Reigning BTCC Champion Tom Ingram Joins Forces with MKH and Ron Johnson for British GT Debut at Donington

In an end of season twist, reigning British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) champion Tom Ingram is set to make his highly anticipated debut in the Intelligent Money British GT Championship at the prestigious Donington Decider. This thrilling development comes as the 30-year-old driver teams up with fellow debutant MKH and former British GT series regular, Ron Johnson.

Ingram, who is on the verge of potentially retaining his tin-top title at Brands Hatch this weekend, is now shifting his focus to the British GT4 class. There, he will take the wheel of MKH’s sleek Aston Martin Vantage, promising an exhilarating showdown at Donington Park.

While Ingram has been a fixture in the British Touring Car scene since 2014, he has occasionally dabbled in sportscar and Citroen C1 racing alongside Ron Johnson, a partnership that goes back to their days racing for Speedworks in the BTCC. Two years ago, they shared the spotlight in a GTC-spec Ferrari 458 in the GT Cup, following their earlier collaboration in a Speedworks-run Toyota GR Supra GT4 in the same series.

“Ron often calls up asking if I fancy racing this or that with him. It could be anything, but on this occasion, it was British GT at Donington. And obviously, I said yes!” Ingram revealed. “First and foremost, we’re there to have fun and stay out of trouble. I know how I’d feel if someone jeopardized my title chances. But I am also curious to see how the new generation of GT4 cars perform. I’ve done some GT racing in the past but not at this level, so it will be good to gauge myself against the established guys. Having said that, Ron and I won’t test the Aston until the Thursday of the event, so we’re also under no illusions. As I said, we’re primarily there to have a good time.”

While Ingram may be a newcomer to British GT, Johnson brings a wealth of experience. A GT3 regular in 2011, ’12, and ’13, Johnson raced aboard Speedworks’ Corvette Z06 and later a BMW Z4 run by Barwell. It has been a decade since he made his final appearance, coincidentally at the Donington Decider in 2014.

“I’ve been eyeing British GT for a while and would love to do a full season again after successful one-off GT Cup appearances over the last few years,” Johnson said. “I feel I perform best at fast, flowing circuits such as Donington. So this is the perfect opportunity to see how I stack up against GT4’s usual suspects. I haven’t raced at the top level for a few years and don’t really have a reference point. But I’d like to think I’ve still got the speed to give some of the younger Ams a run for their money, and especially with Tom’s significant driving skills and mentoring to help me.”

Adding another layer of intrigue to this thrilling partnership is MKH, a team founded in 2022 by Peter Montague, Michael Kirk, and 2013 FIA WEC champion Stuart Hall. In the same year as its inception, MKH secured the British Endurance Championship’s GT4 class title. Montague and Hall remain in contention for overall and class championships as they head into the series finale at Donington this weekend.

The same MKH car, sporting a different crew, will return to tackle the British GT’s closing round at the same circuit just one week later.

“Donington’s very much a ‘toe in the water’ exercise for us,” said Stuart Hall, who won two British GT races as a driver in 2009. “MKH aspires to compete in British GT full-time one day, but that isn’t necessarily next year. Every aspect of the team has to be ready for that step up, and we won’t truly know what to expect until we try it. The finale gives us that opportunity.”

With star power like Tom Ingram, Ron Johnson, and the up-and-coming MKH team converging on Donington, motorsport fans can expect a thrilling spectacle at the Donington Decider as these talents unite for an unforgettable British GT debut.