Colin Turkington happy with Rockingham qualifying result on full ballast

West Surrey Racing’s Colin Turkington is content with having qualified fifth for the first race on Sunday in his BMW 125i M Sport, considering the Northern Irishman is carrying the maximum 75kg of success ballast as penalty for his championship lead.

Turkington was just under two-tenths of a second shy of Team BMR Subaru’s James Cole in the 30-minute qualifying session, despite a full ballast of difference between the two rear-wheel drive challengers.

“Today was a good day,” he said. “To be fifth on the grid and only two-tenths away from pole is very pleasing when you consider I’m carrying the full success ballast of 75kg – the equivalent of taking a passenger with you.

“Rockingham is a circuit that really punishes a heavy car, so I know tomorrow’s first race will be a challenge, but the balance of the BMW is terrific, which gives me a lot of confidence. The aim tomorrow is to maintain the championship lead, so we’ll just have to see what happens.”