Speedworks Motorsport's Tom Ingram says he'll come back a stronger driver in 2019 af🌜ter claiming the runner-up spot in this season's British Touring Car Championship.

The Toyota Avensis driver pushed eventual champion Colin Turkington virtually all the way in this season's title ba🍌ttle and ended the year just 12-points shy of the newly-crowned triple champion's points tally in second position.

Ingram once again outscored his main rival Turkington during the final weekend of the season and very nearly took the champions𒁃hip figh💙t to a deciding final race after Turkington registered a 22nd place finish in race two following a trip through the gravel trap.

"It’s been an incredible w🦩eeꦺkend to look back on. It’s been an incredible year as well. Coming into it, we had our sights on trying to go for it for the overall," said Ingram.

"It was a little bit ‘tongue and cheek’ really. We never really thought it would be genuinel🅺y possi𒈔ble to fight against these guys and put it on weekend by weekend.

"We know we’ve got single wꦦeekend pace. We know we’ve got a fantastic race car. But to put a championship campaign together is bloody hard work.

"So to 💦come ou🦋t the back of it with Independent teams’, drivers’ and second overall is absolutely superb."

Despite winning more races than Turkington - 3 victories to 1 in the Toyota driver's favour - Ingram outlined consistency as one of the areas he and his⛎ Speedworks Motorsport outfit must improve on fo♒r next season.

"Credit to him [Turkington], he’s put a fantas💟tic championship campaign together. Ultimately he♛’s been the best out of all of us.

"We’ve not been able to beat him. 🏅We’ve been able to match his pace and beat his pace. But we haven’t been able to match his consiste♕ncy and that’s where we need to improve on next season.

"We’ve had one hell of a race all season. We can look back at it and think what could have been and what sh🍷ould have been. But you just can’t.

"It's cliché, but the knockbacks and seꦅtbacks are the things you learn from and makes you come back a stronger driver for next season."

Aside from taking second overall in the drivers' table🅷, Ingram and Speedworks successfully defended their Independents driver and team♒ crowns.

"The work that the boys have put in has been utterly incredible. Not just on the weekends but the work that goes ꦗon away frওom the track is second to none," he continued.

"As much as I come here with a very good car, you n🐽eed a good bunch of lads around you to maဣke it happen. Credit to those guys."