BTCC legend Turkington dropped from 2025 grid due to “commercial realities”

The four-time British Touring Automotive Championship champion Colin Turkington can be absent from the 2025 grid because of the present business local weather.

The 42-year-old Northern Irishman has been a mainstay of the West Surrey Racing BMW squad for the previous eight seasons, and 17 of his 20 BTCC campaigns relationship again to 2002 have been with equipment run by the Sunbury group.

Turkington, as befits a driver together with his haul of titles and 72 race wins, has been employed by the group through its business revenue, together with from BMW UK.

However this now not seems to be doable, and WSR appears set to fill its four-strong BMW 330i M Sport squad this season with drivers who carry monetary assist.

These embody reigning champion Jake Hill, five-time BTCC race winner Aiden Moffat, thrilling collection sophomore Daryl DeLeon, plus one different driver indicated by sources to be a promising racer from the BTCC assist bundle.

“It was all the time our intention to proceed our partnership right into a ninth consecutive season and a nineteenth marketing campaign in complete [including their stint in the World Touring Car Championship],” stated WSR boss Dick Bennetts in a press release.

“Nonetheless, regardless of our greatest efforts, business realities have meant that this has merely not been doable.”

With no different group able to supply Turkington a drive on a foundation comparable together with his standing, he has been compelled to look elsewhere for this yr.

“I do know this gained’t be the information that so many are ready for, however immediately I can affirm I can’t be competing within the BTCC in 2025,” stated Turkington in his personal assertion.

“There’s not one single motive for this, merely a mixture of things and emotions that has helped me make this determination.

“For now, I don’t know if that’s it for good – however I look again with big delight on the wonderful profession I’ve had since debuting as a fresh-faced teenager from Northern Eire.

“I can’t think about having sacrificed any extra or working any more durable, leaving me with completely no regrets.

Colin Turkington, Workforce BMW WSR BMW 330e

Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures

“Sustaining the best stage of efficiency and consistency and successful for the groups I’ve raced for is what’s pushed me and the successes I’m most happy with.

“I don’t have an excessive amount of extra to say at this level besides that this determination simply feels proper for me. I replicate on so many wonderful reminiscences and life experiences that solely the BTCC might have given me.”

Whereas any probability of Turkington racing once more within the BTCC must be pinned upon 2026 or past, he has had many outings in different classes in recent times, resembling the massive historic occasions at Goodwood, Basic Sports activities Automotive Membership and Basic Touring Automotive Racing Membership races, and even Minis.

He and spouse Louise have additionally been overseeing the profession of their eldest son Lewis, who has been competing in autograss and is now seeking to graduate into circuit racing.

“On behalf of all at WSR, we want Colin, Louise, Lewis and Adam [younger son] the easiest for the longer term,” continued Bennetts.

“The storage simply gained’t be the identical with out ‘Workforce Turkington’ and his father, Trevor, round and we’d be delighted to see Colin again behind the wheel of a WSR race automobile sooner or later.”