Ingram: It’s a really special moment

Tom Ingram says he and his Toyota Team GB squad can look back at their Donington Park weekend with a great deal of pride after taking the Toyota Corolla's first British Touring Car Championship race victory in race three.

Ingram capped off his weekend with an emotional first ever BTCC race victory for the brand new Corolla, which was also Toyota's first win in the series since returning as a manufacturer entry this season.

The Speedworks driver took full advantage of starting the reverse grid race on pole position to record his tenth win in the series, which has moved him up to sixth in the early championship reckoning, six races into the season.

"We came into the weekend with high hopes. We knew after testing here the car felt really strong. We were really excited. We knew after Brands, Donington was going to suit us more, with a little more data in the car," said Ingram.

"It just worked really well. It was difficult in that second race, just because we were on the hard tyre. It was just a case of trying to stay in the top 12 to stand a chance of the reverse draw, which was really important because that’s what gave us the opportunity to move forward.

"A great weekend all in all. Amazing the support that we had, not only around the stands, but also from everyone at Toyota. Everyone at Ginsters and Hansford, it’s been such an amazing weekend commercially as well as on track.

"I think we can look back at this weekend with a huge amount of pride. The first Manufacturer win for Speedworks. The first Manufacturer win for Toyota in 20 plus years. What a great day."

With the hard tyre running Audi of Jake Hill starting in second behind Ingram's Corolla in race three, the Toyota driver said establishing a gap between himself and the chasing pack, whilst Hill coped with the harder tyre in second, was key in clinching the win.

Ingram was able to maintain a healthy 1.5s gap back in Rob Collard in second, once the Vauxhall driver had demoted Hill on the ninth lap of the race.

"I knew that Jake [Hill] wouldn’t be that much of a threat, even if he did get past, because he was on the harder tyre as well. I knew we had a bit of pace in hand," Ingram continued.

"I was happy for him to stick a nose in and almost start to slow himself and back himself back into Rob [Collard]. That’s really what gave me that 2.5s of a gap to be able to push on with.

"That was really important. I was mindful from the start, to build a gap straight from the word go that I could have a bit of breathing room and settle into a rhythm and control the pace."

Adding to Speedworks Motorsport's celebrations, the Corolla's first BTCC win was clinched in front of 4,500 supporters from the local Toyota factory.

"For the support that we’ve had, you couldn’t have written what happened today. It’s such a great moment. It’s such a privilege to have won in so many home fans. It’s a really special moment."