Adam Morgan edged out the sister Mercedes A-Class of Aiden Moffat to top the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship free practice session at Brands Hatch.
Morgan set the pace early on in his Ciceley Motorsport run machine, before Moffat hit back in his striking Laser Tools Racing model. The Mac Tools-backed Morgan would not be denied, however, as the Lancastrian set a blistering pace in the closing minutes.
Morgan started the season with a podium here on the Indy Circuit back in April, and he will now be looking go even better around the legendary Grand Prix circuit at the same venue.
Brett Smith enjoyed a fantastic run in the Eurotech Honda as the young rookie secured third ahead of MG Racing RCIB Insurance's Aron Taylor-Smith. The MG6 racer has endured one of his toughest campaigns to date with mid-season injury and only one top ten finish to his name so far in 2017.
Tom Ingram is looking to secure a maiden Independents' title and a top three in the overall BTCC standings, and the young Toyota star began his weekend in solid fashion with fifth place.
Mat Jackson claimed sixth for local team Motorbase Performance, whilst reigning champion Gordon Shedden was next up in the Honda Civic Type R. Dave Newsham continued the good run for BTC Norling Racing with eighth.
Ashley Sutton was the first of the main title protagonists in the order – down in ninth – ahead of Andrew Jordan's leading BMW. The sister 125i M Sport of championship contender Colin Turkington was down in 15th, although most teams will have been trying myriad of set-up and tyre choices at this early stage of the weekend.
The second and final free practice session takes place at 12:05 before the final qualifying session of the 2017 BTCC season commences at 15:05, which will be screened live via www.itv.com/btcc.
2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Brands Hatch GP
1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport 1m31.698s
2 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.225s
3 Brett SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.293s
4 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.318s
5 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.324s
6 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.424s
7 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.452s
8 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.478s
9 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.505s
10 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.574s
11 Michael EPPS (GBR) TAG Racing +0.576s
12 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.637s
13 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.681s
14 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.705s
15 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.718s
16 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.806s
17 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.824s
18 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.833s
19 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.957s
20 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +0.978s
21 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.047s
22 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.101s
23 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.138s
24 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1.215s
25 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.261s
26 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +1.269s
27 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.332s
28 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.351s
29 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.442s
30 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.915s
31 Stewart LINES (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +3.097s
More to follow...
