BTCC champion Tom Ingram talks tyres ahead of Snetterton

Before a wheel turned in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, months of work had taken place to develop, fine-tune and simulate the tyres for the season. Tyres represent the final link between every component of a race-bred touring car and the circuit.

2024 is no different: An all-new spec of tyre has been developed by Goodyear to ensure the on-track action remains thrilling, and the extra power delivered by the hybrid boost is perfectly managed no matter which axle it’s sent to.

This weekend at Snetterton, drivers will be required to use all three compounds across the three races, which is set to add an extra layer of intrigue and mix up the competitive order.

Ahead of the action, Goodyear sat down with a very familiar face in the paddock. 2022 champion Tom Ingram completed his 300th race at Donington Park last month. The 29-time race winner chats about the impact of having three specifications of tyre available at Snetterton and his role assisting Goodyear with tyre development.

“The racing will really come alive when we have the three different tyre compounds at Snetterton, it’s where we’ll see the biggest delta between cars all season depending on everyone’s strategy,” enthused the winner of race three at Snetterton last year. “We did a mid-season tyre test there last year and we completed so many laps I was knackered by the end of it!

“Snetterton itself is a great testing ground as there’s a mix of low, medium and high speed sections”, Ingram explains.

“I was on the soft tyre all the way through, which was the main focus for me. Tests are all about working with the tyre engineers to develop something that performs and lasts well, but also ends up being consistent across a race duration.”

Talking about Goodyear’s latest range of BTCC tyres, Ingram was full of praise for the direction it has gone to make the racing more interesting: “Goodyear has a tyre that will end up making the racing cool. In the past, the biggest deficit was when someone's on a soft tyre. However, from a soft tyre perspective this year, I think it feels very strong and durable. It'll be great for racing.”

“We rely heavily on Goodyear throughout weekends because naturally if you've got a car that's working well, it's easier to get the tyres into a good window. So, for us, it's a big part of the weekend and making sure that we've got high quality and concise information. From all parties, it’s what makes us have the tools to be able to improve the car, to change, or whatever else it needs in between.”