UK driver Jann Mardenborough threw down a challenge to the 23-strong TRS grid today in final testing at Highlands Motorsport Park.

As the pace picked up, Mardenborough set a blisteringly quick 1:30.8 lap in the second session and then spent the third session working on his car’s mechanical set-up, ignoring any fiurther temptation to try for faster lap times.

“We were really pleased with the car in that second session,we’ve got a set-up that suits the circuit and it’s looking good for qualifying tomorrow. I’m really enjoying Highlands so far – but of course we have the work ahead of us to translate testing pace into a good qualifying position.”

His time was set on his final lap in the middle of three testing sessions.

Fastest times for most competitors were spread across the mid-session, which started at 1.30 pm; and the final session, which started at 3:07. team personnel said this was likely to be a function of the increasing layer of rubber on the circuit’s fast line, which would offset the effect of the rising temperatures as the day progressed.

Second fastest for the day was Andrew Tang, who set his best time on his final lap in the third session, a 1:31.047.

Russian driver Egor Orudzhev set third fastest time, a 1:31.293, in the third session.

Matteo Ferrer, Matt Rao, Michael Scott, Damon Leitch and others had off-track excursions, Ferrer hitting the wall on the overbridge and Rao hitting the wall on the start-finish straight.

The Toyota Racing Series returns to the track tomorrow for two qualifying sesions at 11.35 am and noon; then for the first race of the weekend at 3.00pm over 15 laps. Pole for that race will be decided by fastest times in the first qualifying session.