Rob Collard will race West Surrey Racing’s third BMW 1 series in the 2015 British Touring Car Championship, after the squad announced that they would retain his services for another year.
Having previously announced that Sam Tordoff and Andy Priaulx would join the team for 2015, Collard’s return to the squad will see the eight-time winner compete for WSR for a sixth-consecutive season, while the news also confirms the departure of 2014 champion Colin Turkington.
After a difficult year in 2013 – the first in which the team had competed with the 1 series – Collard finished sixth in last year’s overall standings having claimed his first victory in two years at Knockhill, helping both Turkington and the team to the drivers’ and teams’ championships respectively.
And after his drive for the coming season was confirmed, the 46-year-old expressed how pleased he was to continue his association with the team.
“I am delighted to be racing for WSR for the sixth consecutive season and it’ll be my eighth in total with the team in the BTCC,” said Collard. “We have had some great memories together and I believe there are many more to come.
“I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel during testing over the coming week as we prepare to defend our titles in 2015.”
Team Principal Dick Bennetts was likewise pleased to have Collard in his arsenal for 2015, and admitted the importance of having a consistent presence in the team’s line-up.
“Rob has been a mainstay of WSR for a number of years and we’re extremely pleased to have him signed up for another season,” he said. “It’s great to welcome the talents of both Andy Priaulx and Sam Tordoff into the team but we felt it was vital to have some continuity in our driving ranks. Rob’s speed and experience are there for all to see and he will, as ever, play a key role in helping WSR challenge for more titles.”