FIA President Jean Todt and former Formula 1 champion John Surtees crowned 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Championship winner Colin Turkington and Teams’ champions MG during the Night of Champions ceremony in London on Saturday 24 January.
Turkington clinched a second BTCC crown in October last year at Brands Hatch in an entertaining final weekend of the season in Kent, the Northern Irishman having earned 19 podium visits and reached the top step a total of eight times in 2014.
The now double BTCC champion was not the only individual to grace the stage for the tin-top series, as Guy Jones also stepped up to represent manufacturer winners MG, both joined by a series of special award winners recognised for their 2014 achievements.
Surtees gave a recollection on the 50th anniversary celebrations of his 1964 F1 title, still the only world champion on two wheels and four.
Alan Gow, MSA Chairman, said: “The MSA Night of Champions is always a great occasion and a highlight of the domestic motor sport calendar. But the evening is not ours; it is our champions’ night and we were delighted to welcome them to the Royal Automobile Club to celebrate their achievements and successes. We were also honoured to have our FIA President, Jean Todt, with us throughout the evening and thank him for his contribution to such a special occasion.”
Turkington still remains sensationally without a drive for 2015 following the departure of WSR’s title sponsors of the past four years, eBay, although the reigning champion said at the Autosport International show earlier this month that he remains in talks with teams to pursue his goal of defending his second BTCC crown.
The show also saw Turkington’s former team-mate of three years, Rob Collard, make an appearance. Collard himself remains quizzical of his own future in the sport, telling TCF that “it all depends on what Colin does and then we can decide what to do”.
The former Independent champion hinted of his chances of taking the vacant third WSR BMW 125i alongside Sam Tordoff and multiple World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx, but admitted that he would have to search elsewhere down the grid for a seat should the place at WSR be filled by the reigning champion for 2015.