Cook sets blistering pace in opening Oulton Park practice

British Touring Car Championship leader Josh Cook looks on course to maintain his strong run of form after topping the opening practice session of the weekend at Oulton Park.

The Rich Energy BTC Racing driver set a blistering pace during the 40-minute running to lead the timesheets by over 0.2s ahead of EXCELR8 Hyundai's Tom Ingram in second.

Cook arrives at Oulton Park very much on the front foot after romping to a double-victory last time out at Thruxton, which has given the Honda runner a clear 23-point lead ahead of reigning champion Ash Sutton in the drivers' standings.

Adam Morgan, another driver enjoying a rich vein of form, was third fastest aboard his Car Gods backed BMW 330e M Sport after he took his first victory of the 2022 campaign in race three at Thruxton.

Three-time champion Gordon Shedden, who is looking to make up for lost ground after a trying previous meeting, set the fourth quickest time for the Team Dynamics Honda outfit, ahead of defending champion Ash Sutton in fifth.

Sutton's NAPA Racing UK outfit look to have a better handle of their Ford Focus ST challenger following a strong weekend for the three-time champion at Thruxton, and his team mate Dan Cammish consolidated that notion with the seventh fastest time in FP1.

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK's Ricky Collard split the two Motorbase Performance prepared Fords in sixth position.

EXCELR8 Motorsport's Dan Lloyd was eighth fastest ahead of Rory Butcher and Bobby Thompson, who completed the top-ten in ninth and tenth.

Elsewhere, multiple champions Colin Turkington and Jason Plato ended the session further down the timesheets after the pair set the 15th and 16th fastest times respectively.