Aron Taylor-Smith led a Vauxhall one-two in the final Free Practice session of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season, heading teammate Mikey Doble in the 35-minute session around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.
The Irishman's late lap was enough to move two tenths of a second clear of Doble's sister car with the fastest non-Vauxhall over three tenths behind the outright pace. Reigning champion Ash Sutton was the best of the rest at the wheel of his NAPA Racing UK Ford, ensuring he heads into Qualifying having been the fastest of the main title protagonists throughout the two Free Practice periods.
Sutton's teammate Daniel Rowbottom was fourth, just ahead of Tom Ingram, second in the championship ahead of this weekend. The other leading contender for the main prize, Jake Hill, could only muster 13th in his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW. With each of the three main protagonists finishing in odd-numbered positions in Free Practice 2, they'll all line-up in the same first round segment of Quick Six Qualifying later on.
Aiden Moffat and former World Champion Rob Huff showed strongly in their Toyotas by setting the sixth and seventh fastest times during the session which once again ran in bright, sunny conditions. Tom Chilton was eighth, just clear of Team BMW machines of Adam Morgan and Colin Turkington which rounded out the top-10.
Free Practice will be followed by Qualifying which is scheduled to take place from 3.40pm. This will determine the grid for the first of Sunday's three races and the first of 67 points available this weekend will be up for grabs to whoever sets the fastest time in the final session.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Brands Hatch, Free Practice 2
- Aron Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing, Vauxhall Astra, 1m29.627s
- Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing, Vauxhall Astra, +0.195s
- Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +0.311s
- Daniel Rowbottom, Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +0.341s
- Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, Hyundai i30N, +0.354s
- Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +0.555s
- Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +0.703s
- Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, Hyundai i30N, +0.708s
- Adam Morgan, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.720s
- Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport, +0.985s
Click here to view full timings from this weekend's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship event.