Andrew Jordan fastest in Media Day test session

Eurotech Racing’s Andrew Jordan topped the times in the the British Touring Car Championship’s Media Day test session, ahead of  the Triple Eight MG of Jason Plato and 2012 champion Gordon Shedden.

Jordan’s time in his Honda Civic was set on the BTCC’s new soft tyre, which he reported was consistent across the whole run. He also completed 72 laps, the most of any driver.

Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Jordan said: “It is nice to be quickest, but if I’m quickest at the end of qualifying in just over a week’s time, I’ll be happy.

“The thing I am happier with is it was a really constructive testing afternoon. Most days you come with a test plan and you won’t get through nearly half of it.”

Jordan confirmed he set his best time on the new soft tyre.

He said: “We did a race run and set that time at the start. It was better than I thought it was going to be. We managed it well.

“It actually came off looking pretty nice, which is a positive. I thought it was going to be really bad, if I’m honest.

“We went very close [to the time] on the standard tyre at the end of the day, so we did improve the car after that.”

Behind Plato and fellow Honda driver Shedden, Adam Morgan was an impressive fourth in his Cicely Racing Toyota Avensis, with the top 10 completed by Dave Newsham, Matt Neal, Sam Tordoff, Aron Smith, Frank Wrathall and the returning Colin Turkington.

Liam Griffin was fastest of the Jack Sears Trophy runners, for older S2000 machinery, with the 18th best time in his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus.

There were three red flag stoppages during the session, the first when Ollie Jackson went off at the Craner Curves and damaged his bumper, on his first run in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis.

The second stoppage came when Rob Austin span into the gravel at the Old Hairpin in his Audi A4, and the third when Griffin also went off exiting the Old Hairpin and hit the barrier, damaging the front end of his car.