr8 Motorsport’s Tom Ingram topped the times in the official mid-season Goodyear tyre test for the British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park, edging out Power Maxed Racing’s Árón Taylor-Smith by less than a tenth of a second.
Ingram set the best time of the day just under an hour from the end of the afternoon session, lapping the Donington Park Grand Prix circuit in 1 minute 33.197 seconds, having also been quickest an hour and a half into the afternoon running.
The last time a BTCC timed session took place on the Grand Prix configuration in 2002 – prior to the tweaks to the circuit layout in 2010 – the top lap time was 1:40.453. When the BTCC visits the circuit for the second time in 2023 in late August a new lap record will thus be set, irrespective of the time.
“We are all done for the day here at Donington Park GP circuit – the first time we’ve been here since 2002,” said Ingram. “It’s going to be fun when we come back for the race weekend here in August and I’m sure the fans are going to really enjoy it too.
“It’s been a good day and we’ve got loads done, especially with tweaking and finding little bits and pieces to improve.
“It’s always nice to get back in the car and get refreshed before Croft in a couple of weeks.”
All except one of the best times came in the afternoon session, as temperatures rose in dry conditions.
Ingram’s team-mate Tom Chilton had earlier set the pace in the morning with an effort of 1:33.648, but Chilton would ultimately end the day in seventh overall.
Toyota’s Ricky Collard was third quickest, having been the top Corolla driver in both sessions, ending up 0.151 seconds off reigning champion Ingram.
Team BMW’s Colin Turkington was fourth, ahead of championship leader Ash Sutton in fifth, just under three tenths off the pace.
MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill put his BMW in sixth, although he caused the only red-flag stoppage in the morning when his car came to a halt – later requiring an engine change. Hill was ahead of Chilton in seventh and the second NAPA Racing UK Ford of Daniel Rowbottom – who had been quickest of all for over an hour from half an hour into the afternoon session – in eighth.
The top ten was completed by Team BMW’s Adam Morgan and Power Maxed Racing’s Andrew Watson.
Team HARD fielded five of its six CUPRA Leon cars. Rookie Daryl DeLeon was the leading driver for the team in 11th overall, impressively within half a second of the pace – whilst regular racer Daniel Lloyd was 13th.
Dexter Patterson and Nicolas Hamilton were 16th and 21st, with rookie Nathan Harrison also getting an outing and setting the 20th best time. Bobby Thompson, Jack Butel and Jade Edwards did not take part in the test.
Excelr8 Motorsport fielded three cars, with Ronan Pearson not at the test. The only other outfit missing was One Motorsport, which did not field any of its three Honda Civics for Josh Cook, Aiden Moffat or Will Powell.
Morning session result
| POS | NO | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 3 |  |
Tom CHILTON | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 31 | 1:33.648 | – |
| 2 | 4 | |
Colin TURKINGTON | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 36 | 1:33.729 | 0.081 |
| 3 | 33 | |
Adam MORGAN | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 41 | 1:33.827 | 0.179 |
| 4 | 32 | |
Daniel ROWBOTTOM | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 44 | 1:33.853 | 0.205 |
| 5 | 1 | |
Tom INGRAM | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 21 | 1:33.907 | 0.259 |
| 6 | 116 | |
Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 35 | 1:33.918 | 0.270 |
| 7 | 37 | |
Ricky COLLARD | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 29 | 1:34.086 | 0.438 |
| 8 | 18 | |
Darryl DELEON | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 38 | 1:34.097 | 0.449 |
| 9 | 6 | |
Rory BUTCHER | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 42 | 1:34.193 | 0.545 |
| 10 | 11 | |
Andrew WATSON | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 33 | 1:34.318 | 0.670 |
| 11 | 24 | |
Jake HILL | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 8 | 1:34.449 | 0.801 |
| 12 | 88 | |
Mikey DOBLE | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 38 | 1:34.452 | 0.804 |
| 13 | 27 | |
Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 34 | 1:34.479 | 0.831 |
| 14 | 12 | |
Stephen JELLEY | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 41 | 1:34.591 | 0.943 |
| 15 | 17 | |
Dexter PATTERSON | Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD. | CUPRA Leon | 30 | 1:34.630 | 0.982 |
| 16 | 40 |  |
Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 28 | 1:34.686 | 1.038 |
| 17 | 123 | |
Daniel LLOYD | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 25 | 1:34.735 | 1.087 |
| 18 | 227 | |
Nathan HARRISON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 43 | 1:34.760 | 1.112 |
| 19 | 77 | |
Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 35 | 1:35.056 | 1.408 |
| 20 | 42 | |
George GAMBLE | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 31 | 1:35.305 | 1.657 |
| 21 | 22 | |
Nick HALSTEAD | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 36 | 1:36.230 | 2.582 |
| 22 | 28 | |
Nicolas HAMILTON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 13 | 1:37.527 | 3.879 |
Afternoon session result
| POS | NO | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 1 | |
Tom INGRAM | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 26 | 1:33.197 | – |
| 2 | 40 | |
Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 25 | 1:33.261 | 0.064 |
| 3 | 37 | |
Ricky COLLARD | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 37 | 1:33.348 | 0.151 |
| 4 | 4 | |
Colin TURKINGTON | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 43 | 1:33.401 | 0.204 |
| 5 | 116 | |
Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 17 | 1:33.488 | 0.291 |
| 6 | 24 | |
Jake HILL | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 23 | 1:33.582 | 0.385 |
| 7 | 3 | |
Tom CHILTON | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 26 | 1:33.584 | 0.387 |
| 8 | 32 | |
Daniel ROWBOTTOM | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 27 | 1:33.614 | 0.417 |
| 9 | 33 | |
Adam MORGAN | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 48 | 1:33.629 | 0.432 |
| 10 | 11 | |
Andrew WATSON | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 25 | 1:33.641 | 0.444 |
| 11 | 18 | |
Darryl DELEON | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 36 | 1:33.679 | 0.482 |
| 12 | 6 | |
Rory BUTCHER | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 21 | 1:33.782 | 0.585 |
| 13 | 123 | |
Daniel LLOYD | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 36 | 1:33.918 | 0.721 |
| 14 | 27 | |
Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 27 | 1:34.018 | 0.821 |
| 15 | 88 | |
Mikey DOBLE | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 27 | 1:34.028 | 0.831 |
| 16 | 17 | |
Dexter PATTERSON | Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD. | CUPRA Leon | 30 | 1:34.169 | 0.972 |
| 17 | 12 | |
Stephen JELLEY | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 49 | 1:34.258 | 1.061 |
| 18 | 77 | |
Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 27 | 1:34.425 | 1.228 |
| 19 | 42 | |
George GAMBLE | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 32 | 1:34.639 | 1.442 |
| 20 | 227 | |
Nathan HARRISON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 53 | 1:34.938 | 1.741 |
| 21 | 28 | |
Nicolas HAMILTON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 27 | 1:35.712 | 2.515 |
| 22 | 22 | |
Nick HALSTEAD | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 31 | 1:35.752 | 2.555 |
Combined session result
| POS | NO | NAT | DRIVER | ENTRANT | CAR | LAPS | TIME | GAP |
| 1 | 1 | |
Tom INGRAM | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 47 | 1:33.197 | – |
| 2 | 40 | |
Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 53 | 1:33.261 | 0.064 |
| 3 | 37 | |
Ricky COLLARD | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 66 | 1:33.348 | 0.151 |
| 4 | 4 | |
Colin TURKINGTON | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 79 | 1:33.401 | 0.204 |
| 5 | 116 | |
Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 52 | 1:33.488 | 0.291 |
| 6 | 24 | |
Jake HILL | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | BMW 330e M Sport | 31 | 1:33.582 | 0.385 |
| 7 | 3 | |
Tom CHILTON | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 57 | 1:33.584 | 0.387 |
| 8 | 32 | |
Daniel ROWBOTTOM | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 71 | 1:33.614 | 0.417 |
| 9 | 33 | |
Adam MORGAN | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 89 | 1:33.629 | 0.432 |
| 10 | 11 | |
Andrew WATSON | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 58 | 1:33.641 | 0.444 |
| 11 | 18 | |
Darryl DELEON | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 74 | 1:33.679 | 0.482 |
| 12 | 6 | |
Rory BUTCHER | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 63 | 1:33.782 | 0.585 |
| 13 | 123 | |
Daniel LLOYD | Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils | CUPRA Leon | 61 | 1:33.918 | 0.721 |
| 14 | 27 | |
Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 61 | 1:34.018 | 0.821 |
| 15 | 88 | |
Mikey DOBLE | CarStore Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall Astra | 65 | 1:34.028 | 0.831 |
| 16 | 17 | |
Dexter PATTERSON | Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD. | CUPRA Leon | 60 | 1:34.169 | 0.972 |
| 17 | 12 | |
Stephen JELLEY | Team BMW | BMW 330e M Sport | 90 | 1:34.258 | 1.061 |
| 18 | 77 | |
Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | Ford Focus ST | 62 | 1:34.425 | 1.228 |
| 19 | 42 | |
George GAMBLE | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK | Toyota Corolla GR Sport | 63 | 1:34.639 | 1.442 |
| 20 | 227 | |
Nathan HARRISON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 96 | 1:34.760 | 1.112 |
| 21 | 28 | |
Nicolas HAMILTON | Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown | CUPRA Leon | 40 | 1:35.712 | 2.515 |
| 22 | 22 | |
Nick HALSTEAD | BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 | Hyundai i30 N Fastback | 67 | 1:35.752 | 2.555 |