Team VERTU's Tom Ingram obliterated the existing qualifying lap record in the opening free practice session as the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returned to action at Croft this morning.
Ingram's 1:20.514s lap time was more than half a second faster than team-mate Tom Chilton's fastest ever qualifying lap around the 2.13-mile circuit, which the experienced racer set last season.
With the reduction in vehicle weight – due to the removal of the hybrid system for 2025 – and the continuation of the same boost levels, it seems this season's BTCC cars will really benefit around the technical layout in North Yorkshire.
Team VERTU team-mate Senna Proctor was second, with championship leader Ash Sutton just behind in his #116 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus.
Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing's Mikey Doble, Restart Racing's Dan Lloyd and NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish were next in the order as the top six all dipped under the previous lap record.
Local light Lloyd will be gunning for his first podium of the season at a venue where he has taken three of his four BTCC victories, so the Huddersfield driver will certainly be one to watch this weekend.
Two more Hyundai i30Ns followed in the shape of Chris Smiley (Restart Racing) and Chilton (Team VERTU), whilst the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA duo of James Dorlin and Árón Taylor-Smith rounded out the top ten.
Dorlin made it four Yorkshire drivers inside the top ten – with only NAPA Racing UK's Sam Osborne missing out – so the passionate home crowd may have good reason to cheer come race day.
Free Practice 2 begins at 1200 with qualifying commencing at 1530, which will be streamed live via the ITV Sport YouTube channel.
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Croft – Free Practice 1 – Classification:
| P/ | No/ | Name/ | Entry/ | Laps/ | Time/ | Gap/ | On/ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | Team VERTU | 17 | 1:20.514 | 11 | |
| 2 | 18 | Senna PROCTOR | Team VERTU | 14 | 1:20.675 | 0.161 | 6 |
| 3 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | 16 | 1:20.759 | 0.245 | 7 |
| 4 | 88 | Mikey DOBLE | Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing | 15 | 1:20.996 | 0.482 | 15 |
| 5 | 123 | Daniel LLOYD | Restart Racing | 18 | 1:21.005 | 0.491 | 15 |
| 6 | 27 | Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | 17 | 1:21.011 | 0.497 | 7 |
| 7 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | Restart Racing | 15 | 1:21.133 | 0.619 | 11 |
| 8 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | Team VERTU | 14 | 1:21.251 | 0.737 | 7 |
| 9 | 132 | James DORLIN | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 17 | 1:21.314 | 0.800 | 13 |
| 10 | 40 | Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 19 | 1:21.326 | 0.812 | 10 |
| 11 | 32 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | NAPA Racing UK | 12 | 1:21.489 | 0.975 | 9 |
| 12 | 52 | Gordon SHEDDEN | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 13 | 1:21.513 | 0.999 | 13 |
| 13 | 1 | Jake HILL | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | 13 | 1:21.954 | 1.440 | 8 |
| 14 | 17 | Dexter PATTERSON | ROKiT Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport | 17 | 1:21.994 | 1.480 | 6 |
| 15 | 99 | Charles RAINFORD | LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR | 18 | 1:22.050 | 1.536 | 7 |
| 16 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR | 18 | 1:22.126 | 1.612 | 18 |
| 17 | 77 | Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | 15 | 1:22.270 | 1.756 | 15 |
| 18 | 2 | Daryl DELEON | WSR | 19 | 1:22.517 | 2.003 | 16 |
| 19 | 33 | Adam MORGAN | Team VERTU | 19 | 1:22.649 | 2.135 | 9 |
| 20 | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | Powder Monkey Brewing Co with Esidock | 18 | 1:22.881 | 2.367 | 15 |
| 21 | 12 | Stephen JELLEY | ROKiT Racing with Un-Limited Motorsport | 16 | 1:22.984 | 2.470 | 14 |
| 22 | 19 | Max BUXTON | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA | 17 | 1:24.020 | 3.506 | 16 |
| 23 | 50 | Nick HALSTEAD | Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing | 15 | 1:25.650 | 5.136 | 13 |
More to follow...
