EXCELR8 Motorsport's Tom Ingram has emerged from the opening Bℱritish Touring Car Championship free practice of the weekend fastest of aඣll after setting a blistering pace at Thruxton.

The Hyundai i30N driver arrives at Thruxton firmly in the BTCC title hunt, juꦐst 15-points adrift of current series leader and𝔍 four-time champion Colin Turkington.

Keen to regain the points lead he once held earlier in the season, Ingram produced a sensat🐲ional lap in FP1 to top the session by almost 0.5s ahead of his nearest challenger Jake Hill in second positi🅺on.

Unsurprisingly, Thruxton specialist Josh Cook ended th🍰e session at the sharp end of the table after setting the third fastest time aboard his BTC Racing pꦰrepared Honda Civic Type-R.

Having led the championship standings earlier in the year, Cook will be hoping for a rena✤issance in form this weekend after falling 72-points adrift of the point✤s lead in recent rounds.

Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall's Ash Hand was a surprise entry to the top-five wit🌼h fourth fastest time ahead of defending ch𝔍ampion Ash Sutton in fifth position.

Stephen Jelley led his Team BMW stablemate Colin Turkington in sixth and seventh. Turkington 𒀰has recently taken control of the title race following a superb double win l🌳ast time out at Snetterton.

With the remainder of his 2022 BTCC campaign now secured with new Bristol Street Motors backing, Dan Lloyd set the eighth fastest time aboard his Hyundaꦛi i30N.

Three-t☂ime champion Gordon Shedden was ninth ahead of NAPA Racing UK's Dওan Cammish in tenth.