Tom Ingram and Speedworks Motorsport will both embark upon new challenges in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship next year, after announcing that they are to part ways following seven successful seasons together.
Ingram made his BTCC debut with Speedworks in 2014, since when, the team has progressed from being a mid-grid outfit into a consistent front-runner, race-winner and title contender. Together, the combination has claimed 16 race wins, 41 podium finishes, four pole positions and 13 fastest laps – as well as back-to-back Independent Driver and Team crowns in 2017 and 2018.
Despite earnest efforts, conflicting commercial considerations have made it impossible to extend the partnership into an eighth consecutive campaign, and both Ingram and Speedworks plan to reveal more details regarding their respective 2021 BTCC programmes in the coming weeks.
“Speedworks was obviously my first team in the BTCC, and they quickly became like a family,” Ingram reflected. “I have a lot of very special memories from our time together. We’ve been on an amazing journey and have both done ourselves proud. It’s been such a fairytale story in a lot of respects, with so many milestones simultaneously achieved along the way – first podium, first pole position, first race win, first fastest lap, first title.
“I’m sad to be leaving, of course, but there’s no ill-feeling and I owe everybody at Speedworks a massive ‘thank you’ for our seven years together. We’ll still be good friends moving forward; we’ll just be wearing different team jackets.
“I can 100 per cent assure you that I will still be in the BTCC next year, and I have an exciting new project that I will be able to announce soon – so stay tuned!”
“Looking back over the past seven years, it’s been quite the ride, hasn’t it?” echoed Speedworks Team Principal, Christian Dick. “There’s a great deal of pride in what we’ve accomplished, with a lot of mutual goals reached together. In the early years, we consistently punched above our weight as an Independent team, and that of course secured us Manufacturer backing which has enabled us to take the next step and truly fight for the overall championship.
“Seven years is a long partnership by BTCC standards, and we grew together. It was an excellent relationship – Tom swiftly became part of the Speedworks family – and I look back now with nothing but very fond memories. We had a lot of great times together both on and off-track and Tom will remain a lifelong friend. We all wish him the very best in his new challenge, and I have absolutely no doubt that he will do a superb job wherever he ends up.”
