Jackson's BMW top in Rockingham test

The 26-year-old Briton was having his first run in his ex-Andy Priaulx BMW 320si since his family-run team were re-branded as BMW Dealer Team UK.

His best lap of 1:24.385, set right at the end of the four-hour session, was over three quarters of a second faster than Fabrizio Giovanardi's race lap record set last year, despite high winds that threatened to affect proceedings.

The BMW appeared to be the car to have at Rockingham as the German machines took three of the top four positions on the timesheets.

Colin Turkington looked to have the top spot sewn up in his Team RAC machine before Jackson pipped him by two tenths of a second. The second WSR-run car of Stephen Jelley was also impressive in fourth.

The only interloper in the BMW domination was champion Giovanardi, who was third quickest for Vauxhall.

Teenager Andrew Jordan was a revelation as the rookie easily out-paced his father and John Guest Racing team-mate Mike, and went fifth quickest in his Honda Integra. Mike though, had a hairy moment as he lost a front wheel mid-corner late in the session.

There were impressive times set by Matt Allison on his first outing in Robertshaw Racing's Chevrolet Lacetti and by Steven Kane in his Motorbase BMW. Both ended up in the top 10.

On a day when the top 11 cars were within a second of each other, the biggest disappointment came from SEAT.

Darren Turner was only 10th - although it was his first run in their diesel-powered Leon - while last year's runner-up, Jason Plato, suffered a blow to his pre-season preparations when his car suffered an oil leak after only four laps of running.

With the hot oil leaking onto the exhaust, Plato was forced to stop the car on the oval section of the track. He did not get out again with SEAT keen to preserve the car ahead of their Brands Hatch test on Monday.

Michael Doyle did not take to the track in his In-Tune Honda, while Team 48 were at the track but still waiting for the purchase of their pair of Alfa Romeo 156s from A-Tech to be completed.

Adam Jones was at the circuit, but said that he will not get his hands on GR-Asia's new SEAT Leon until the week of the Brands Hatch season-opener, while Arkas Racing driver Erkut Kizilirmak was not present.

Today's times:

Pos Driver                Team          Time
 1. Mat Jackson           BMW           1:24.385                  
 2. Colin Turkington      BMW           1:24.573                  
 3. Fabrizio Giovanardi   Vauxhall      1:24.581                  
 4. Stephen Jelley        BMW           1:24.789                  
 5. Andrew Jordan         Honda         1:24.871                  
 6. Tom Chilton           Honda         1:24.996                  
 7. Matt Allison          Chevrolet     1:25.013                  
 8. Matt Neal             Vauxhall      1:25.022                  
 9. Steven Kane           BMW           1:25.142                  
10. Darren Turner         SEAT          1:25.190                  
11. Gordon Shedden        Honda         1:25.256                  
12. Mike Jordan           Honda         1:25.419                  
13. Tom Onslow-Cole       Vauxhall      1:25.574                  
14. Harry Vaulkhard       Chevrolet     1:25.805                  
15. Jason Plato           SEAT          1:26.035                  
16. Rob Collard           BMW           1:26.036                  
17. Jason Hughes          MG            1:26.409                  
18. John George           Honda         1:26.529                  
19. Alan Taylor           Honda         1:27.194                  
20. Chris Stockton        Lexus         1:27.226                  
21. Martyn Bell           Vauxhall      1:28.608                  
22. Stuart Oliver         Lexus         1:29.663