Former British Touring Car Champion Colin Turkington has revealed that he is hopeful of making a return to the series in 2013, stating that ‘the prospects are better than they have been in the past’.

by Matt Salisbury

Turkington hasn’t competed in the championship since wrapping up the 2009 title [pictured], competing in selected events in the WTCC and running in the 2011 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship in the years that have followed.

Last year, the Northern Irish racer made just one outing in the WTCC – driving a Chevrolet Cruze in China – and is now working to put together a programme that would see back in the BTCC, where he would look to add to his tally of 19 race wins.

“Things are looking okay at the moment,” he said. “I’ve been speaking to pretty much everyone over the winter and I’m keen to get back into the BTCC if I can. I’ve been working on it for the past year and my focus is on British Touring Cars. We are making progress and hopefully I’ll be able to get closer in the next few weeks, but the prospects are certainly better than they have been in the past.

“Of course it still costs a lot to go racing at the highest level and it hasn’t got any cheaper despite the new regulations, but the good thing is that it hasn’t got more expensive either. Putting together a sponsorship package isn’t easy, but I’m feeling confident about everything and I really want to be back out there again.”

The fact that he was unable to put a programme together for the 2010 season means Turkington didn’t have the opportunity to defend the title he won in dramatic fashion after one of the most memorable seasons finales seen in recent years.

However, he insists that he doesn’t believe there is any ‘unfinished business’ as far as the championship is concerned, and that any programme in 2013 would simply be a new chapter in his career.

“I was in the BTCC for eight years or so and it was eight years of hard work that led to me winning the championship in 2009, which was fantastic,” he said. “But that is water under the bridge now. I’ve done other things since then and the championship has moved on, so this would be a new chapter in my career if I can get back in. the goal would be to do it all again and it would be exciting it I could pull it off again.

“I haven’t done a lot in the past year in terms of driving, but I would pick it up again okay given a few weeks of intensive training in the car. I know that I’d be there or thereabouts, so don’t see my lack of seat time as a problem.

“If I can put a programme together, then I’ll be more than ready when the first race comes along.”