Three-time Kwik Fit BTCC champion Ashley Sutton was well clear at the top of the times in the first free practice session of the year at Donington Park.

NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus driver Sutton was on course to top the times anyway late on, but his final flying lap of 1m07.975s put him almost half a second ahead of BMW's four-time champion Colin Turkington.

It was much closer behind, as Turkington's fellow WSR BMW runner Jake Hill went third, 0.146s behind and 0.056s clear of the lead Toyota Gazoo Racing UK Corolla of Ricky Collard in fourth.

Sutton's teammate Dan Rowbotton was fifth fastest, just seven thousandths of a second further back and 0.077s ahead of BMW's Stephen Jelley.

The fourth BMW 330e M Sport of Adam Morgan was seventh, 0.006s behind Jelley and a tenth of a second clear of the third NAPA Racing Ford of Dan Cammish.

Newcomer Ronan Pearson was ninth and the lead Hyundai runner, with teammate Tom Chilton completing the top-10, which was covered by 0.903 seconds.

It was a difficult start to the season for their teammate and reigning champion Tom Ingram though, as i30N stopped on circuit without setting a lap time with a technical problem just 10 minutes into the 35-minute session.

The second BTCC session of the day is due to start at 12.15 for the second practice session, before qualifying at 15.40.

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Donington Park, Free Practice 1 top-10:
1. Ashley Sutton, Ford Focus ST, 1m07.975s
2. Colin Turkington, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.464s
3. Jake Hill, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.610s
4. Ricky Collard, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +0.666s
5. Daniel Rowbottom, Ford Focus ST, +0.673s
6. Stephen Jelley, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.750s
7. Adam Morgan, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.756s
8. Daniel Cammish, Ford Focus ST, +0.883s
9. Ronan Pearson, Hyundai i30N, +0.891s
10. Tom Chilton, Ford Focus ST, +0.903s

Click here for full result.

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