Bradley Burns scores pole for TCR UK debut

Bradley Burns will start his first race in TCR UK from the front of the field after topping the times in qualifying around the Donington Park GP circuit.

The former TCR Germany racer – who has most recently been competing in the Audi TT Cup – left it to the closing moments of the 20 minute session to emerge on top of the pile at the wheel of his Audi RS 3 LMS.

A lap of 1:33.098s was enough to put the Area Motorsport man ahead of current points leader Adam Shepherd, who had to settle for second at the wheeel of his Cupra Leon Competicion.

Shepherd had looked set to edge Burns to pole before his late lap, but will still start from the front row – just ahead of the similar Cupra of Brad Hutchison, who will look to kick-start his campaign after a disastrous opening meeting at the same venue last month.

Hutchison is joined on row two by Sam Laidlaw, with Callum Newsham and Steve Laidlaw rounding out the top six. Laidlaw Sr was the only one of the top six not to qualify within half a second of the fastest time.

Alistair Camp took seventh from the Lynk & Co of Ryan Bensley, who is making his first appearance of the season, with Finn Leslie and Luke Sargeant completing the top ten.

With George Jaxon having swapped his Volkswagen Golf for an Audi RS 3, no Gen1 entries are on track this weekend.