West Surrey Racing (WSR) and BMW had great results in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) rounds at Snetterton this past weekend and moved into the championship lead in the driver, team, and manufacturer title points.
WSR drivers Colin Turkington and Jake Hill scored one-two finishes in the first two of three rounds at Snetterton in their 330e M Sport cars. The two put on a good show, as they ran nose to tail in the first race and battled side-by-side in the opening laps of the second race. In race three, Turkington suffered a failure in the hybrid system and still finished sixth while racing without hybrid power, one spot behind Hill. BMW drivers Adam Morgan and Stephen Jelley also had strong races, finishing in fourth and fifth in races one and two.
The weekend was especially monumental for four-time champion Turkington, as race three at Snetterton was his 500th start in the BTCC. He only has three wins on the season, but he’s been very consistent, which has moved him into the points lead in the driver’s championship. He’s been on the podium ten times this year with three wins and has been in the top five another five times. “It’s a dream weekend,” said Turkington. “Even when you’re leading, it’s by no means easy. To do well in this championship you have to be on top of your game and with two other quick drivers in the team, we’re pushing each other always to the next level. Sometimes it’s a pain having a quick teammate, but it benefits us also. We’re working hard in every department; we haven’t got here by chance and we’re pushing the envelope everywhere. 500 races is a massive milestone and I’m very grateful for the career I’ve had and the successes I’ve had in the BTCC, but I’m still hungry for more.”
With just three race weekends left (with three races per weekend), Turkington is in first place in the driver’s championship, BMW is in first place in the manufacturer’s championship and WSR Team BMW is in first place in the team points. The next races come up at Thruxton on the weekend of August 27th-28th. —David Haueter
[Photos by BTCC]