Fortec Motorsports’ Thomas Ingram Hill is eyeing a GB4 podium after picking up his third fourth-placed finish of the season in the first race at Oulton Park yesterday.
It is a position that the young Brit is becoming particularly familiar with, having finished there three further times in the final half of the 2025 season. Having claimed two podiums last year, his current run suggests another trophy is beckoning.
Indeed he almost took one at the Silverstone season-opener, only to be dropped off the podium in exceptional circumstances.
“I had [a podium] at Silverstone but got unlucky with the red flag, which took it away,” explained the 16-year-old.
In race two of the season-opener, Ingram Hill completed an overtake on Jason Smyth after the Irishman made an error late on. However, when results were pulled back due to a red flag and no time to resume the race, Ingram Hill was dropped from third to fourth.
At Oulton Park this weekend, the Briton has been consistently on the pace, being inside the top five in all sessions he has completed and topping the times in one. He believes that he has the pace to finish on the rostrum.
“A couple of mistakes in qualifying have cost us,” he said. “We had the pace at Silverstone to do it, we did it [but] got unlucky. Here, again, just lacking a bit in qualifying but we’re making the steps forward.”
Ingram Hill remains focused on the bigger picture, knowing that his current form will soon reap rewards.
“We’ve just got to be consistent,” he said. “Eventually we will get one, so you never know, something could happen in front and we get something.”
Oulton Park was a challenging event for him last year, finishing the opening two races 21st and 14th respectively. Returning with Fortec for the 2026 season, he thanks multiple factors for his improved performance, including the help of former GB3 driver Joseph Loake, who won at the Cheshire venue in 2023.
“I’ve got Joseph here, he holds the lap record, so it is good to hear his input,” he explained. “I like this track. It’s a good, little rollercoaster, it suits the car, and it’s just the redemption from last year.”
“Last year, I had my GCSEs at this time, so it was very hard,” he continued. “I’ve been on the sim nearly every day as I’m at college, so I’m a bit more free. I have bit a more experience and more confidence in the car, so it’s making a difference.”
