Just a week after saying the prospects of a return to the BTCC were ‘better than they have been in the past’, former champion Colin Turkington has been named as part of the eBay Motors line-up for the 2013 season.

Turkington will join forces with Rob Collard and Nick Foster in a three-car team, filling the seat vacated by Tom Onslow-Cole after his switch to Team HARD.

The three drivers will be at the wheel of a new NGTC-spec BMW 1 Series, which the team revealed it was building for the 2013 season back in December.

“It’s really great to have Colin back on board for the 2013 BTCC season,” team boss Dick Bennetts said. “With Rob, Nick and now Colin, I believe eBay Motors have a very strong driver line-up capable of challenging for Championship honours.”

Turkington hasn’t raced in the BTCC since wrapping up the title with West Surrey Racing – the team behind the eBay Motors programme – back in 2009.

Since then, he has competed in Scandanavia and in selected rounds of the WTCC, with this season set to be his first full season of racing since his STCC programme in 2011.

“I’m really excited to be back in the BTCC with eBay Motors for the 2013 season,” Turkington said. “I have a long relationship with WSR and we’ve experienced some great success together in both the BTCC and WTCC. I am hoping to bring that success once again this year.

“Getting behind the wheel of the NGTC specification BMW will be a new challenge and I can’t wait to be back on the grid at Brands Hatch on 31st March.”

Collard will be with the team for a fourth successive season, and will aim to build on the fine results he gained last year – when he emerged as the best-placed driver in an S2000-spec car.

He will team up with Turkington for the first time since 2006, when the pair raced MGs for WSR.

“Colin and I raced together in 2006 and his addition to the team sees us look stronger than ever,” he said. “I hope to build on last year’s strong performances and will be looking to win races in the new BMW 125i M Sport.”

Foster meanwhile said he was pleased to be confirmed with the team for a third season.

“It’s going to be fantastic having Rob and Colin as team-mates this year,” he said. “I’m looking forward to learning from both of them to building on my success with the eBay Motors team.”