Ingram confident Tracsport can achieve dream.

John Ingram Jr believes that the Tracsport team can put the disappointment of their home race behind them as the small outfit continues to work towards its dream of an entry into the Le Mans 24 hours.

The team was taking part in only its second LMES race at Silverstone at the weekend but, despite running with a 2001 spec car against more modern opposition, Ingram and co-drivers John Gaw and Rick Pearson were on for a second successive podium finish in the LMP2 class.

However a starter motor problem in the final hour of the race dropped the team out of the top three, although frantic work by the mechanics ensured that Ingram was able to return to the track before the chequered flag dropped.

"It was disappointing in many ways but also encouraging," he told Crash.net. "Unlike the Nurburgring, where we earned third through the disqualification of a rival competitor, we really earned it here. Although we didn't achieve it in the end, we were into the final hour of the race, twenty minutes ahead of the car in fourth, and we had earned the place without default. The team can be encouraged that we have done so well this early in the development.

"It's particularly encouraging when our future development is obviously to move towards more modern specs cars. The fact that we are doing so well with an old car bodes very well for the future when we have more up to date machinery."

Ingram admitted that it was 'heartbreaking' to be sitting in the car as it refused to start after the final stop but stressed that the important thing is that the team managed to get back on track to score some points.

"I'm delighted we finished," he said. "Points mean prizes and we want the points as we are still in with a chance to get a good position in the championship. However, coming in past the podium and seeing it all going on was heartbreaking for us all."

The team now needs to focus on the next round of the championship at Spa in Belgium, where they will look for a strong performance to try and secure an automatic place at Le Mans.

However, Ingram feels that the team have done enough to show they are worth a place in the famous event regardless of where they finish in the title race.

"I'd love to think that the ACO think we deserve an entry to Le Mans, it's what everybody in this paddock is working to," he said. "To get pre-seeded we need to get into the top two in the LMP2 championship, which up until Saturday we thought we would achieve.

"The ACO want to see these prototypes at Le Mans and Tracsport has performed so fantastically well in just two races that I think we do deserve a place. If we don't get pre-seeded than we will certainly be trying to get onto the grid."