BTCC powerhouse, Colin Turkington (Team BMW), has produced some magical moments over 19 seasons in the UK’s premier motorsport championship. His journey began back in 2002, securing a drive with Team Atomic Kitten after triumphing in the 2001 Ford Fiesta Cup Great Britain.
During his initial three seasons, the Northern Irishman raced for West Surrey Racing in an MG ZS. He then had a single campaign with VX Racing in 2005 before returning to WSR in 2006. In 2009, Turkington showcased his potential by driving his BMW to six victories and clinching the overall Drivers' crown.
From 2010 to 2012, he participated in World Touring Car and Scandinavian Touring Car events before making a comeback to the BTCC in 2013. Piloting a new WSR BMW 1 Series, Turkington secured his second title in 2014.
The following year, he joined Team BMR, achieving four victories and finishing fourth in the standings, along with claiming his fifth Independents' Trophy.
In 2016, BMR ran a fleet of new Subaru Levorg GTs, and Turkington took five race wins, finishing the season in fourth place. He rejoined West Surrey Racing in 2017, securing four victories but falling short of the championship to Ashley Sutton.
In 2018, Turkington's lone victory at Oulton Park, combined with consistent performances, earned him his third Drivers' title. In 2019, he clinched his record-equaling fourth title by a narrow margin of two points as the championship went down to the wire with a tense finale at Brands Hatch GP.
Entering 2020 as one of the most successful BTCC drivers in history, Turkington secured numerous podium finishes and victories across the season, but he would fail to clinch a record fifth title as Ash Sutton would rise to glory.
Nevertheless, he won the inaugural Goodyear Wingfoot Award for outstanding qualifying performance. In 2021, Turkington continued with Team BMW, marking his 17th BTCC campaign, achieving eight podium finishes, and claiming his 60th victory during the Donington Park race weekend.
In the 2022 season, Turkington put up a strong campaign, securing three victories, nine podium finishes, three pole positions, and four fastest laps. Despite his impressive performance, intense competition placed him fourth overall.
Undeterred, Turkington remained with Team BMW for the 2023 campaign and would once again notch multiple race victories and podiums over the season, proving that the Northern Irishmen is still a force to be reckoned with in the BTCC.
