Photo: PSP Images

Colin Turkington delighted with fifth Independents’ crown

By

Colin Turkington was pleased to secure his fifth BTCC Independents’ crown at Brands Hatch but has already turned his attention on returning in 2016 to put his name back on the overall Drivers’ trophy.

Despite finishing third in the overall standings behind Gordon Shedden and Jason Plato, Turkington beat Team BMR team-mate Plato to the top of the Independents’ title chase, taking the trophy home for the fifth time in his career.

“I’m delighted to have a trophy at the end of the year,” Turkington told TouringCarTimes. “It’s the fifth time I’ve won this championship, it still means a lot to take this title home. We’ve worked hard all year as a team and it’s great to have some silverware to show for it.

“I think it’s been a great year, if you’d said at the start of the year that we’d have this kind of performance we all would have been pretty pleased. It’s hard when you come so close to the overall crown, that’s the big one, that’s the one everyone comes here to get. We give it 100% effort this year with good foundations built for next year.”

The 2015 season saw Turkington leave West Surrey Racing to join Team BMR, switching not only from a team he had spent his entire BTCC career at, but also switching from rear-wheel-drive to front-wheel-drive, which the pre-season questions asking if he was going to be able to adapt to the car and mount a series title challenge.

“I’ve had a fantastic first year at BMR,” continued Turkington. “I’ve really enjoyed it here, it’s been a big shift from what I’ve been used to previously. I’ve had a lot to adapt to, I hope to be back next year and be even stronger, so we’ll see how things go.”

While there were rumours that Turkington was testing elsewhere, he has confirmed that his main goal is focusing on reclaiming the BTCC crown in 2016, and doesn’t plan on going anywhere.

“I did do a test in China just to help out a team, but I won’t be racing over there, I want to be back here,” Turkington confirmed. “When you don’t win it you just want your name on that trophy as many times as possible so I’ll be back to fight again.”