Ingram set the fastest lap of the early-morning FP1 period in his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N, 0.022 seconds clear of the Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST of championship leader Ash Sutton.
Ingram also looked set to be the swiftest of all in FP2 with a lap just 0.064s shy of his earlier effort, only to be pipped at the chequered flag by the Team Hard Cupra Leon of Bobby Thompson to the tune of 0.017s.
The prime tyre this weekend is the soft Goodyear compound, which drivers must use in qualifying and for two of the three races, with the unfavoured hard as the option rubber for use in one race.
Most drivers, including Ingram and Sutton, set their quick times in FP1 on the medium-compound tyres they have been allowed to carry over from previous race weekends for free practice usage, while Thompson was one of the few to set his fastest lap in that session on the soft, vaulting to third on the final lap.
But all of the top five drivers in FP2 set their best times on the soft tyre, although nobody beat Ingram’s and Sutton’s times on mediums from FP1.
“It’s really good, I’m really pleased so far,” Ingram told Autosport.
“The car’s feeling really good, and there are no big concerns.”
Source: Autosport