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Snetterton practice results

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At a dry track this morning the first practice for the MSA Dunlop British Touring Car Championship was held, in which Gordon Shedden was the fastest man. The second session of the day at the beginning of the afternoon was partly wet. Giovanardi was the man to beat in this session.

Snetterton practice 1: Gordon’s alive!

Gordon Shedden topped first Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship practice at a blustery but dry Snetterton this morning (Saturday).

Scottish ace Shedden, currently third in the series, set the pace with a time of 1m12.507s in his Team Halfords Honda to narrowly pip SEAT Leon driver James Thompson’s 1m12.586s.

Thompson’s team-mate Jason Plato was third on 1m12.625s while the top two in the championship, Team RAC’s Colin Turkington and Team Halfords’ Matt Neal completed the top five.

A very close session ended with the fastest 13 drivers – completed by Vauxhall’s Fabrizio Giovanardi – covered by less than a second. Notably

it was Vauxhall’s Astra Sport Hatch that was fastest through both speed traps, courtesy of Gavin Smith and then Giovanardi respectively.

Mike Jordan also proved to be rapid, setting the sixth fastest time overall in his Team Eurotech Racing with John Guest Honda and he was the quickest driver of all through the first sector. Jordan, though, was to end the session short so his team could adjust his car’s gear ratios.

Plato was another to finish the session early to allow mechanics to check over his Leon after it thwacked a kerb.

Elsewhere, Gareth Howell also took an early bath – on his BTCC return he ran off the track at the high-speed Riches corner, damaging his Team Halfords Honda’s front bodywork, although still set a time good enough for tenth overall.

“The car felt very nervous and then is suddenly snapped. It’s not a great start because I need all the track time I can get,” Howell said.

Two drivers were forced to abandon their cars out on track – James Kaye’s Synchro Honda pulled up as it exited the pit lane, while Richard Marsh’s Team Farecla Peugeot was switched off along Revett Straight after the driver sensed a possible engine problem.