Reigning Champ Tom Ingram sets the pace
Gordon Shedden also stars in the afternoon rain at Croft Circuit
Team VERTU's Tom Ingram clocked the fastest lap time on the opening day of official BTCC pre-season testing at Croft today (24 March).
The reigning champion set a fantastic 1:20.455s lap in the dry cool morning running, impressively dipping under his own lap record from last season.
The 32-year-old's day did take a turn in the afternoon, however, as the #80 car went off amidst slippery conditions around the 2.13-mile circuit, ending his involvement slightly prematurely.
Team-mate Tom Chilton continued to show the pace of the Hyundai as the experienced race-winner ended up second on the timesheets, 0.201s behind Ingram.
The NAPA Racing UK duo of Ash Sutton and debutant Lewis Selby were next in the order, whilst Speedworks Corolla Racing's Josh Cook pipped Dan Cammish's Ford Focus Saloon to fifth.
Heavy rain fell as the afternoon progressed with three-time champ Gordon Shedden setting the pace in the wet. The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver recorded a solid 1:28.453s lap time as the Corolla continued its pre-season improvement, albeit some four seconds off the pace in comparison to the fastest lap in optimum conditions.
It was all eyes on Plato Racing as its two Mercedes AMG A35 Saloons took to the track for the first public outing, with Dan Rowbottom and Adam Morgan completing an extended shakedown throughout the day.
Power Maxed Racing arrived at Croft with its striking trio of Audis, with Mikey Doble, Aiden Moffat and Dexter Patterson expected to get the team's testing properly underway tomorrow. Moffat and Doble did join proceedings in the final hour of the first day, with the duo each completing a couple of installation laps.
The action continues on Wednesday – with dry weather forecast – as the cars and stars of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship get the action from 0930. You can keep up to date with LIVE timing here, as well as finding all the news via btcc.net and the Championship's social media channels.
Two EXCELR8 Motorsport cars and the remaining WSR BMW were not planned to take part in the test at Croft for various reasons but are expected to run at the Season Launch at Brands Hatch on 8 April.
2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship - Official Test Day 1 - Croft - Top Ten
- Tom Ingram, Team VERTU 1:20.455
- Tom Chilton, Team VERTU +0.201s
- Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +0.687s
- Lewis Selby, NAPA Racing UK +1.099s
- Josh Cook, Speedworks Corolla Racing +1.119s
- Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +1.280s
- Chris Smiley, Restart Racing +1.327s
- Senna Proctor, NAPA Racing UK +1.327s
- Gordon Shedden, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +1.435s
- Arón Taylor-Smith, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +1.703s
Click here for the full and final classification.