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Colin Turkington receives a hefty 17-second time penalty for contact with defending champion Ash Sutton during the first BTCC race at Thruxton.
Team BMW s Colin Turkington has been handed a 17-second post-race penalty for contact with defending champion Ash Sutton during the opening British Touring Car Championship race at Thruxton.
With Sutton leading Turkington into Campbell corner on lap one, Turkington made contact with the race leader whilst defending his own position against Josh Cook, which tipped Sutton s Infiniti into a spin down to the rear of the field.
Turkington went on to finish the opening race in fourth position, but the four-time champion was called to the stewards following the race, where he was given a 17-second time penalty.
3 weeks ago
Colin Turkington has predicted that the 2021 BTCC season will be a “box office hit” as the field heads to Thruxton for the opening round of the campaign this weekend.
The West Surrey Racing driver heads into the new season seeking to try and reclaim the title he lost to Ash Sutton last year, with the Northern Irishman seeking to make history as the first ever five-time champion.
Turkington has won four times at Thruxton in the past and has high hopes of a strong weekend to start his title campaign, despite the increased level of competition.
“No matter how many years you’ve been in this series, something in the air changes in the build up to the first race weekend,” he said. “The driver shuffle and car upgrades are feeding the anticipation too, because there are even more unknowns than usual.
Tom Oliphant retains BMW role for third season
2 months ago
Tom Oliphant will remain with West Surrey Racing for a third season in 2021 after being named as the second member of the three-car Team BMW programme.
Oliphant secured his maiden BTCC win with the team last season in what was his second campaign at the wheel of the BMW 330i M Sport, which helped him to secure sixth in the championship standings.
The 30-year-old will once again partner Colin Turkington during the season ahead after the four-time champion was confirmed in his seat last week, with the final member of the line-up to be revealed in due course.
Photo: Jakob Ebrey
Tom Oliphant has been confirmed to remain at Team BMW for the 2021 British Touring Car Championship season, where he will line-up alongside Colin Turkington for a third successive season.
Oliphant first joined the WSR-run BMW outfit for the 2019 season when it entered a trio of new BMW 330i M Sport cars, with Turkington eventually taking the title.
Oliphant, who joined the BTCC in 2018, ended his first season with the team in 11
th overall in the drivers’ standings, and last year he improved that to end the year sixth overall, including taking his maiden race victory at Brands Hatch.