BTCC 2021: Race-winner Ingram in Hyundai i30 Fastback N switch

Long-time Speedworks Toyota racer secures switch to Excelr8 squad for 2021

British Touring Car Championship race winner Tom Ingram will switch from a Toyota Corolla to a Hyundai i30 Fastback N this season, after agreeing a multi-year deal with Excelr8 Trade Price Cars.

Ingram has spent his entire seven-year BTCC career with Speedworks Motorsport, earning 16 race wins and 41 podium finishes and establishing himself as one of the series’ best drivers. But Ingram split from the team last year, citing commercial reasons.

He will now drive for Excelr8, which entered the BTCC in 2019 running the ageing MG 6 and introduced the i30 Fastback N last season. Ingram will join Chris Smiley and Jack Butel at the team.

“I spoke to a number of BTCC teams and, to be honest, [moving to Excelr8] was probably one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make. We immediately ‘clicked’, right from the very first conversation,” Ingram said.

Ingram will begin his challenge for a maiden BTCC title in that car when the 2021 season gets under way at Thruxton in Hampshire on 8/9 May.

“The Hyundai has developed significantly over the past year,” said Ingram, “and it goes without saying that there’s a lot more potential – and pace – still to be extracted.

“It has almost the perfect body shape and wheelbase for the BTCC, blending the best attributes of the Toyota Corolla and Avensis that I’ve driven before, so I will be very surprised if we’re not a genuine contender for the championship this season – both the Independents’ title and the main one.”

Speedworks Motorsport will continue in the BTCC this season, expanding to run a pair of Corolla. It has yet to name any drivers for the season.

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