High Wycombe’s Tom Ingram will head into the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with a positive winter testing programme under his belt as Speedworks Motorsport aim big in the world’s premier and most fiercely-disputed tin-top series.

Speedworks returned to the UK for the BTCC’s traditional Season Launch at Donington Park in Leicestershire. Ingram finished in ninth position in what was the first opportunity for media and fans of the immensely popular, ITV4 live-televised series to grab a glimpse of the striking new livery adorning the #80 car.

Once the covers had been removed, 24-year-old Ingram took to the circuit in the first and only group test before the serious business gets underway in the opening round of the campaign at Brands Hatch on 7/8 April.

With early rain soon making way for sunnier skies, the talented young Bucks ace sat out most of the first half of the four-hour session while the asphalt dried, before sending out a warning and underscoring his and Speedworks’ potential as he vaulted temporarily to the top of the timing screens with 90 minutes remaining.

A succession of red flags for other drivers’ issues repeatedly interrupted the action, restricting him to ninth in the overall pecking order, but the three-time Ginetta Champion and former British Karting Champion is quite content to keep his powder dry until the talking stops just over a week from now.

Ingram said: “You can never read too much into the lap times at Season Launch, because different people are running different programmes and varying levels of ballast, so we simply focussed on ourselves and in that respect, it was a very successful and satisfying day.

“Everything went according to plan, and we put a decent number of laps on the board. Right from the outset, the Avensis felt really strong, so hopefully it stays that way. Consistency is what the BTCC is all about, and last year, we proved that is something we have added to our armoury.

“The top guys will remain formidable competitors, and when you throw into the mix a number of new drivers and new cars, it really becomes extremely difficult to call. Ultimately, all we can do is perform to the best of our ability every time we take to the track, with our sights solidly set on lifting the biggest prize of all.”

Ingram will now be looking ahead to the opening round of the season at Brands Hatch.