Rally driver Chris Ingram on swapping Manchester for Monaco and his path to World Champion
Motor racing star Chris Ingram speaks to Mike Hall about success, impending fatherhood and how he still bumps his car.
Record-breaking rally driver Chris Ingram says he's "performing better than ever" as he sets his sights on becoming the third British driver to win the World Rally Championships.
The 30-year-old from Manchester already made history on 27 October 2024, when he became the first person to win both the British and European Rally Championship titles.
He said: "There was four of us going for the title, and to get it is a massive relief.
"It's been a tough journey, but I felt so relieved to get the British one. To get the double, I'm so proud."
His victory at the British Championships marks his first major win since 2019, after the pandemic left him unable to drive for over two years.
He said: "I almost lost everything. I didn't drive for two years and I had to really fight to get my career on track.
"It's been a tough journey mentally but now I'm performing better than ever and ready for what's to come."
During the pandemic, Chris was forced to move back in with his parents and question whether he had a future as a rally driver.
He said: "It was proper back down to Earth. From standing on the podium with Lewis Hamilton to being back at home. It's been a hell of a journey.
Now that racing has started again, Chris has moved out and lives in Monaco with his girlfriend.
He said: "It's a dream come true. I've met an amazing girl from Monaco, and I'm living out there with her mostly. It's an amazing place to live, and there's quite a few mancs out there."
Chris' next big race is on 21 November, when he'll compete at the Rally Japan event. Beyond that, Chris is preparing for an even bigger occasion; the birth of his first child.
He said: "We're expecting a baby boy in a couple of months, but she's given me permission to go to Japan.
"I'm definitely getting him into football instead of rallying. I've got him a City shirt already."
Chris is currently working to secure funding to compete in the 2025 World Rally Championships, where he aims to be the first British racer since Richard Burns in 2001 to win the competition.
He said: "I want to be World Champion and I know I can. It's been my dream since I was a little boy.
"I believe we can do it, we've got the team and we're going for it."
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