Jordan quickest in opening practice for BMW

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan has set the early benchmark at Brands Hatch after topping the opening British Touring Car Championship practice session of 2019 ahead of Sam Tordoff.

The West Surrey Racing driver posted a 48.034s lap to ensure the BMW 330i M Sport would end its first ever BTCC practice session on top of the pile as the new 3 Series makes its race debut this weekend.

Behind Jordan, came a quartet of Hondas led by last week's pre-season test pace setter Sam Tordoff in second for the AmD Tuning squad, with the factory Honda of Dan Cammish completing the top-three order in third.

Following on from a strong end to the 2018 season, Chris Smiley was fourth quickest aboard his new BTC Norlin Honda Civic Type R, just 0.005s better off than three-time champion Matt Neal in fifth.

2017 champion Ashley Sutton set the sixth fastest time for Subaru and was followed by a further two Honda runners with Josh Cook and Rory Butcher ensuring no fewer than six Civic Type Rs made the top-ten order in seventh and eighth.

Last year's BTCC runner-up Tom Ingram ended his first practice aboard the new Toyota Corolla in ninth, while Team Parker Racing's Stephen Jelley completed the top-ten order in tenth.

Elsewhere, defending champion Colin Turkington was 13th quickest, behind his new Team BMW team mate Tom Oliphant, who was 12th fastest.