<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Continuing the 7-Eleven series during the mid-season break, we turn to the reigning champion's title defence: Team VERTU's Tom Ingram. After a rocky start to the season that yielded no points from the opening two races at Donington Park, the #80 Hyundai i30N has taken seven podiums from the remaining ten races, including a maiden win of the campaign, to sit second in the standings.</p>

<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Donington Park</strong></p>

<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ingram's year did not start strong despite obvious pace between the Bucks-born driver and the Hyundai i30 N with the #80 crossing the line first in Race 1 only to be disqualified for a significant overboost infringement. The next time the Team VERTU star would head out on track, a failing alternator forced him into the pits at the end of the formation lap in Race 2, leaving him without a result from either of the two opening exchanges. The two-time champion responded in Race 3, working his way through the field from a lowly grid position to join a three-way battle with teammate Ricky Collard (Team VERTU) and Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) by lap 13. Ingram briefly lost third before reclaiming it and then passed Collard with ease to move into second, and although he couldn't close the 4.4-second gap to race winner Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) in the closing laps, he salvaged a podium from an otherwise miserable weekend.</p>

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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Brands Hatch Indy</strong></p>

<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ingram was back on the rostrum in Race 1, finishing third as Collard completed a Team VERTU double podium behind race winner Sutton. His maiden win of the season followed in the weekend finale. Starting fifth, Ingram made a superb getaway to pass Sutton on the run to Clearways at the end of the opening lap, with polesitter James Dorlin (Restart Racing) holding Sutton in his path. Ingram then hunted down and dispatched Dorlin for the lead soon after, and controlled the remainder of the race to take the flag 3.848 seconds clear.</p>

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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Snetterton 300</strong></p>

<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ingram's podium run continued in Race 1, where he finished on the rostrum behind race winner Charles Rainford (WSR), having earlier got the better of Josh Cook (Speedworks Corolla Racing) off the line to move into second place. It was as good as his weekend got, however, as an alternator failure in Race 2 sent him from the lead to retirement inside the closing laps, managing a good recovery drive to eighth in the weekend finale.</p>

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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oulton Park Island</strong></p>

<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ingram made his way onto the podium in all three races at Oulton Park, closing in on title leader Sutton in the process. After he finished third in the opener as Cammish took a maiden win in 2026, the reigning champion finished second in Race 2 as Sutton romped clear for a dominant victory. The reverse-grid finale saw Ingram complete the set, finishing third behind winner Rainford and teammate Collard.</p>

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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ingram sits second in the Drivers' Championship in the mid-season break, 48 points behind Sutton. The #80 and the rest of the grid return to action at Thruxton (25/26 July).</p>