Arena Cupra Leon VZ racer Steve Laidlaw grabbed his first TCR UK pole position with a late charge on the Silverstone national layout with a 56.616s lap.

Laidlaw, in his second TCR UK season, knocked three tenths of a second off the 2024 pole position time around the shortest Silverstone configuration, topping the JH Racing Hyundai i30N of Callum Newsham, who’d set the early pace.

Knocking seven tenths of a second from his own 2024 time in the same car Newsham had dropped into third after the first few runs as the contest appeared to be heading towards a battle between Laidlaw and Adam Shepherd. However, Capture Motorsport racer Shepherd would not see his times count thanks to the delivery of his own Cupra Leon VZ for this round replacing the Leon Competicion he campaigned last year, and for the early part of this season. A car swap under TCR UK regulations forces a competitor to start race one from the rear of the grid.

Sam Laidlaw moves up to third to line up behind teammate, and Father Steve, on row two after posting a best of 57.856s with Luke Sargeant putting in a time good enough for forth on the grid. Brad Hutchison in the MPH Racing Leon Competicion could only manage fifth with Will Beech in a second Capture car (also a Competicion) lining up in sixth ahead of the Lynk & Co of Ryan Bensley. Rod McGovern, who returns to the series fulltime after a one-off at the opening Donington round, posted the next fastest time, but will join Shepherd at the back, with George Jaxon lining up eighth on the grid in his Audi ahead of the Power Maxed Junior i30N pairing of Finn Leslie and Harry Bloor.

With a 16-car grid it seems inevitable that Shepherd will come through the field to challenge the top five and even push the front runners for the win, but there will be stiff opposition. Laidlaw Sr will want to put to rest a disqualification from the same event last season and Newsham will be aiming to top his two second places from last season. Sam Laidlaw will want to add to his Donington win by being the first to claim the chequered flag and Luke Sargeant is looking to better his highest of third from the International layout from last term.