Turkington coy on rumours of WSR BTCC return

Two-time champion Turkington’s split with the BMR Subaru squad after two seasons emerged on Friday, the Ulsterman having finished fourth last year in its new-for-2016 Subaru Levorg.

He has been heavily linked with a return to the WSR BMW outfit, with which he won his 2009 and 2014 titles, and acknowledged that the “rumour mill is obviously going”.

“My exit from BMR was only yesterday, so I need some time to absorb the news, and work out the next path,” he said at Autosport International.

“Number one in any driver’s mind is putting yourself in the most-competitive car, the best team - you have to give yourself the best chance to win. That’s my focus right now.

“I’ll continue to work hard over the next few weeks to make something happen.”

WSR has already recruited Andrew Jordan to drive one of its BMW 125i M Sport cars this year, with 2016 series runner-up Sam Tordoff switching to British GT for 2017.

Turkington played down the prospect of spending 2017 on the sidelines, having been squeezed out of the BTCC for three seasons after winning his first title in 2009.

“I’ve made a good job of that in the past, making the right move at the right time,” he added. “I’ve been in this position a few times before and it’s always turned out OK for me. I want to definitely stay in BTCC.

"I love the championship, I grew up watching it. I still want to be there competing and winning, I’ve still got the hunger for it.”