Team spirit: BTCC stars Colin Turkington and Tom Oliphant Car News

CT: It adds expectation. You think of the great teams and drivers that came before you in BTCC, especially in the early 90s. I grew up watching Steve Soper and Jo Winkelhock, so you’re honored to take over. Ask any driver on the grid and they’ll want to be in our seats. But it makes you want to give your best performance.

What is the dynamic between you two? You are rivals, but you also have to work together.

TO: It’s a very difficult dynamic. When I chose to join WSR and Team BMW in 2019, the first question I had was “Is Colin staying?” I was joining not only to get the best car and the best opportunity, but also to learn and partner with one of the top performing BTCCs. Off the track we get along really well and that’s important, and we work well as a team of engineers. We can both drive consistently so we can try out different setups. But at the end of the day, there will always be times on the right track when we don’t treat each other as fairly as we should! Every racing driver, as soon as you put on that helmet, has to be a selfish person.

This car is in its third year now. Is there more to find on the 330i M Sport?

CT: With these cars it is much easier to make them slower than fast. In 2019, the car came off the production line as a winner and won its second race. But of course there is always performance to be found, which is why we test and develop during the winter to find gains in the chassis. But there’s probably more to come from the driver, just being in the car. Today’s BTCC car is not easy to drive, it’s a dark art and that’s why guys who have been doing it for a long time usually do well. They include the car and the tire. In addition, the championship organizers want to stay close and the whole philosophy is unpredictable. Anytime you think you are on the road and have a march on the other teams, it gets canceled.

TO: The way to get speed in a championship is to have a car that performs well with the weight. [success ballast] And without. We go up to 75 kg, which is a significant amount, so we have to adapt to minimize this loss. This is where you find the most payoff, rather than chasing the beat.