There’s still potential in our BMW, says WSR boss Dick Bennetts

West Surrey Racing boss Dick Bennetts says there is still untapped development potential in the team’s BMW 125i machines as they prepare for their fourth season with the car in the BTCC.

The car which carried Colin Turkington to a dominant championship win in 2014 will this year be driven by newcomer Jack Goff, alongside retained drivers Sam Tordoff and Rob Collard.

The New Zealander’s outfit are legendary for their attention to detail and this winter has been no different, with an extensive programme of development on both chassis and engine.

Speaking to TouringCarTimes at the recent Thruxton test, Bennetts said: “I do read some of these stories where people say ‘the car’s old’ but if it’s still stiff, it’s a car! It’s got brand new RML suspension and it’s going to have a brand new engine. It’s not an old car.

“We’ve done a lot of work over the winter and we’re going through things methodically. We’re gradually phasing in all the new for 2016 parts so we don’t lose where we’re going.

“All of the top teams have got the new RML/TOCA suspension and the top teams will get the best out of it. We have got to find more, so there has been quite a lot of work done on engine development and quite a bit on the chassis.

“We’ve been in the wind tunnel too, so it’s been an expensive winter!”

Bennetts also had kind words about his new charge Goff, who replaces Andy Priaulx in the IHG-backed 125i M-Sport.

“Jack has been very good – we’re impressed with him, his feedback and his professionalism on track and off track. Learning rear-wheel drive in the wet at Thruxton is not easy,” said Bennetts.

“I think he said he only had one day of pre-season testing last year but we’ve got a lot more planned!”