The Mairon Freight UK TOCA Junior Championship and the new Chevron B1417 car has received a glowing endorsement from British Touring Car Championship title winner Tom Ingram following a recent test day at Pembrey Circuit.

Hot on the heels of narrowly missing out on a second BTCC crown earlier this month, Ingram became the first high-profile name to get behind the wheel of the bespoke rear-wheel-drive machine that is set to power the next generation of racing drivers from 2025.

Joining Championship Director Dave Beecroft and Tommy Watson, the Chief Executive of title sponsors Mairon Freight UK, the 31-year-old clocked a substantial amount of mileage around the Welsh venue and delivered a rave review.

“It’s been really interesting to jump behind the wheel at this stage because we’re in a position where it’s early days and we can therefore take the car in any direction we want to see what does and doesn’t work,” he said.

“As a base car it is very strong, very neutral. It’s fun and easy to drive, you can get to the limit comfortably and it’s also quite forgiving. Importantly, it’s confidence inspiring, which for the young guys and girls that are going to be driving it, is a really big plus point.

“At this stage in the development process it is about providing as much feedback as possible and then make small tweaks to steer things in the right direction. The car is in a great place out of the box and it has all the fundamentals you could ask for.

“Over the next few months we’ll start to push things further and take the car beyond its limit, find out how it reacts to certain things and also see what is what in terms of set-up changes. It’s an exciting time that’s for sure!

Commenting on the championship becoming part of the TOCA package, Ingram added: “I’ve no doubt that this championship will be the foundation for drivers to go on and enjoy careers in professional motorsport. We’re going to see people get involved from a very young age and go on to showcase their talent in front of a huge audience.

“Being on the TOCA package is a hugely important thing for the championship as it’s going to allow young drivers to make their mark and establish themselves. It will come with plenty of pressure, especially when the cameras are rolling and the spectator bankings are packed.

“That being said, I think one of the great things that the exposure of the TOCA package will provide is that it will allow drivers to learn and grow. They’ll become accustomed to everything that goes on alongside the racing and that will put them in good stead.

“Being able to do that in a junior championship that is as promising as this will ensure that when they finally make it to the BTCC or whatever it may be, they feel a lot more comfortable and are more than ready to embark on that next step in their careers.”