Tom Ingram is ready to put all that he learned last season to good use in 2013 as he targets a title triumph in the fiercely-contested, Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship-supporting Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup with JHR Developmentsand the ongoing support of a key sponsor has left him with high hopes of being able to truly smoke his rivals this year.
Despite encountering more than his fair share of misfortune along the way, Ingrams maiden campaign in the ITV4 live-televised Ginetta GT Supercups flagship G55 class in 2012 yielded no fewer than six victories, 17 podium finishes, four pole positions, six fastest laps and an impressive third place in the final drivers standings. If it was a learning year, then the talented young High Wycombe ace learned in double-quick timebut with a seasons experience in the car now under his belt, he admits that the stakes have been suitably raised.
In support of his ambition, both electronic cigarette pioneers SKYCIG and leading energy drinks brand KX have reaffirmed their backing for Ingram for a second consecutive campaignand the 19-year-old KX Akademy protg, British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) Rising Star, MSA Academy member and KENNETT brand ambassador is fired-up in the extreme to repay their enduring faith.
SKYCIG have really ramped up their involvement and come on-board in a big way this year, he explained, teasing that the new livery of his JHR Developments-run G55 will be unveiled at the championships media day at Silverstone on 5 March. They were clearly pleased with the results of our relationship last year, and having their support again is a massive boost to our challenge.
For me, its amazing and such a novelty to have two major brandsSKYCIG and KXconfirmed as partners so far in advance of the season. Thats an incredibly exciting prospect. It gives us the possibility to get some testing in, which is a luxury weve never really had beforeso now its up to us to make the most of it.
Im really happy to be staying with JHR. We made a tremendous amount of progress last year, and over the second half of the season, we really stepped it up in terms of the development of the car as well as my knowledge and understanding of how to extract the best from it. It was extremely beneficial for me to be able to control that development and steer it in the direction I wanted it to go, and to be remaining with the same team to reap the rewards of all that effortfor the first time in my car racing careeris fantastic.
My confidence both in the car and inside the team is really high right now, and Im really looking forward to working with all the boys again. We know how each other operates, and Id like to think all this will enable us to hit the ground running in the first round at Brands Hatch. I cant wait for it all to kick off!
Its always difficult to accurately assess competitiveness at this early stage of proceedings, but theres no question that the calibre is going to be exceptionally highthere are plenty of very quick drivers in the field, both returnees and newcomers. I want to take everything I learned last year and really shift it up another gear. We need to show exactly what were capable of right from the word go, because theres only one aim in 2013the title.
Ingrams infectious determination and optimism are, moreover, palpably shared by SKYCIG UK Commercial Director Damien Scott and JHR team principal Steven Hunter, both of whom expect great things of the former Ginetta G50 Champion, Ginetta Junior Champion and British Karting Champion over the coming months.SKYCIG have demonstrated unquestionable commitment to motorsport by renewing our partnership with Tom for the 2013 season, underlined Scott. Our sporting portfolio has expanded significantly in recent months, but this sponsorship deal has a special place in SKYCIG folklore for being our first major agreement. Being associated with the TOCA package is great exposure for the brand, and we are right behind Tom in his 2013 quest. We look forward to working with JHR Developments, Ginetta and the Ingram family once again.
Last year, we only received the car a couple of days before the first race, added Hunter. Looking at his performance over the campaign, had we been able to benefit from some pre-season testing and had he not suffered from a degree of bad luck, Im fairly confident Tom could have clinched the title. To be in the position that we are now certainly puts us in far better stead from a preparation point-of-view, and the objective for this year has to be to capitalise on everything we have learned together.
Tom proved that he is capable of winning on six occasions in 2012, and were over-the-moon to maintain the partnership into 2013. He established an excellent relationship with every single member of the team last year and everybody bonded superblywhich really shone through in the results as the season progressed. Ultimately, were all striving for the same goaland thats to win.
