CHRIS Ingram together with his Herefordshire based co-driver Craig Drew finish ninth overall & fourth in WRC 2 category in their Tok Sport prepared Skoda Fabia R5 on the recent Aredeca Ypres Rally in Belgium.

But more importantly for Ingram kept alive his WRC 2 Junior title aspirations.

The beautiful city of Ypres once again played host to the World Rally Championship for the second consecutive year.

Drivers competed over 20 stages totalling some 282 kilometres in the notoriously difficult lanes around Ypres, makes this one of the toughest rallies on the calendar.

A high-quality field of 88 cars assembled including 37 WRC 2, cars not only was there a high-class entry of WRC runners but also a host of very quick Belgian drivers to add into the mix.

For Ingram he got off to the best possible start in the WRC 2 category with fastest time on the opening test.

However, a spin and stall on stage two saw their lead evaporated and they quickly fell to seventh in WRC 2, 15th overall and second in the race for junior points some 26 seconds behind local driver Gregoire Munster.

Drew said: "We got caught out on hard tyres when the rain came on stage four so we dropped 45 seconds at least, all the top crews got through before the rain arrived.

“All the WRC 2 crews should be seeded together, but because we've been seeded behind some top Belgian championship crews we've lost a shed load of time, which isn't fair when going for a championship."

Day two went much better for Ingram and Drew as they clawed 16 back in the junior standings arriving back in Ypres 11th overall and fifth in WRC 2. 

Sunday’s final leg was over four tests which offered some 52 kilometres of racing.

Ingram was quickly out of the blocks on Sunday morning and led the junior category at the mid-morning remote service.

 

On the penultimate test Ingram moved into the top ten overall and after a stunning final day drive finished ninth overall and fourth WRC 2.

 

"I'm over the moon I needed that result especially in the Junior title fight, we decided to attack this morning and see what we could do and then gauge it,” said Ingram.

 

“We're fighting so hard this year and we're up against factory backed cars from Skoda, Citroën, Hyundai and M Sport. We are only privateers but we have a fantastic team in Tok Sport and my sponsors 24/7 Car Finance, Kroon Oil & WS and we will fight to the end.

 

“We go to Greece next for the Acropolis Rally which is one tough events."