Tom Ingram Excited By New BTCC Rules

Tom Ingram Excited By New BTCC Rules

Tom Ingram says he is excited by new rules coming into play in the British Touring Car Championship for the 2025 season as the series looks to move towards a more sustainable future.

Series bosses announced back in October that the hybrid systems that have been used in the BTCC for the past three years were to be discontinued, with the championship instead moving to 100 per cent sustainable fuels developed by Haltermann Carless.

Alongside the new fuel, the series will utilise turbo boost to provide drivers with an additional burst of power in a similar manner to the boost that was given through the hybrid system.

The main impact of the removal of hybrid will be the weight that teams no longer need to carry in the cars, with the system believed to have added around 55kg to the base weight of a BTCC machine.

Cars like Ingram’s Team VERTU Hyundai i30 Fastback N are therefore expected to be more nimble on track during the new season and the 2022 title winner expressed excitement about the new challenges that lie ahead.

“The sustainable fuel thing is a good change for me,” he said. “Hybrid made the racing entertaining and made us think about things more as a driver, but the downside is that it came with a heavy car.

“We still have the same power now but don’t have the extra weight of the battery to consider. Costs will come down slightly and the car will be more nimble, which can only be a positive thing.

“Introducing a sustainable fuel is a big thing for a championship like the BTCC because it allows us to make a difference without affecting the show. Events like Goodwood are cool because of the noise and the smells, and if they can do it with cars from the 1960s and 70s then there is no reason why we can’t too.

“Of course I can see the value of electrification and I’ve driven some incredible electric cars, but as a fan, give me a high-revving engine any time.”

Going into the new season, Ingram is once again joined in the Team VERTU line-up by Tom Chilton, whilst Adam Morgan will also race with the Hyundai team after making the switch over from West Surrey Racing and BMW.

Alongside the trio, the likes of defending champion Jake Hill and four-time title winner Ash Sutton have confirmed their places on the grid ahead of what looks set to be an intriguing season on track.

“There are going to be a lot of fast cars on the grid this year,” Ingram added. “People like Jake and Ash are returning in the same cars and then there are others like Daryl DeLeon moving to new teams so you can’t really rule anyone out.

“We know we had a quick car last year but until you get to the first round this time around, you just don’t know how everyone stands. However, we have TC back again and it’s good to have Adam joining the team as it means our line-up is already looking strong.

“I’m keen to see who comes in to fill the fourth car but with the commercial backing from Vertu and the ongoing support of my own sponsors, we’re in a good place and I’m looking ahead to the new season.”

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