Tom Chilton made an impressive start to his VX Racing career, claiming pole position for the opening round of the championship at Brands Hatch.

The 21 year-old driver set a time of 48.975 seconds, just 0.033 outside Yvan Muller’s 2001 qualifying lap record. He will be joined on the front row by SEAT Sport UK’s Jason Plato, whose best lap was 49.045 seconds.

Reigning champion Matt Neal will start Sunday’s first race from the back of the grid after failing to complete a single lap in qualifying. Red flags came out just moments into the session when the Halfords sponsored Honda Integra ended up in the gravel at the Druids hairpin after a brake failure.

When the session got underway properly, Team RAC’s Colin Turkington was straight on the pace, with a time of 49.338 seconds, but he was matched to the 1000th of a second by Chilton. Giovanardi and Thompson both held provisional pole position, before Chilton jumped to the top of the timesheets.

Thompson ended the session third fastest with Turkington fourth, and Fabrizio Giovanardi fifth. Gavin Smith was sixth in the third Astra Sport Hatch, ahead of series newcomers Gordon Shedden and Mike Jordan. Rob Collard was ninth, despite ending the session in the gravel at the bottom of Paddock Hill Bend. James Kaye completed the top ten.

Following the session, polesitter Chilton said: “I just got every corner perfect and didn’t catch a car. It’s been extremely close here, but it’s fantastic to be on pole.”

Both Martyn Bell (BMW 320i) and Mark Smith (Alfa Romeo 156) missed the session with gearbox troubles.