BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan left it late to set the fastest lap of the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship free practice session at Oulton Park.
Jordan has endured two relatively lacklustre weekends at Donington Park and Thruxton respectively, but arrives at Oulton with a potent ballast-free BMW 125i M Sport beneath him. The Bavarian machine has often gone well around the picturesque Cheshire venue and the 2013 champion underlined his credentials with a 1:26.535s lap time in FP1.
Local driver Adam Morgan looked to have set the pace in the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes before he was demoted by Jordan, but the Lancastrian should still be a contender come qualifying this afternoon. Morgan is one of only four drivers to have scored points in every round so far this season, and he'll need to show the same consistency this weekend to maintain his early championship challenge.
Jack Goff is another to have scored in every race and he set the third fastest time here in his Eurotech Honda Civic Type R. Goff has been running at the sharp end throughout the 2017 season so far, having settled well on his return to front-wheel drive machinery.
There was light moisture in the air for the 40-minute duration with track temperatures arguably preventing the field from showing the ultimate pace. With indifferent weather also expected later this afternoon it seems that Jason Plato's 2015 qualifying lap record of 1:25.484s may be safe for another season.
Josh Cook and James Cole made it a fairly youthful looking top five, whilst the experienced Rob Collard completed top six order. Championship leader Tom Ingram was seventh in the ballast-laden Toyota Avensis ahead of Ash Sutton's Subaru and Mat Jackson's Ford. Scotsman Aiden Moffat rounded out the top ten.
2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Oulton Park
1 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing 1m26.535s (92.60mph)
2 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.204s
3 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.371s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.371s
5 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.376s
6 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.446s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.525s
8 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.543s
9 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.676s
10 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.690s
11 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.713s
12 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.717s
13 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.773s
14 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.912s
15 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.961s
16 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.980s
17 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.002s
18 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.008s
19 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.026s
20 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.054s
21 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.168s
22 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +1.426s
23 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.426s
24 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.565s
25 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.596s
26 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.601s
27 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +1.642s
28 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.686s
29 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.725s
30 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.851s
31 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +2.213s
32 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance NO TIME
