Ingram quickest in opening Knockhill practice, PMR hit the track

British Touring Car Championship points leader Tom Ingram set the early pace during opening practice at Knockhill, ahead of NAPA Racing UK's Dan Rowbottom, who was second fastest.

As was the case last time out at Oulton Park, Ingram comfortably topped the timesheets in FP1 with a 51.087s lap, which moved the Hyundai i30N driver over 0.2s clear of Rowbottom's Ford Focus ST in second.

Ingram carries a slender 8-point lead ahead of his chief title rival Ash Sutton, who was fifth fastest in the opening session, almost 0.4s off the quickest time.

Reigning BTCC champion Jake Hill made a welcome return after his brief Oulton Park illness and set the third fastest time for the West Surrey Racing BMW squad.

Hill was side-lined for the vast majority of the Oulton Park weekend after suffering with a viral infection.

Toyota Gazzoo Racing UK enjoyed a strong start to their Knockhill weekend with Aron Taylor-Smith setting the fourth fastest time aboard his Corolla GR Sport, while home hero and three-time champion Gordon Shedden was sixth fastest behind Sutton.

Shedden's compatriot Aiden Moffat capped off a promising start for the home contingent by setting the seventh quickest time ahead of Dan Cammish, Adam Morgan and Chris Smiley, who completed the remainder of the top-ten in eighth, ninth and tenth.

Power Maxed Racing on track despite devastating fire

Popular BTCC outfit Power Maxed Racing valiantly took to the track with both Mikey Doble and Nick Halstead during FP1 after a devastating fire recently destroyed their premises.

The blaze destroyed everything in the team's West Midlands base, including their race-winning Vauxhall Astras.

Such has been the support from the BTCC community following the heartbreaking event, Doble and Halstead will contest the rest of the season in Cupra Leons, courtesy of the family of current racer Dexter Patterson and Un-Limited Motorsport.

The second Leon loaned by Un-Limited Motorsport was the entry formally held for Stephen Jelley, but by virtue of the exceptional circumstances, series organisers TOCA has allowed the transfer of the car to PMR without it affecting their TBL allocation.

“The outpouring of support since the weekend has been nothing short of incredible and merely underlines my previous point – the BTCC is the most amazing motorsport community anywhere in the world," said PMR Team Principal, Adam Weaver ahead of the weekend.

“We still have an unfathomable amount of work ahead of this weekend, and beyond of course, but to be able to say that we will be on the grid with two cars is arguably one of the proudest moments of my career and the most poignant and significant moment in the history of Power Maxed Racing. 

"Thank you to Un-Limited Motorsport, the Patterson’s and the wider BTCC family – this simply wouldn’t have been possible without their support.”