Ingram recently invited FV Weekly, among others, to an event which promised to change the way viewed Ingram. We couldn't turn down that opportunity and sent David Ecclestone to find out more. “2019 was a tough year for Ingram V-Prix” begins team principal William Ingram, “we lost our long term technical partners Franklin, our engine suppliers Honda and our new partners Andromeda”. This is not the most encouraging beginning to an event promising a new era for the Ingram team. Before the event I had been talking to my colleagues at FV Weekly about their thoughts for Ingram’s 2020 season and many of them had severe reservations about what they could achieve without their senior partners in Franklin. Most believed they would link up with another leading FV team, but as spaces filled at Downton, Porsche and Ford it looked as though they would have to sign alongside an unproven Lamborghini engine or an inconsistent Alfa Romeo one, both significant downgrades on their current Honda engine. Few believed that Ingram would strike out on their own given the doubts publicly aired by Honda about their potential. I had a fiver on a Porsche deal which seems very unlikely now. “But that’s all in the past now, and I’m sure you didn’t come here for a history lesson. You came here to see if we’ve been brave enough to take a step forward.” A few of us involuntarily leant forward. Ingram have always been safe in their choices, a sensible engine choice, solid proven race drivers and a green livery. Since 2015 the team has had three full time drivers and the same engine each year. The most exciting aspect of an Ingram news story was usually the bird of prey they had named their car after. Yet here they were promising something new, something different, something brave. “Please join me in welcoming Robert Foxwist of Jaguar vRacing, Ben Farrell of Arrow Mechanics and Sydney Cockerel of Lister Engineering.” Jaguar. Now there’s a twist. A showy new logo flashed on the screens. Ingram V-Prix powered by Jaguar. “We’ve had our eye on Virtual Motorsport for a while” claimed Jaguar’s moustached Head of Virtual Motorsport, “but until William approached us we had never seriously entertained the prospect of entering.” Foxwist went on, outlining the shared vision of the Jaguar team and Ingram. We then moved on to Farrell charge of Formula Virtual’s newest team. "All of us within the Arrow team see our partnership with Jaguar and the Ingram Grand Prix team as our best move going into the virtual motorsport scene in 2020. I see no negatives and only positives with working with such an established and affluent team such as Ingram, and I, for one, are ecstatic for what the future brings with these Jaguar Engines." To cement the partnership, Ingram youth driver Zander Brynildsen will act as test driver for the new Arrow team. Strangely we didn’t get to hear from Sydney Cockerel. But the Lister connection makes sense. A local Cambridge firm with a strong motoring history and a long term bond with Jaguar. The 1958 Lister-Jaguar swept aside all before it and Ingram have done well to bring the pair together again. One would imagine that Lister would be providing aerodynamic support and Ingram and Lister have long enjoyed a close connection off the track. Ingram also took the opportunity to confirm Jean Mattson and James Vasquez as their race drivers for 2020, with new youth driver Urmo Kruuda taking test driving duties. Some things don’t change. David Ecclestone
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