Jason Plato and Colin Turkington were left brimming by the news that they will spearhead the maiden assault of Subaru in the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, racing again under the Team BMR banner.
Both Plato and Turkington will swap Volkswagen CC machinery for a brace of Subaru Levorg Sports Tourers in 2016, having entered the final event of the 2015 season both in contention to win a third BTCC title in October.
The former narrowly missed out to eventual champion Gordon Shedden despite ending the campaign with six victories to his name, Turkington meanwhile adding a further four for the overall Teams’ Champions of 2015.
The pair boast over 100 race victories between them in their illustrious BTCC histories, but both are equally as optimistic ahead of Subaru’s maiden venture to the BTCC.
Plato admitted that he felt a personal goal had been achieved, saying: “Part of my role when joining BMR was to help secure a manufacturer deal.
“The iconic Subaru brand has always been right at the top of my wish list. Obviously it goes without saying that I am very excited about our future together and I’m confident that BMR will produce a fantastic package for me to fight for the Championship. This really is exciting times for us all… I can’t wait for the season to begin.”
Fellow double champion Turkington meanwhile will return to rear-wheel drive in 2016, a layout that saw him clinch his pair of BTCC titles with BMW in the past.
The Northern Irishman added: “Continuing with Team BMR for the 2016 season was an easy decision for me and represents a great opportunity to build on our strong maiden campaign.
“I can’t wait to get started with the development of the new Subaru Levorg BTCC race car and I’m more motivated than ever to win. This announcement is huge news for the Championship and equally for me.”
