Oulton Park BTCC: Jason Plato tops both practice sessions

The two-time champion was quickest in both sessions ahead of qualifying in Cheshire on Saturday, posting sub-lap record times in each.

Plato has often said the Team BMR Volkswagen handles better with weight onboard and he proved that by setting a rapid pace in FP1 on old tyres and with 48kgs of ballast added to his CC.

The two-time champion was 0.6s quicker than any other driver in the first session en route to a lap record-smashing 1m25.671s.

That lap was half a second quicker than Plato had managed when he took pole in the MG in 2013 the last time the championship used the Island layout, with a slightly faster Dunlop medium tyre and several resurfaced corners contributing to the pace gains.

Tom Ingram grabbed second late on in an improved Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis, just ahead of Andrew Jordan's MG. Aron Smith in fourth was the last driver within a second of Team BMR team-mate Plato's benchmark in FP1.

Plato continued his strong form in the afternoon session, though the times were slightly slower.

WSR BMW driver Andy Priaulx and Jordan set the early pace before Plato rose to third and then first in successive laps, a 1m25.968s making him the only driver to dip below the 1m26s mark in FP2.

Jordan's early session-topping effort remained good enough for second, 0.344s slower than Plato, while Priaulx remained third and Ingram fourth after late improvements.

Those carrying more ballast appeared to struggle on the Island layout, with championship leader Gordon Shedden ninth and 10th in the two practice sessions with 75kgs on board.

Plato's BMR team-mate Colin Turkington will carry 66kgs into qualifying and set the fifth and sixth best times, while the second Honda of Matt Neal was 10th and eighth with 57kgs in his Civic Type-R.

FREE PRACTICE 1

FREE PRACTICE 2