Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct driver Jack Goff set a late flying lap to end the morning session on top of the official Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship pre-season test at Silverstone.

Barely a second blanketed all 28 cars that posted a representative lap time around the Northants circuit’s National layout, hinting at another hugely competitive campaign ahead.

As the chequered flag was readied, Goff vaulted from towards the foot of the top ten to the summit of the standings behind the wheel of his new, Team HARD-prepared CUPRA Leon – in so doing, leapfrogging what would have been an all title-winning top three.

Four-time champion Colin Turkington ran Goff closest, just over a tenth-of-a-second adrift in his Team BMW 330i M Sport, with defending title-holder Ashley Sutton (Laser Tools Racing Infiniti Q50) and the returning Jason Plato (Power Maxed Car Care Racing Vauxhall Astra) in hot pursuit.

Michael Crees was the top BTC Racing runner in fifth during what was a strong session for the squad, ahead of Tom Ingram in his new Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com Hyundai i30N.

Three-time champion Gordon Shedden wound up seventh for Halfords Racing with Cataclean as he marked his official BTCC comeback following a three-year hiatus, with BTC Racing’s Josh Cook, Adam Morgan in the new Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport BMW 330i M Sport and Tom Oliphant (Team BMW) completing the top ten.

The three-hour session was interrupted by three red flags, prompted by a broken upright that sent Árón Taylor-Smith off-track in his Team HARD. with HUB Financial Solutions CUPRA Leon, an off for Shedden’s Halfords Racing with Cataclean team-mate Daniel Rowbottom and Morgan’s stricken BMW, which was towed back to the pit-lane. The day continues with a further three-hour session this afternoon beginning at 1400, with live timing provided by TSL here.

2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Official Pre-Season Test – Silverstone

1       Jack GOFF (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct 57.412s
2       Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.119s
3       Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.186s
4       Jason PLATO (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +0.197s
5       Michael CREES (GBR) BTC Racing +0.205s
6       Tom INGRAM (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.225s
7       Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.226s
8       Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.245s
9       Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.270s
10     Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.274s
11     Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.314s
12     Jade EDWARDS (GBR) PHSC with BTC Racing +0.335s
13     Daniel Rowbottom (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.409s
14     Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +0.424s
15     Tom CHILTON (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.427s
16     Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +0.440s
17     Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.455s
18     Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.463s
19     Ollie JACKSON (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.516s 
20     Chris SMILEY (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.578s
21     Jack BUTEL (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.704s
22     Glynn GEDDIE (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +0.716s
23     Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +0.716s
24     Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +0.804s
25     Sam SMELT (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +0.879s
26     Rick PARFITT (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.949s
27     Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with iQuoto Online Trading +1.027s
28     Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Team HARD. with HUB Financial Solutions +1.091s
29     Andy NEATE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group NO TIME