BREEN OUT TO SHOW PACE IN CORSICA

Chris Ingram is targeting a spot in the British Rally Championship in an R5 after signalling his intent to step up from R2 machinery.

The Manchester driver missed out on the European Rally Championship Junior category championship in his works Opel Adam after an electrical issue ended his Rally Latvia assault earlier this month. The championship went to German team-mate Marijan Griebel.

Now the 22-year-old wants to compete on home soil next year and return to the UK.

“It’s been the best year of my career, five podiums in a row, European two-wheel-drive champion, but we’ve been on the limit of R2 for a while,” said Ingram. “We definitely want to go R5, we need to stay in with a manufacturer and raise some budget, but I think driving-wise I’m ready for it.”

Ingram believes the rebirth of the British championship has proven successful enough to attract drivers fromeurope.

“I think the BRC will be even better next year,” he said. “It has TV coverage, a great calendar with Ypres being back next year, it’s a great place to learn four-wheel drive. I think WRC2 is too much of a step and ERC has gone downhill [in the R5 class]. I think we could do well but we need to find a good manufacturer link.”

Ingram wouldn’t confirm which car he hopes to run next year, but he’s intrigued by the Hyundai i20 R5, as-yet unseen in Britain.

“It will be interesting to see how the Hyundai gets on in Corsica [WRC],” he added. “The Skoda Fabia looks like the car to have at the moment but that could change.”

DRIVER /CO-DRIVER CAR

Damian Cole/ Paul Morris Ford Fiesta RS WRC John Stone/ Ian Davis Ford Fiesta S2500 David Tinn/giles Dykes Proton Satria Neo S2500 Bob Fowden/ Paul Wakely Subaru Impreza WRC Jeremy Straker/ Neil Harrison Darrian T9 Wynne Watkins/ashley Trimble Subaru Impreza Lee Edwards/ Mike Roberts Ford Escort Mk3 RWD Thomas Cooper/ Paul Williams Mitsubishi Lancer E8 Oliver Hopkins/andy Moss Mitsubishi Lancer E9 Christopher Stanfield/sarah Edwards Peugeot 106 Maxi