Fortec Motorsports’ Thomas Ingram Hill heads to Silverstone next weekend (2/3 August) hopeful of stepping onto the podium after claiming his best result yet at Snetterton last time out.
The young Brit has enjoyed a surge towards the top-10 in the championship standings, thanks to a run of four successive top-eight finishes across the events at Oulton Park and Snetterton, with the positive form culminating in fourth place in the Norfolk finale.
With that run moving in the right direction, the 16-year-old is aiming for silverware when the series returns to the British Grand Prix venue.
“I am optimistic that a podium will come this year, and I am targeting that in a feature race” he said. “I know I have the pace, and we were able to demonstrate that at Snetterton. I definitely have targets greater than that.
“There are a lot of great competitors out there this year, and I think we can take the fight to them for the remainder of the season. The momentum I have grown I intend to [use to] keep moving forwards. Watch out for number eight at the front at Silverstone.”
Ingram Hill’s upturn in form comes following the end of exam season, meaning he’s had more time to devote to racing.
“Coming to the end of the summer, I have finished my GCSEs and this has allowed me to put all my focus in to the driving programme.
“Without early starts and late finishes at school, I have been able to work hard on my core fitness, and get some momentum behind my time in the car. I had the potential before, but needed some consistency.
“Oulton Park was tough, as exams seriously limited my practice time in the car and I had no wet running at all before the races, so I was developing throughout that weekend.
“After the break I have put all I have learnt into practice, and with the support of the team and my coaches, that focus has seen me deliver the pace consistently throughout the weekend.”
Like several drivers in recent seasons, Ingram Hill has graduated to GB4 via Ginetta Juniors, and he’s enjoyed the process of switching to open wheel competition with Fortec Motorsports, one of the UK’s best known operations at this level.
“The single seaters are much more direct, they feel natural from the outset. With Ginetta Juniors, you are always waiting for the rotation or the grip to be able to get back on the power. The move to slicks and the grip that brings has been brilliant, and definitely suits my driving style a lot more.
“Fortec has been brilliant [in helping me to adapt]. Richard and Olly [Dutton] have made me and my whole family feel at home from day one and this has really helped me grow personally.
“I have great relationships with all my mechanics Ben, Andy, Nick and many of the team also look after me in the F4 car as well. They have been great at helping me to understand the car, and helping me adjust and learn. The extra time with team has been really helpful.
“I also have Duncan Tappy and Mike Epps coaching me and Dan Wells managing me. All together they are helping me to learn and grow. They have provided me with so many opportunities this year, it is fantastic to be able to learn from all their experiences, and grow as a part of such a historied team. I look forward to writing my own chapter in that history.”
