Tom Ingram has secured a second season in the British Touring Car Championship after re-signing for Speedworks Motorsport to pilot their Toyota Avensis during the 2015 campaign.
21-year-old Ingram made an instant impact when he joined the series last season when he qualifyied in sixth place for the opening round of the season at Brands Hatch, and was by far the most impressive rookie throughout the 2014 campaign as he secured 13 top-ten finishes on his way to 14th in the overall standings.
And despite receiving interest from a number of teams throughout the Winter, Ingram will return to the squad for a second season, with his car having undergone a series of changes following the appointment of well-regarded engineer Geoff Kingston as the team aim to secure their most fruitful campaign to-date in their fifth year in the sport.
Speaking about his return, the BRDC SuperStar was delighted to have another opportunity to impress in the championship, and hoped that he could build on his performances from last season.
“I’m over-the-moon to be returning to the BTCC this season, and thrilled to be doing so with Speedworks,” said Ingram. “The Speedworks guys are a fantastic bunch and I established a great relationship with them last year, and although we did talk to other teams over the off-season, Christian made a very compelling argument to stay!
“In a championship as competitive as this, being able to rely upon that prior knowledge and stability is unquestionably an advantage, and having seen the modifications that Geoff has made to the Avensis, I can’t wait to get out there and put it through its paces on the track.
“It’s too early to set any solid goals just yet, but with the experience of my rookie year under my belt, I definitely want to be moving forward and scoring some consistent top six finishes in 2015 – and if we can do that, hopefully mine and Speedworks’ first BTCC podium won’t be too far away.”
Speedworks Team Principal Christian Dick insisted that retaining Ingram’s services had been a priority for the team during the off-season, and was confident that the 2013 Ginetta Supercup champion would be capable of producing more impressive performances in an upgraded machine.
“We’re absolutely delighted to have Tom back on-board again!” he said. “After his standout performance last year, he was always our first choice for 2015 – it’s probably fair to say he outperformed the car’s capabilities on a number of occasions, so hopefully the upgrades we have made to the Avensis for the forthcoming season will allow him to demonstrate his true talent.
“Geoff has wielded considerable influence and has been hard at work bringing improvements to the car in every area, and I think what we have now is a much leaner, meaner fighting machine. We always knew there was plenty of untapped potential in the Avensis and that it was just a question of finding the key to unlock it, which Geoff has helped us to do.
“When you factor in the ongoing support of our loyal partners Hughes Safety Showers and Motul, there is an overwhelming feeling of excitement and anticipation at Speedworks right now. With so many driver and car changes up-and-down the grid, there is the sense that we have a genuine opportunity to really make an impression in 2015 – and that is precisely what we intend to do!”