Tom Ingram topped the times as the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship got underway with Free Practice 1 at Donington Park this morning (Saturday). The 2022 champion lapped the East Midland’s venue’s National layout in 1m08.110s to set a best time just over three tenths faster than any of his rivals.
The Team BRISTOl STREET MOTORS Hyundai was followed most closely on a cool but dry morning by Dan Cammish, a double winner at this event in 2023, in the first of the NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus STs. Daniel Rowbottom completed the top three in the first running of the weekend in a second of the Fords.
Four-time series champion Colin Turkington led BMW’s efforts in the morning session, just shy of half a tenth of a second off Ingram’s pace setting time in fourth. Adam Morgan ran close to the Northern Irishman’s pace in another of the Team BMW cars to go sixth overall, with the BMWs split by Aiden Moffat in the quickest Speedworks prepared Toyota in fifth.
Reigning champion Ashley Sutton began the campaign in quiet fashion by his standards, lapping over sixth tenths of a second adrift for NAPA Racing UK to go seventh. Aron Taylor-Smith and Andrew Watson ended up eighth and ninth, with Sam Osborne ensuring that all four of the NAPA Racing UK cars made it to the top-ten just behind.
Just outside the top-ten, Josh Cook began his first weekend in a Toyota with 11th place, just ahead of Jake Hill. Returning World Champion Rob Huff was 13th fastest.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Donington Park, Free Practice 1
- Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, Hyundai i30N, 1m08.110s
- Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +0.323s
- Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +0.441s
- Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.479s
- Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, +0.535s
- Adam Morgan, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.579s
- Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +0.643s
- Aron Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing, Vauxhall Astra, +0.743s
- Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +0.803s
- Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +0.849s
Click here to view full times from this weekend's event.