Plato Praises Dynamite SEAT Sport UK BTCC
Team
14
May 2006
On a rollercoaster day of mixed emotions SEAT Sport UK ended the Dunlop
MSA British Touring Car Championship race meeting at Oulton Park today
with a superb 1-2 race result – with Jason Plato winning his second
race of the season, shadowed closely by the Leon of team-mate James
Thompson. Winning the third and final race of the day was just reward
for a team who displayed incredible spirit to recover from a dreadful
start –which had seen Jason pick up a 30 second stop and go penalty
and James start from the back of the grid, ruining what should have
been an all SEAT front row starting position in the first race. "When
we do our job right as a team, we're dynamite," said Jason.
SEAT has maintained its lead in the BTCC Manufacturers' category,
scoring 67 points for the third consecutive race weekend!
Best laid plans can often go wrong at the first corner, but problems
seldom happen before cars have even left the grid – but that's
the unusual situation the SEAT Sport UK team found itself in on Round
7 of the BTCC. James left the pit garage on time and was told to stop
by a marshal at the end of the pit lane. He stayed there for 20-30 seconds
with three other cars, before the red light came on and the pit lane
closed. The marshal would not allow James to join the circuit until
the formation lap had begun and James had to start the race from the
back of the grid. A fantastic drive saw James fight his way up to 7th
before a power steering problem struck his Leon. He was forced to drive
over half the race like that - using both hands at times to turn the
steering wheel. An incredible performance saw an exhausted James finish
11th.
Jason started from pole after an inspired qualifying session, but the
team was judged to be still changing the car's wheels when the
three minute board came up – and for that Jason received a 30
second stop and go penalty. He made a brilliant start and was leading
when he came into the pits at the end of the second lap. Re-joining
in last place, Jason set nine consecutive fastest lap times, and the
fastest lap of the race (1:29.140), on his way to a frustrating 14th.
Starting from 11th and 14th positions for Round 8, James and Jason
had a much better second race. There were some anxious moments during
the first few laps when all the BTCC cars disappeared in clouds of cement
dust, which had been laid over an oil spillage which had caused havoc
during the previous Formula BMW race. Jason was also forced onto the
grass on the exit of the Knickerbrook Chicane when Tom Chilton and Mike
Jordan clashed. This caused a worrying vibration in his Leon, but despite
this Jason raced on to finish 6th , while James made up seven places
to finish 4th.
As the top seven cars were nominated to start the third and final race
of the day in reserve order, Jason started from second on the grid and
James from fourth. Both made a brilliant start and followed leader Chilton
into the first corner. The two SEAT drivers overtook the Vauxhall pilot
on the second lap and immediately began to open up a lead. There was
a small scare when Jason clipped the tyre barrier on the inside of the
Knickerbrook Chicane, which damaged the bodywork, but it didn't
delay him and the leading two yellow and sliver SEATs increased their
advantage. This gap was erased when the Safety Car came out for marshals
to rescue Gordon Shedden's Honda from the Lodge Corner gravel
trap, but the restart allowed Jason to put his foot down and from that
moment on a SEAT 1-2 never looked in doubt.
Jason said (14th /6th /1st ): "Apparently, on the grid for the
first race, my car was still on its jacks when the three minute board
was displayed, which is an infringement of the regulations. If that's
the case then we made a mistake and the punishment in the rules is what
was dished out and that's it. Oulton Park is one of my favourite
tracks and we know our car would be stunningly good around here and
we started the day by shooting ourselves in the foot. It's a shame
because we lost what could have been victory in the first two races,
but there is no point blaming anyone in the team. We're all in
this together, we made a mistake and we have to make sure it doesn't
happen again.
"In the second race the first two or three laps were a bit scary
because of the cement dust and I had to lift off a bit going down the
straight because I just couldn't see anything in front of me at
all. If something had kicked off at that speed it would have been an
aircraft-type accident. It was just a case of getting through the opening
laps without any damage. We had a good race, although it was a little
unfortunate when Tom Chilton and Mike Jordan got together and Tom came
back across the track and into me. For a couple of laps after that I
had a really bad vibration and I had to take it easy, but as it wasn't
getting any worse and the wheels hadn't come off I just got my
head down and stuck back into it again. I was a lot quicker than Rob
Collard and could have challenge for fifth, but I thought I go for a
better grid position in the next race and finish a safe sixth, rather
risk everything for one extra point.
"Everyone in the team kept their chin up and it all came good
in the final race when we ended the day with a great one-two. I misjudged
the Knickerbrook Chicane by an inch – clearly my inch is a lot
bigger than most people's – but the bodywork damage didn't
create a problem at all. When we do our job right as a team, we're
dynamite."
James said (11th /4th /2nd ): "Having left the garage for the
first race the lights were green when I got to the exit of the pit lane
and the marshal stopped me. I don't know why. I was there for
twenty to thirty seconds and then the pit lane closed. I don't
understand it. We had a good start from the back of the grid and moved
up a lot of places, but then the power steering failed. I had the option
of bringing it into the pits and start the second race last on the grid
or soldier on and try and get it to the end, which we did.
"These cars are impossible to drive without power steering –
the physical effort is quite something. You have to counteract everything
like the grippy tyres and the pull of the differential and I had to
slacken my belts and use both hands to turn the steering wheel, particularly
at the hairpin. My heart rate was higher than it ever was during the
London Marathon and by the end of the fifteen laps I was completely
cream-crackered!
"I got another good start in the second race and the Leon's
pace was very good, but I got caught up behind Rob Collard for too long.
Once I got past him I was able to pull away, but I just ran out of laps.
Elevenths to fourth – not too bad!
"The final race was really good. I could see that Jason was faster
than me so I made an executive decision and let him overtake. Giving
SEAT a one-two finish was the most important thing."
Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the BTCC takes place at Thruxton on June 3/4.
As this race meeting clashes with the FIA World Touring Car Championship
race at Oschersleben, Darren Turner will make his BTCC debut with SEAT
Sport UK, replacing James Thompson who will be racing for the Barcelona-based
SEAT Sport team in Germany.
SEAT
See series calendar for British
Touring Car Championship 2006
Related Story 06.05.2006 - SEAT
Aim for More Lap Records when BTCC Hits Oulton Park
