Turkington and West Surrey Racing BMW driver Collard came together at Clark’s curve while battling for second position behind race leader Mat Jackson on lap nine.

“I’m very disappointed with the driving standards today,” said Collard. “In Race 1 they were appalling and then what Colin Turkington did to me in Race 3 was just amateurish.

"It was a move that was just never on… you shouldn’t be doing stupid stunts like that, especially not that early in the race, it’s just pathetic.

“I was sitting there, we were quicker than Mat, and at that point of the race you don’t want to do anything stupid.

"Mat controlled that race from start to finish, and Jack [Goff] and Plato and Neal and Shedden all drove a lovely nice decent race, why couldn’t Colin do that?

"He drove me off the track in Race 2 at the hairpin, he drove Sam and Jack off as well as the hairpin, the guy’s just desperate."

Turkington says Collard to blame

The stewards awarded Turkington his first penalty of the season, giving the Northern Irishman two points and reprimand for the incident, though the two-time champion believes his rival was to blame.

“I went for the move and committed to the pass, and Rob at that point closed the door and we made contact which got both of us in trouble,” said Turkington.

“It’s one of those things, he apportions blame at my door, I think he could have given me more room, so we’re not going to agree on that.

“[But the stewards] laid the blame at my door, so I’ve got to take it on the chin.”

Other penalties

Other drivers to be penalised at Knockhill include Team HARD's Michael Caine after he hit Speedworks' Matt Simpson in Race 1, for which he received a reprimand and two points on his licence.

Matt Neal was given a verbal warning for contact with Adam Morgan's Mercedes in Race 1, as was Dan Welch for a incident with Team BMR Subaru's Warren Scott.

In Race 2, Eurotech's Jeff Smith was given a verbal warning for contact with Michael Epps, and Jake Hill for an incident with Tom Ingram and James Cole, while Turkington was the only driver punished in Race 3.

Neil Hudson / TouringCarTimes