Colin out to turn up the title heat; MOTORSPORT.

COLIN Turkington is looking to turn up the heat in the British Touring Car Championship title race as the series heads to Croft this weekend.

The Team RAC driver enters the fifth round of the series at the Darlington track just two points behind the Vauxhall of two-time champion Matt Neal.

The Northern Irishman took the spoils in two of the three races last time out at Oulton Park, where scorching temperatures played into the hands of Turkington's rearwheel drive BMW.

"If it's another scorcher, like at Oulton, then I think we can be very competitive again but if it's cooler or there's a bit of drizzle, then it could even things out," he said.

"At Oulton, the car was excellent and the more heat and grip a circuit gives up, the better the BMW tends to go.

"But I won twice at Croft last year, in very wet and then damp conditions, so hopefully the car will be competitive whatever the conditions.

But how close to the sharp end we will be, you never can tell until everyone takes to the track." The 27-year-old will also be carrying 9kg less success ballast than Neal, who will carry 45kg due to their championship positions, and he hopes that can give him an edge in Saturday's key qualifying session.

He said: "My car will have less success ballast than Matt's in qualifying and race one, and I see Croft being a more difficult circuit to carry the ballast on." Defending champion Fabrizio Giovanardi, who currently lies third in the championship, is also conscious of the effect the temperatures could have on the performance of the title contenders this weekend, and admits he and team-mate Neal may find it a struggle should there be a repeat of the heatwave experienced at Oulton Park.

The Italian said: "If it is as hot as it was at Oulton Park, we will face similarly difficult conditions, I would prefer it to be cooler, although rain might favour us. That is one factor that is outside of our control, but could play a big part in our fortunes over the weekend.

"The rear-wheel drive cars will undoubtedly be more suited to this track than the Vauxhall."

CAPTION(S):

CHAMP Fabrizio Giovanardi.