Jason Plato fastest in first practice at Silverstone
Triple Eight’s Jason Plato pipped championship rivals Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington to top the times in a tight first free practice session at Silverstone.
Plato’s best lap of 58.614 was 0.081 faster than Honda Racing Team’s Shedden, with West Surrey Racing’s Turkington 0.159 off the ultimate pace in third.
Team BMR’s Aron Smith was fourth on a track which should suit the Volkswagen CC, a prediction borne out by his team-mate Alain Menu posting the fifth fastest time, and Warren Scott showing strongly in ninth.
Sam Tordoff was sixth ahead of Adam Morgan, Mat Jackson and Scott, with Matt Neal rounding out the top 10.
Tordoff, Smith and Shedden all took turns at the top of the times before Plato hit the top, setting two lap times good enough for P1.
The top 20 cars in the session were covered by a second, down to Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram, who was 0.955 off the pace.
Fellow Toyota Avensis driver, and series returnee, Luke Hines posted the 25th best time for United Autosports, 1.655 off the pace. Hines has replaced Glynn Geddie in the team, and is racing in the BTCC for the first time since 2005.
Times were set by 30 of the 31 drivers, with Rob Austin Racing’s Hunter Abbott suffering mechanical woes which kept him in the garage for the duration of the 40-minute session.
