Ashley Sutton sure 'plenty more in the tank' despite one-lap advantage

The top 18 cars were covered by less than a second in the weather-affected session at Brands Hatch, but Sutton's 53.602-second poletime was 0.167s faster than fellow frontrow starter Jason Plato.

But the 2017 champion reckoned he could have found another tenth after he had a quicker run interrupted by a red flag.

Sutton had been on a flying lap and set the fastest first sector of the session, but his laptime was invalidated after Sam Tordoff beached his AmD Tuning Honda Civic Type R in the gravel at Druids.

"We were on another set of tyres circulating, just waiting for someone to go quicker so we could respond," Sutton said.

"We weren't trying to go quicker, it was just a case of making sure we were on track in case we got pipped.

"I actually finished my lap and on the dash was a high 53.4s or a low 53.5s so there was another tenth left there.

"There's plenty more in the tank but we didn't have the tyre to do it."

Sutton still secured his fifth BTCC pole, but at a venue where the Subaru Levorg GT has struggled.

He and Team BMR stablemate Senna Proctor were both bottom of the speed traps, 4mph short of quickest Colin Turkington's WSR-run BMW 330i M Sport.

The greasy conditions meant Sutton could capitalise on the Levorg's fundamental chassis balance to overcome the deficit.

"There's a reason why I'm called Nemo in the wet," Sutton joked. "[My lap was] just a combination of a few bits, it all falls into place. The wet is what's turned it around for us."

"MG, Subaru, whatever car I drive, I love the wet."