Whilst the sun might have been shining bright, Tom Ingram felt distinctly under-the-weather as the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup travelled to Oulton Park for the fourth outing on its 2013 calendarbut a brave and committed performance nonetheless saw the talented High Wycombe-based speed demon annex a brilliant podium double to further increase his advantage in the chase for the coveted crown.

As the ITV4-televised, BTCC-supporting Ginetta GT Supercup revved back into life following its early-season hiatus, Ingram headed north to Cheshire with 32 points in-hand over his nearest pursuer in the standingsdefending title-holder Carl Breeze, a former sparring-partner of Kimi Raikkonen, no-less, and a man who famously succeeded the ice-cool Finn as Formula Renault UK Champion a decade ago.

I was really looking forward to getting back into the car after our win in the previous meeting at Thruxton and the long break, affirmed the SKYCIG and Hansford Sensors-backed KX Akademy protg. The target was two strong results to extend our championship lead. Oulton is a circuit I absolutely lovevery undulating, fast and flowing and a real drivers trackand also one Ive always been quick around.

That theme continued throughout practice, as Ingram wound up second on the timesheets. He was on-course for an even better lap shortly before the end of the morning session, when after setting a purple first sector time behind the wheel of his Ginetta G55, he edged just a fraction too close to the tyre wall at Knickerbrook and it bit him.

Candidly describing it as a rookie error, his JHR Developments mechanics worked tirelessly to repair the damage for the afternoon runningand their driver would repay their heroics handsomely the next day, as a blistering opening salvo in qualifying placed the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) Rising Star, MSA Academy member and KENNETT brand ambassador comfortably on pole position when the clock was stopped by a red flag midway through.

Feeling sufficiently confident not to venture out again once the action resumed but electing rather to save his tyres for the races, Ingrams conviction that he had already done enough was borne out by the fact that despite completing more than three times as many laps, his rivals could barely get to within four tenths of a second of his outstanding benchmark. It was truly a mesmerising effort.

I got a good start in race one, but Nathan Freke alongside me got a mega start and snatched the lead, he recounted. I spent the first few laps trying to work out where I was quicker, and then I got a really good run on him coming out of Island Bend and pulled alongside on the cutback. I was just about to go past when he squeezed me right across the track and sent me bouncing over the grass.

I lost the splitter and my front bumper, which cost me all my downforce and with it a whole chunk of performanceand there was still two-thirds of the race to go! Mark Davies in third was homing in fast, so it became all about trying to struggle through whilst holding him off to the endwhich I did, though I honestly have no idea how! I have to admit, I was massively relieved when the chequered flag came out...

A veritable master class in defensive driving, for all that Davies crawled right over the back of the #80 machine and never afforded its driver so much as a split-second to breathe, the highly-rated Bucks acewho was alternating between shivering, sweating and feeling physically sick inside the cockpitpositioned his car inch-perfectly and refused to offer his adversary even a chink of light.

Better yet, with Breeze only able to finish fourth, the result represented further positive progress in Ingrams bid to make it three title triumphs in just four yearsand the former Ginetta G50 Champion, Ginetta Junior Champion and British Karting Champion proceeded to harry Freke all the way in race two, never giving his quarry a moments respite before a late stroke of misfortune obliged him to sagely call off the hunt for glory.

I got another solid start to retain my position, and after I had settled into a good rhythm, I focussed on putting Nathan under pressure, Ingram related. Equally, though, I knew I couldnt really afford to take any risks after what had happened in Saturdays race. Nathan isnt in the championship fight, so hes not worried about points and can take chanceswhereas I was fully aware that it was imperative I kept it on the black stuff.

Then with four laps to go, I noticed my engine temperature was rising and I was losing power. I had to back away from Nathan to make sure I was out of his dirty air, which allowed Davies in third to close right onto my tail. From spending the entire race in attack mode, I suddenly found myself needing to defendand all the while, I was just praying the car would reach the finish...

It did, but only just, as the 19-year-old pulled off the track immediately after taking the flag, and his mature approach of forsaking the battle in favour of prioritising the war underlined the fact that Ingram has a wise old head on such young shouldersand an impressive ninth consecutive rostrum finish means he now holds a commanding 49-point championship lead.

Although I would obviously have liked to have been on the top step of the podium after our pace in qualifying, by the same token, it felt like two wins, to be honest, with Carl finishing behind me in both races and given that I was on far from top form, he concluded. Croft is next in just a couple of weeks time, and thats another of my favourite circuitsso lets see if we can end the first half of the season on a real high.