Rookie Ash Sutton takes dramatic Donington Park BTCC pole for MG

The session started with a wet-but-drying circuit after a mid-afternoon hailstorm, but several drivers swapped to slick tyres towards the last 10 minutes with the track getting faster.

The polesitter was changing lap-by-lap into the last five minutes before Andrew Jordan slid off the road at the Old Hairpin to bring out the red flags.

He had been eighth in the Motorbase Ford Focus at the time, but was not allowed to return to the circuit under the regulations.

That prompted a last-gasp five-minute dash for times with everyone on slick tyres as the asphalt dried.

Mat Jackson's Motorbase Ford Focus claimed pole with two minutes to go. But he fell off the track at McLeans on his last lap, which prompted a yellow flag.

Sutton was able to finish his lap and grab his first BTCC pole.

He was ahead of Triple Eight Racing MG6 team-mate Josh Cook, who was nearly 0.5 seconds behind.

Jackson retained third place from champion Gordon Shedden in his Team Dynamics Honda Civic Type R and Tom Ingram's Speedworks Toyota Avensis.

WSR BMW 125i M Sport driver Rob Collard was sixth, ahead of the Team BKR Volkswagen CC of Aron Smith, WSR driver Jack Goff and points leader Matt Neal in a Team Dynamics Honda.

Rookie Jake Hill (Team Hard Toyota Avensis) rounded out the top 10.

The leading factory Team BMR Subaru was that of Colin Turkington, who will line up in 11th.

Jordan was bumped down to 25th at the chequered flag.

QUALIFYING RESULTS