Gordon Shedden regrets Turkington contact

Reigning BTCC champion Gordon Shedden said his third race contact with Colin Turkington was something he never wanted to see happen, but believed he was entitled to make the move he did.

The Honda Racing Team driver made contact with Turkington’s West Surrey Racing BMW 125i while the pair were battling for the lead on lap eight, a move which later earned the Scotsman a £500 fine and three points on his racing licence.

Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Shedden said: “I’m happy enough in terms of what I did. It had been nip and tuck for a few corners before. I made a move down the inside, and the soft tyre has a little bit more grip than the regular tyre.

“He just continued to close the door, and when you’re fully committed, you’re fully committed. He ended up occupying the space I was already in.

“It is a shame. You never want to see that outcome.”

Looking at the weekend overall, Shedden added: “It has been a difficult weekend, but being on base weight at the end made it a little bit better. Soft tyres on base weight, we should be pretty competitive.

“It was a tough weekend, but nice to finish on a high for all the boys.”

The series now moves to Shedden’s home circuit of Knockhill, a track where he has enjoyed plenty of success in the past.

He said: “There is a long way to go yet, and there will be a hell of a lot more racing.

“Knockhill is a polar opposite circuit in terms of length and undulation. There will be some spectacular racing.”