TURNER READY FOR BTCC DEBUT AT THRUXTON
Oxfordshire has its own SEAT dream team lined up to do battle
in the latest rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car
Championship - Jason Plato (Oxford) is a well-known name and
he's about to be joined for the first time in the Spanish
manufacturer's squad by Banbury's Darren Turner.
Thruxton, Hampshire on 4 June will see Turner make his BTCC
debut - he's filling in as Plato's team-mate when James Thompson
is away contesting the World Touring Car Championship for
SEAT.
Turner has a proven track record - after Thruxton he'll be
competing for Aston Martin in the world-famous Le Mans 24
Hours sports car event - but he knows that surviving the cut
and thrust of the BTCC's all-action races will require all
his cunning.
"Let's put it this way, SEAT isn't paying me to spend
weeks and weeks getting up to speed - I'm expected to get
in the car and go and do the job," said Turner.
"The number one goal is to score as many points as possible
for SEAT. From a personal point of view, if I sneak onto the
podium in just one of the races I'll be happy. If I'm on Jason's
pace I'll be happy. And if I win a race then I'll be very
happy, but I think that's a bit of a long shot..."
Turner, though, is expected to adapt quickly in SEAT's Leon
which has won four of the season's opening nine rounds. He's
a top line racer at international level - in addition to his
Aston Martin role, he's been a test driver for the McLaren-Mercedes
F1 team and contested the German DTM touring car series -
and Thruxton is his favourite track. Furthermore, Turner sees
Thruxton as an important opportunity to prepare for his return
to the BTCC for three more meetings later in the year, starting
at Donington Park on 30 July.
"Thruxton will serve several important functions,"
added the 32-year-old. "It'll give me a chance to learn
everybody else's strengths and weaknesses and how a whole
BTCC race weekend works. Jason is the only driver I've ever
raced against. I'm sure everyone else will be taking a look
at me too.
"I've tested the SEAT, but not since March. I was on
the pace, but that was at a quiet test and it wasn't on a
track with high-speed corners, which is what Thruxton is all
about. I need to sample the real thing to get a proper feel
for it. I'll come out of Thruxton knowing what the score is
which will help for the future."
Turner says there is pressure - Thompson and Plato currently
lie second and third in the standings and SEAT leads both
the Manufacturers' and Teams' championship - but he isn't
looking for excuses.
"There are no excuses," said Turner. "The
car is obviously very good as the results show, but front-wheel-drive
is new to me. I'll also have to carry James's success ballast,
an extra 36kgs, which won't help. But it's up to me adapt.
Any pressure on me will come from me. It's going to be a daunting
weekend. I'm under no illusions - it's straight into the lion's
den..."
Turner will be in race action along with the rest of the
BTCC grid three times at Thruxton on 4 June and the crowds
will be able to meet the star drivers for autographs and give-aways
during the FREE and hugely popular Pit Lane Walkabout session.
Another seven races are on the bill from high-profile supporting
championships run by leading manufacturers BMW, Porsche, Renault
and SEAT.
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