INGRAM TARGETS EURO CROWN AFTER MISSING OUT ON JUNIOR TITLE
Briton scraps around for backing to complete ERC season and aim for the biggest prize
After missing out on European Rally Championship 1 Junior championship by just 0.3s in Barum, Chris Ingram says he will “give it everything” to raise the budget to fight for the overall title which he now leads.
Skoda Fabia R5 driver Ingram was keen to bag the junior title as it provided a guarantee through its prize money to contest the last two rounds, in Cyprus and Hungary.
Despite missing out on the junior title with a third placed finish, Ingram and co-driver Ross Whittock snatched the lead of the overall championship from reigning champion Alexey Lukyanuk. The Brits now plan to raise funds to complete the ERC season.
“To lose out [on the Junior title] by that margin is horrific,” Ingram told Motorsport News. “The only way I’ll get over that is by winning the overall title, so we need to focus on that now.
“Winning the junior prize fund would have been massively helpful. But to be leading the European Championship is amazing. I’m going to meet with my team and with a number of potential sponsors next week and give it everything. We need to win it.”
Ingram added that Barum had provided an opportunity for a reset and that he had driven better than he had all year on the Czech based event, won by Jan Kopecky (see report page 18).
“We’re proud of the performance, I’ve not been driving like myself all year,” said Ingram. “I’ve shown glimpses on this rally of myself coming back so we need to keep it going that way.
“I was putting pressure on myself and over-driving. I prepared well and tried to relax as much as possible which is the hardest thing ever. It was almost impossible. I just trusted myself more than I have done ever.”