BTCC: Charles Rainford signs for WSR after Turkington departure

Only a few days after Colin Turkington announced he would be leaving WSR and the BTCC all together in 2025, the void left by the 4 time BTCC Champion needed to be filled.

This led to young up and comer Charles Rainford being announced to take the final LKQ Euro Car Parts with WSR BMW seat alongside Aiden Moffat.

Racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB championship last year, he makes the step up to the BTCC for 2025 in the manufacturer team of BMW. He spent several seasons in the Carrera Cup having been a consistent front runner, but he unusually started his career in historic racing.

He started racing in 2016 in historic racing series and one off races as a teenager, being a consistent front runner, he showed his speed and abilities with an exceptional amount of potential.

Debuting in the Carrera Cup in 2021, taking class victory in his first race before repeating the feat overall a year later. He won the Pro-Am Championship in 2021, racing consistently at the front for the following few years in the Pro class for 2023 and 2024, he was the runner-up in the overall standings last year, showing he is ready for BTCC.

Rainford will be eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy upon debut, but has a lot of competition already over it with teammate Daryl DeLeon, former ExcelR8 driver and Toyota signee Ronan Pearson as well as the two Un-Limited Racing drivers of Max Hall and Dexter Patterson all looking to claim the trophy for 2025.

After signing with the team, he said: “I’m so excited, not just to race in the BTCC, but with the most successful team on the grid in LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR. Some of my earliest memories of racing are of watching the BTCC with my Dad, so to be there myself feels amazing. Walking into WSR HQ for the first time and seeing the trophies and the names on the wall like Senna, Mansell, Priaulx and Turkington was incredible. I’d love to see my name up there one day and if we can win the Jack Sears Trophy this year, that would be a great start. A huge thanks to my partners at Cognition Land and Water for supporting my career so far and helping me to make this step.”

Team Principle, Dick Bennetts said: “We’re very pleased to welcome Charles to LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR. He’s had an unusual route to the BTCC, but from what we’ve seen of him in Carrera Cup GB and, in particular, the calibre of driver he’s beaten there, we’re confident he has the speed and skill necessary to turn his potential into on-track success. He and Aiden should make an exciting pair to keep an eye on this year.”