Colin Turkington: “I’m not the one under pressure”

Colin Turkington will take a lead of 34 points into Final Day at Brands Hatch after the penultimate weekend of the BTCC season at Silverstone set up a three-way fight for the title.

The West Surrey Racing driver secured a podium finish in the final race of the weekend behind chief rival Tom Ingram having earlier battled hard to a brace of eighth place finishes at the wheel of his BMW 125i M Sport.

It meant a solid recovery from a tough qualifying session that had left him well down the grid, with the two-time champion being the man that Ingram and Tom Chilton will be trying to chase down in the season finale in two weeks time.

“It’ always hard work out there as there are no slow cars in the BTCC and I’m pleased with the progress we have made to come P18 in qualifying to a podium,” he said. “I didn’t expect to be in that position on Saturday night and it isn’t easy when you find yourself in the thick of the battle and have to keep attacking to make up places whilst also defending.

“We had a good package today and will go to Brands Hatch with a strong car at a circuit that has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past, and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’d much prefer to be in the position that I’m in because I went in last season behind and the pressure is on straightaway to try and claw back points.

“Now I have them in the bag and can just go there and do my own thing.”