Ingram fights back in thrilling 2019 BTCC finale

• Ingram finishes 6th in drivers standings in thrilling 2019 BTCC finale

• Toyota Corolla showcases scintillating speed around ex-F1 track

• Watch out for us next year, warns Speedworks Motorsport-run squad

Lady Luck was not on Tom Ingram’s side in the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch last weekend (12/13 October), but the Team Toyota GB star refused to let the changeable conditions and ill-fortune hold him back as he scythed through the field for a top ten finish in the final race of the season.

After arriving at the former Formula 1 circuit still harbouring the faintest of title hopes, Ingram’s chances were dealt an early blow when rain in qualifying wrong-footed the Speedworks Motorsport-run squad. Whilst the Bucks-born ace’s four-wheel drift as he grappled for grip on the slippery surface might have looked spectacular and offered him the opportunity to exhibit his superb car control, it was not the recipe for a fast lap time and left him down in 17th on the grid amongst the 30 high-calibre contenders.

In greasy conditions in race one the following day and in front of the live ITV4 television cameras, Ingram immediately leapt up to 11th over the course of an assertive first lap and continued his charge as the heavens opened once more. On slick tyres, the two-time BTCC Independents’ champion had fought his way through to fifth – a 12-place gain on his starting position – when a tag from behind sent him skating across the grass, with the contact leaving him with a puncture and wondering what might have been.

The track was still damp ahead of race two, but with a dry line beginning to emerge, Ingram – sitting all the way down in 23rd on the grid – opted to bolt on slicks while the majority of the field plumped for wet-weather rubber. Inevitably struggling early on, he enjoyed a spirited duel with former Ginetta rival Jake Hill – the pair easily the class of the six slick-shod runners and swapping places on numerous occasions – en route to 21st at the chequered flag as the circuit finally dried out slightly too late.
That left the 26-year-old with it all to do again in race three – the only fully dry contest all weekend. Into the top ten within just four laps behind the wheel of the #80 Toyota Corolla, he soon found himself sandwiched between title duellists Dan Cammish and Colin Turkington and having to manage a delicate balancing-act. Eventually clearing Cammish on lap 12, he went on to shadow champion-elect Turkington to the end, evincing scintillating raw pace on his way to an excellent seventh-place finish.

That cemented sixth spot for Ingram in the end-of-season Drivers’ standings in the UK’s premier motor racing series, as Team Toyota GB placed ninth in the 20-strong Teams’ table – and second amongst the nine single-car entrants. The 2020 BTCC campaign will rev into life at Donington Park on 28/29 March.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, Team Toyota GB with Ginsters, said:

“That was obviously a frustrating way to end what has otherwise been an overwhelmingly positive season. We didn’t get qualifying right on Saturday – the grip level in the wet changed more than we had expected which caught us out a bit, and it was something we didn’t have time to rectify during the confines of the 30-minute session. We knew from very early on that we were in trouble.

“Still, Tom has proven on multiple occasions in the past that he is more than capable of scything his way through the pack, and despite Brands Hatch not being the easiest place to make up ground, he drove the wheels off the Corolla in race one to go from 17th to fifth before he was unceremoniously turfed off, which made the rest of the day extremely difficult.
“From where we were starting in race two, we didn’t have a lot to lose in taking a punt on slicks. Not being in title contention this year, we could afford to take more risks and whilst the track did eventually begin drying up, it didn’t do so quickly enough. If it had paid off, it would have paid off handsomely, but it was ultimately just too little, too late and we were all left wondering, ‘what do we have to do to get a break?!’
“The Corolla worked really well again in race three and Tom was able to charge through the field. He was very respectful when he found himself caught between Colin [Turkington] and Dan [Cammish] because he didn’t want to interfere in their fight, but it was very satisfying to see him match the pace of the championship-winning driver and car throughout the race on equal terms – in fact, I’d say we were actually faster. That was a really strong performance.
“To finish 2019 with four wins for the new Corolla in its first season in the BTCC is great testament to the work put in by the entire Speedworks Motorsport crew, and now we will go away over the winter, analyse where we still need to improve and formulate a plan that allows us to come back next year with a title-challenging package right from the outset.”

Tom Ingram, Driver, Team Toyota GB with Ginsters, said:

“What happened in race one effectively shaped our weekend. Qualifying wasn’t remotely representative of our true pace – it’s still early days for the Corolla in the wet and we just got it wrong on this occasion – but we immediately came out swinging on Sunday and I genuinely think a win was there for the taking in that race.
“I was right behind [eventual winner] Cammish when I got fired off. The Corolla felt great in what were pretty sketchy conditions when the rain began to fall, but I love the challenge that presents and was really confident and fired-up. To have that opportunity taken away from us through no fault of our own was extremely disappointing.
“We decided to take a gamble in race two with a ‘no guts, no glory’ approach. In situations like that, when the extra grip starts to appear it normally does so very quickly, but the track just came to us too late. Still, from 23rd on the grid it was definitely worth the risk.
“I was aiming for the top ten in race three, and obviously we managed a little bit more than that. I was in full-on ‘attack mode’ and it was fun fighting my way through. It wasn’t long before I found myself right in the middle of the championship battle, which was a fine line to tread because whilst I didn’t want to get too caught up in their scrap, at the same time I’ve got a job to do for my own team and sponsors.
“Seventh position from well down the grid was a good way to end what has been such a positive first season with the Toyota Corolla – one upon which we can look back with plenty of pride. We’ve worked extremely hard throughout the year to make the car as strong as it now is, and to achieve four victories and still be in mathematical contention going into the final weekend was way more than we could have expected. Most exciting of all is that the Corolla is only going to get better from here, so if we can hit the ground running in round one in 2020, the sky is the limit!”
Witham Motorsport and Motul are proud to support Team Toyota GB in the BTCC.  Witham Motorsport are the official UK distributor of Motul automotive lubricants.

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