Jason Plato: A great weekend for the team

SEAT Sport UK scorched to a triple of race wins at the opening meeting of the season at Brands Hatch, but it is not lead driver Jason Plato that tops the championship standings, but instead, teammate James Thompson.

Plato is the only SEAT driver scheduled to contest the entire 2006 BTCC season, with Thompson and Sportscar specialist Darren Turner sharing the second Leon. Plato’s raceday got better as it went on, ending with victory in the third race of the day.

“It’s been a great weekend for the team”, said Plato following the conclusion of the weekend’s action. “But I could have had a better weekend really after that shunt in the first race with Giovanardi. That’s a shame, but from a team point of view, what a fantastic start to our campaign.”

“The nice thing is, we know we’ve got a very nice race car. We’re still not the quickest over one lap, but we knew that would be the case, because of what we’ve been working on over the winter. So, yeah, a great result for the team and a nice way for me to end what was looking like a pretty poor weekend.”

Next up for the 2006 BTCC is Mondello Park in Ireland, where Plato could only manage a sole second place last year, but won in 2004.

"In Europe, SEAT are running with a flat floor...we'd like to have that..."   - JP

“I think we’ll be strong there, because it’s tight and twisty. I think if you look at the speed traps, we’re not very quick in a straight line, and that’s to do with the drag on this car.”

The issue of drag is one that has already raised its head for SEAT in the World Touring Car Championship, as Plato explains: “In Europe, there is a system in place to help SEAT out on that score. They’re currently running with a flat floor. We’d like to have that, because when we get to places like Silverstone and Thruxton, I think we’re going to struggle. If we’re two miles an hour down here, what are we going to be at Thruxton?”

But while Plato and SEAT would like adjustments to be made to the regulations in their favour, the issue of the difference in base weights between S2000 (SEAT) and BTCC-spec (Vauxhall, Team Halfords) could well see them handicapped further, if the precedents of past seasons are adhered to.

BTCC regulations allow the base weights for the different specs to be tweaked up to six times throughout the season, and this is a ruling that has been called into play during each of the past three seasons.

However, Plato feels this should not be the case this year: “I think they’ve already started complaining, but who got pole? Who got fastest lap in that last race? Who got fastest lap in the first race? It wasn’t us.”

“The Vauxhall is very good over one lap, as we’ve seen in qualifying, as we’ve seen by the fastest lap, but they can’t make it last. It’s not our fault. It’s down to them. If you look at the speed traps, they’re two miles an hour faster than us. They need to make their car better. It’s not a weight thing.”