Tom Ingram is worried the onset of rain at Donington Park ahead of the second British Touring Car Championship race this afternoon could ruin his weight and tyre advantage going forward.
Ingram, who fell back from an early lead to hold fifth and close the championship lead to Gordon Shedden, will start the second race lighter on success ballast as a result and on the soft tyre.
However, as per championship regulations, any significant rainfall will negate the use of the softer compound tyre as everyone switches to the wet compounds.
“It would be nice now for the rain to hold off and we can have a bit of an advantage with less weight and on a standard tyre,” admitted Ingram.
“We know that again it’s going to be very, very tough. Most people have elected the second and third races for the hard tyre. I’m glad that we managed to get it out of the way, but now the rain’s starting to come down.”
The Speedworks Motorsport driver underlined his satisfaction at the result having started an impressive third.
“The hard tyre and 66 kg [of ballast] were not really a good mixture to have, so to be able to hold on to what we did I think means we can be really, really pleased with that,” Ingram continued.
“We knew it was going to be very difficult, but I honestly didn’t think we’d be able to hold it back to there. I’m over the moon with that.”
The Toyota Avensis’ of Ingram and Austin made contact into Redgate on the opening lap, which Ingram suggested was due to contact from behind.
“I got fired off from behind, so whoever was behind me fired me into Rob [Austin], so I was as much of a passenger as he was.”