Plato quickest in opening Silverstone practice

Power Maxed Racing's Jason Plato has topped the opening British Touring Car Championship practice session at Silverstone after marginally outpacing title contender Dan Cammish in second.

The Vauxhall Astra driver ended the 40-minute running with a 57.731s lap around the National layout of the Grand Prix venue, which was good enough to move back ahead of the Honda of Cammish late in the session by 0.046s.

With just 11-points covering the top-three championship contenders, currently led by reigning champion Colin Turkington, Cammish emerged as the fastest title candidate in second with Andrew Jordan setting the fifth quickest time behind Subaru's Ashley Sutton and Honda's Matt Neal in third and fourth.

Tom Ingram was sixth fastest for the Team Toyota GB outfit, while Rob Collard ensured both Vauxhall Astras made the top-ten practice order after the Power Maxed Racing driver set a time good enough for seventh.

Adam Morgan maintained his resurgent run of form with the eighth fastest time ahead of Senna Proctor and Tom Oliphant, who both completed the remainder of the top-ten order in ninth and tenth.

Elsewhere, Team BMW's Colin Turkington was 12th quickest aboard his ballast laden BMW 330i M Sport. Turkington currently leads the drivers' standings by 10-points ahead of his West Surrey Racing team mate Andrew Jordan, with Cammish trailing a further point behind in third.

Turkington saw the majority of his once healthy championship lead wiped last time out at Knockhill, while Jordan powered to a sixth win of the season.

Stepping into the vacant Motorbase Performance seat following Nicolas Hamilton's departure from the 2019 season, Michael Caine produced a lap within a second of Plato's front running pace in 26th.