BTCC ACE TURKINGTON SEEKS TO BRANCH INTO GT RACING
Three-time tin-top champion aims to add endurance competition to his schedule
Three-time British Touring Car Championship title winner Colin Turkington says he would like to expand into GT and endurance racing should he able to avoid any event clashes.
The BTCC points leader is set to draw level with Andy Rouse as the series’ most successful ever driver if he wraps up a fourth title at the end of the season.
Although the WSR driver has no plans to depart the BTCC, 37-year-old Turkington would like to move into endurance racing and compete at established European venues.
He said: “As far as I’m concerned, I really enjoy the [BTCC] and I’d like to remain in it as long as I can.
“I have aspirations to do some endurance racing. I’m getting more and more interested in and excited by endurance racing, Le Mans and British GT. I’ve been to watch some of that and I really like the cars. They’re maybe not as exciting to watch but I just think the cars would be cool to drive.”
Having raced BMW machinery to each of his three BTCC championships, and as pilot of the new 330i M Sport this season, the M6 GT3 would be the most likely route via which Turkington could compete.
But he reckons his BTCC reputation has made it difficult to draw attention to his GT racing aspirations.
“It’s like anything, it’s hard to get your foot in the door to do any GT racing,” Turkington added. “Maybe they don’t know I’m interested or you get pigeonholed as a touring car driver.
“I’ve never really raced in Europe as such – never been to Spa, Le Mans or any of those big tracks. I would like to do those type of events but it’s very hard to dovetail that with the BTCC.”
See where Turkington ranks in MN’S top 25 national heroes in our special feature, which stars on page 23.