Mid-Term BTCC Report: Tom Ingram

Mid-Term BTCC Report: Tom Ingram

With 15 races run and 15 still to go when the British Touring Car Championship season resumes at the end the month, thing have been going well for Tom Ingram as he bids to reclaim the title for Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS.

Although he currently sits second in the standings behind BMW driver Jake Hill, Ingram has already racked up an impressive 207 points this season – which is more than at this stage of his championship winning campaign in 2022.

In fact, only once – twelve months ago when he had 212 on the board – has Ingram scored more points at this stage of the season, with his current score being the fifth highest at the mid-point of a 30 race campaign under the points system in place at the moment.

Things started in perfect fashion for Ingram when he powered his Hyundai i30 Fastback N to pole position at Donington Park in the only session of the season where everyone had the same amount of hybrid power available.

He then backed it up with the first win of the year in the opening race and made light of suggestions that the revised hybrid rules would make it difficult to win the first two races on a weekend as he overhauled the BMW of Jake Hill to take a second win.

Fourth in the reverse grid weekend finale capped a strong start to 2024 and showed that the hard work put in by the team to develop the Hyundai over the winter had had the desired effect – with Ingram scoring more points in a weekend than at any other time in his BTCC career.

The lack of hybrid available to the championship leader meant Ingram could only qualify eighth at Brands Hatch and after seventh place in race one, he produced a stunning drive in race two to come through the pack to second spot and grab a third podium finish of the campaign.

An unfortunate puncture in the weekend finale cost valuable points, leaving Ingram third in the standings heading to Snetterton for round three.

Challenging weather conditions greeted the teams in Norfolk and played a part in Ingram only managing 13^th place on the grid in qualifying but battled to a brace of top six finishes on race day – only missing out on a hat-trick after what proved to be a wrong call on slick tyres in race two.

Undeterred, Ingram battled back to form at Thruxton to score pole for his 100^th race alongside Bristol Street Motors – carrying the #100 on his car to also celebrate 100 Bristol Street Motors’ centenary.

Race day provided two podium finishes around the quickest circuit in the UK as Ingram finished in third place in both the second and third races of the weekend – only missing out on victory in race two when he was handed a controversial penalty after being forced to shortcut the final chicane.

That penalty prevented Ingram from becoming only the twelfth driver in BTCC history to reach 30 race wins but he didn’t have to wait long, scoring a lights-to-flag win from pole in race one at Oulton Park for a third victory of the campaign.

Having taken second in race two despite being on the slower hard tyre, Ingram played the long game in race three and settled for fourth place to ensure he won’t now lead the way when the series resumes at Croft in North Yorkshire.

Although that may sound like an unusual approach to take, it will mean additional hybrid power to take into both qualifying and race one – a fact that may prove crucial in the fight for points across the weekend.

Mid-season Facts & Figures:

• Races: 15
• Pole Positions: 3
• Qualifying Average: 4.80
• Wins: 3
• Podiums: 7
• Points Finishes: 13
• Points: 207
• Championship Position: Second
• Race Laps: 267/268
• Laps Led: 50
• Fastest Laps: 5

Mid-season Landmarks:

• 80^th BTCC Podium finish (Donington Park)
• 300^th BTCC start (Donington Park)
• Highest ever BTCC weekend score (Donington Park)
• 100^th start with EXCELR8 & Bristol Street Motors (Thruxton)
• 30^th BTCC win (Oulton Park)
• Most poles in a season (3)

Mid-season Results: