Photo Credit: Chris Ingram Rally Chris Ingram says his opening round win in the 2017 FIA European Rally Championship was "a big confidence boost" ahead of the rest of the season, with this result marking the first time the 22 year old driver has started his season off with a win.
The Manchester man is competing for Opel Motorsport in an Opel ADAM R2 for a second season in 2017, having signed for the German marque to compete in the ERC last year. 2016 saw Ingram claim the FIA ERC 3 title with five consecutive podium finishes but mechanical failure on the final round meant he missed out on the Junior title to his then team mate Marius Griebel. With a shake-up in the ERC's format for this season, Ingram is now competing in what's called the ERC Junior U27 Championship, for drivers under the age of 27 years old in R2 specification cars. The Opel Motorsport pilot won in Portugal to lead the championship at this early stage, but he was pushed hard by his new team mate and ADAC Opel Rallye Cup graduate Jari Huttunen. "It's massively important to start the season with a win," Chris explains, "especially on a tough rally like the Azores where it's usually an achievement to just get to the finish. It's the first time I've actually started with a win as well so that's a big confidence boost ahead of next four tarmac rounds. "We were pushed hard by our team mate [Jari Huttunen] and it was interesting to have to keep up the pace but still take no risks as what I've learnt from the Azores is it's simply not a place to take risks. We were driving quite comfortably but in the back of my mind I knew I simply couldn't make any small mistakes and throw away tenths of seconds. "Although we hadn't realised we'd won after a few small issues at the end of the rally, when we heard and it sunk in there is just no better feeling [than winning]! Especially when you've had to work so hard for it with months of preparation, sacrifices and actual risks you've had to take in the car." Ingram's eventual winning margin of over 14 minutes belies the true story of the rally, which saw the Brit and his Finnish team mate covered by mere seconds throughout the event. Chris is sure it's going to be close between the two Opel drivers this season. "I think it will be a great battle all year, Jari is a very talented driver and one of Finland's 'chosen ones', backed by Marcus Gronholm which just goes to show his talent." It was most definitely a tough start to the year, with the Azores being one of the most challenging rallies in Europe. Chris spoke of the challenges of the event: "The Azores is regarded as one of the most challenging events on the ERC calendar and is famous for the volcano stage Sete Cidades. I've competed on the event four times before finishing second, first, second then first after taking a cautious approach because if you go flat-out you usually run out of luck and can easily tap a bank which will either knock the tracking out, bend the steering a knock a tyre off its rim. This has happened to me three times before but we managed to minimise the time loss. You have to know when to push and when to drive within yourself but when you get it right it's the most rewarding feeling!" This year is Ingram's fourth in the FIA European Rally Championship, formerly the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, having previously driven a private Renault Twingo R2 before signing for Peugeot UK to drive a Peugeot 208 R2, collecting two Colin McRae ERC Flat Out Trophies over the years. There was a new face in the co-drivers' seat when Ingram headed to Opel in 2016 as previous co-driver Gabin Moreau signed with Citroen Racing to compete with rising star Stephane Lefebvre in the World Rally Championship. Elliot Edmondson, also 22, has joined Ingram on his ERC journey and it's a partnership Chris wished had begun sooner. "The decision to get Elliot in the car was one I wish I'd taken sooner as the road here would have been a lot easier! He is doing a fantastic job, fully committed and passionate but also relaxed and organised, and he gets on well with everyone. He's always spot on with calling the pace notes and it gives me lots of confidence which has ultimately helped give us two wins from the last two ERC rounds we have finished." The FIA ERC Junior U27 season consists of six rallies, two on gravel and four on tarmac. Up next for the youngsters is Rallye Islas Canarias, before trips to Poland for Rallye Rzsezow in May, the Czech Republic for Barum Czech Rally Zlin in August, Italy for Rally di Roma Capitale in September before book-ending the season on the loose on Rally Liepaja in Latvia in early October. The 2012 MSA Young Driver of the Year is trying not to think about the championship, and instead is approaching each event on a rally-by-rally basis. "Although we have started with maximum points I am taking a rally by rally approach, so the goal will be to win at every round. It will be hard graft and as Sebastien Loeb once said 'winning is never easy', but I am more focused than ever and feel I have the right balance of experience and pace. Bring on round two, Rallye Islas Canarias in May!"
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April 2017
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