NEXT UP: THRUXTON - Colin Turkington | 4 Time BTCC champion and Team BMW driver Colin Turkington. Currently driving for Team BMW in the 2020 British Touring Car Championship

COLIN LOOKS AHEAD TO THE FAST AND FURIOUS HAMPSHIRE CIRCUIT

Following a few weeks off track, the 2020 BTCC season resumes this weekend (19th / 20th September) at Thruxton, Hampshire.
Rounds 13, 14 and 15 will take place around the fastest circuit on the calendar, renown for it’s high speed action and tyre wear.
12 of the 27 races have been completed, with Colin leading the driver standings by 10 points.
The Goodyear Hard compound tyre will be used for this event only.
Motivated by the change in format, Colin Turkington admits he is enjoying his sport more than ever.

CATCH UP Q&A WITH COLIN

YOU’VE HAD TWO WEEKENDS AWAY FROM COMPETITION SINCE KNOCKHILL, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?

Those two weekends have gone really quickly if i’m honest. I spent quite a bit of time looking back over what we did at Knockhill and using that knowledge to prepare as best we can for Thruxton. It’s a completely different challenge, so we’ve had quite a few engineering discussions to make sure we go there with the fastest car we can.

We’ve had lots of family time too before the boys went back to school, and had great fun together. There’s been some karting, U12’s football, day trips to London, a few BBQ’s and the odd takeaway thrown in for good measure.

From Knockhill race day to Thruxton race day is 3 weeks, which seems like a very long time in this condensed season, so I’ve been back out in my kart to keep sharp as well. It’s important we go to Thruxton as prepared as possible, so i’ve been working hard as well as playing hard.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE WITH 4 RACE WEEKENDS IN AUGUST?

I love how busy it’s been with back-to-back races throughout August, and it’s been a really positive change for me going about the sport in a different way; but to keep going at that intensity would be difficult. I’m enjoying the pace and format of this season more than ever, but I think the whole team needed some time to reflect, rest and take stock of where we can improve.

LOOKING BACK AT THE FIRST 4 EVENTS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SERIES AND ITS RETURN TO ACTION?

I think it’s been a roaring success! The quality of the racing has been as strong as ever and the feedback from people watching at home has been extremely positive. The reversed grid races have been providing lots of entertainment, and maybe that’s been aided by my success at pulling out number 12 every time! The series as a whole has adapted so well to the new normal, everyone has dug deep to make it happen and we’ve all performed incredibly well under the spotlight. Looking back, I think we’ve come a long way in such a short space of time.

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THRUXTON AND DESCRIBE TO US WHAT YOU WANT FROM THE CAR TO BE COMPETITIVE THERE?

This is the only circuit this year where we’ll use the hard compound tyre. Because of the abrasive surface and high speed, long loaded corners, we run the Goodyear hard compound to cope with these extra forces. Stability in the high-speed corners is important and that’s an area where the 3 Series is strong because of its long wheelbase. Thruxton takes no prisoners, so confidence in the car underneath you is also very important. Being fast is all about managing the tyres, so that will be a key factor on race day. We’ve also been keeping tabs on the weather forecast, but so far, so good!