BTCC: Ingram tops the timesheets in first test session at Croft

The reigning BTCC champion Tom Ingram carries on where he left off last season with the fastest time in testing at Croft.

The morning session of testing at Croft saw Ingram lead a Team Vertu 1-2 at the top of the time sheets with him setting the fastest time of the day during the second hour of the session. Teammate Tom Chilton sets a time two tenths off Ingram’s pace but put more laps in than his teammate. Four-time BTCC champion Sutton would set the third fastest time ahead of newcomer and teammate Lewis Selby who set the most number of laps in the morning session at 51 laps. Josh Cook would set the fifth fastest time ahead of Dan Cammish while Restart Racing’s Chris Smiley and NAPA reserve driver Senna Proctor would set identical lap times. Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport complete the top ten with Gordon Shedden leading Árón Taylor-Smith.

The afternoon session would see a change in weather with heavy rain falling throughout the afternoon giving the teams and drivers the opportunity to test the car in more unfavourable conditions. Three-time champion Shedden would set the fastest time in these conditions with a 1:28.453 putting him just ahead of Ingram and half a second clear of Sutton as the three champions of the BTCC lead the way. Cammish would sit just behind his teammate in fourth while James Dorlin set the fifth fastest time in his first official outing with the team, ahead of teammate Smiley. Chilton would set the seventh fastest time while Daryl DeLeon puts the WSR BMW into the top ten. Plato Racing also put a car in the top ten with Daniel Rowbottom claiming the ninth fastest time with Taylor-Smith completing the top ten once again. Max Buxton would set the most amount of laps in this session with 44 laps in the wet conditions. Power Maxed Racing are expected to get the team’s testing underway today with Aiden Moffat and Mikey Doble only joining the rest of the runners in the last hour of the day with a few installation laps.