![Jason Plato, MG KX Momentum Racing [Triple Eight Racing], MG6](https://www.touringcars.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BTCC_MEDIA-DAY_2013-2183.jpg "Photo: Nick Dungan/SportStock.co.uk")
MG racer Jason Plato is confident that his team will be the force to beat after topping the 1st free practice session ahead of Gordon Shedden and Andrew Jordan.
Click here for the full first practice times.
“We have had a couple of ‘eureka’ moments in terms of getting on top of the handling of the car in both wet and dry conditions,” said Plato. “We were very fast in the recent group test against all of our rivals at Donington Park. If you dig down into the lap times we were doing, we stack up very nicely, thank you.”
Jeff Smith was an impressive fourth fastest matching team leader Andrew Jordan on pace through the session, whilst Colin Turkington raised a smile or two at WSR by beating Matt Neal to fifth fastest. Frank Wrathall, Rob Austin, Rob Collard and Dave Newsham rounded out the top ten and all of them lapped within a second of Plato.
Mat Jackson will be frustrated to end up 14th and be beaten by his team-mate Árón Smith. Rookie drivers Joe Girling and Warren Scott solidly beat Team HARD’s drivers who are still getting up to speed after their race to get ready for the season opener. Girling was the top S2000-class driver, 2.743 seconds off the pace.
Second practice takes place at 12:40 GMT.