Tom Ingram: ‘I had the perfect car’

Tom Ingram was full of praise for his EXCELR8 Motorsport-run Hyundai after storming to pole in record breaking fashion at Brands Hatch.

Ingram smashed the lap record with a dominant performance that saw him grab pole by more than four tenths of a second, setting no fewer than four laps that would have been good enough to outpace the Toyota of Rory Butcher.

The extra point for pole means Ingram closes the gap to Ash Sutton to six going into race day ahead of what is set to be one of the tightest final days in series history.

“The Saturday pace has been outrageous and I have no criticism of the car in qualifying trim – it was remarkable,” Ingram said. “I’ve been racing all my life and I can only remember one other occasion when I’ve had the perfect car like that.

“To have it today at the moment when we needed it most, in arguably the biggest qualifying session of my life, was brilliant.”

Ingram will now bid to convert his qualifying pace into victory in the opening race, where he admitted the big work was still to be done.

“I’m acutely aware that the job isn’t done and whilst it is great to be on pole with a car that feels amazing, tomorrow is when the big points will come,” he said. “We’re in a great place and now I just have to stay level headed and look ahead to tomorrow.”