Colin Turkington laments hybrid issues

Colin Turkington was left frustrated by hybrid issues that left him back in tenth spot in qualifying for the BTCC finale at Brands Hatch.

The WSR driver will line up back in tenth spot for the opening race, putting him behind his three rivals for the title and leaving him with even more work to do if he wants to secure a fifth championship crown.

Turkington had earlier run towards the sharp end of the times in free practice and he said he felt ‘robbed’ of the chance to qualify higher as a result of issues outside his control.

“It’s been a hugely frustrating day,” he said. “We had a good balance and a quick BMW, but we’ve once again been plagued by hybrid issues, which bit us at Silverstone and have done so again today. Hybrid failed on the second lap of my first run, so I actually did my fastest lap without it.

“The issue is the lack of flow in the session. I’m spending more time in the pits than I am on the track, so I’m missing being on the track when its at its best. The opportunity to start near the front was robbed from us and that’s two weekends in a row where factors totally outside our control has held us back.

“The only chance to move forward and try and win was to qualify on the front three rows. That opportunity’s been taken away from us. We couldn’t have done any more.”