Andrew Jordan tops truncated first practice session

Andrew Jordan topped the times for Motorbase Performance in a truncated opening BTCC free practice session at Rockingham, which featured no fewer than three red flag stoppages.

Despite completing just nine laps during the 40 minutes of on-track action because of a vibration, Jordan produced the quickest time of 1min 23.045secs to edge the Speedworks Toyota of Tom Ingram out of top spot by just 0.059secs.

Adam Morgan would go third quickest in his WIX Racing Mercedes having been the first person to post a quick time in the session, with the majority of the front-runners able to dip below the lap record held by Honda’s Gordon Shedden.

Josh Cook’s MG, Mat Jackson’s Focus and Shedden rounded out the top six.

For championship leader Sam Tordoff however, the session would prove to be one to forget after he suffered a spin into the gravel at the Tarzan Hairpin, with his BMW becoming beached on the outside of the circuit.

It caused the second stoppage of the session as the car was recovered to the pits, leaving Tordoff down in 30th place having failed to set a representative time.

Prior to Tordoff’s issue, Jake Hill has caused the first red flag after stopping on the inside of the circuit on the run to Tarzan, whilst his Team HARD team-mate Michael Epps would then cause a third stoppage when he followed Tordoff in going off into the Tarzan gravel trap.

A number of drivers would also suffer spins in cool weather conditions, with light rain on occasions not helping drivers in their bid to find as much grip as possible.