Jelley sets blistering pace in FP2 as lap record tumbles

Team BMW's Stephen Jelley set a blistering pace to top the times during the second British Touring Car Championship free practice at Brands Hatch, with the entire top-ten order dipping below Tom Ingram's existing qualifying lap record.

With Ingram already having come within an inch of breaking his own lap record during the morning running, Jelley eclipsed that previous benchmark during the afternoon session after producing a 47.654s lap around the Indy layout of the former Grand Prix venue.

Jelley's effort dipped beneath Ingram's 2016 lap record by over 0.3s, which also put the BMW 330e M Sport driver over 0.1s clear of a surprise addition to the top-three order, Michael Crees in second position.

Championship leader Ingram reaffirmed his pole position credentials by setting the third fastest time ahead of BTC Racing's Josh Cook, who was the first driver to break the lap record in fourth position.

ROKiT MB Motorsport's Jake Hill was fifth fastest aboard his BMW 330e M Sport, with rookie sensation George Gamble once again impressing towards the top end of the order in sixth position.

Three-time champion Gordon Shedden was seventh quickest for the Team Dynamics Honda outfit, ahead of four-time champion Colin Turkington in eighth, while Dan Rowbottom and Adam Morgan ended the running in ninth and tenth.

Elsewhere, big names notably languished further down the order with defending three-time champion Ash Sutton failing to make it out of the top-20 after setting just the 21st fastest time ahead of two-time champion Jason Plato in 22nd.

Sutton's Motorbase Performance NAPA Racing UK team mate Dan Cammish didn't fare much better in 18th.