PLATO EYES TITLE, SNUBS CHILTON
Jason Plato (Oxford) has brushed aside comments made about
him by "cocky" Tom Chilton and instead says he's
hungrier than any of his rivals to win this year's Dunlop
MSA British Touring Car Championship crown.
Plato, the 2001 BTCC Champion, enters his third season driving
for SEAT and, with the manufacturer's new Leon model at his
disposal, clearly fancies his chances of a second title. That's
despite 21-year-old Vauxhall driver Chilton (Reigate) claiming
earlier this week that Plato was sweating after new SEAT team-mate
James Thompson out-paced him in pre-season testing at Brands.
Plato, aged 38, said: "If those sorts of words came
out of a champion's mouth, someone who's been round the block,
who knows what it's all about, then I'd listen to them. Tom's
so jumped up.
"He's obviously come out of the gym like young men do
and just gobbed off.
"There's a long way to go in this championship and Chilton
is getting a bit cocky. I'm happy with where I am in my career
and he's probably just having a bit of fun.
"But I just sincerely hope for Tom's well being that
he can deliver what he trumpets. Results will speak for themselves."
Plato's chief role is to lead SEAT to a first-ever Manufacturers'
title, a crown that his former team Vauxhall has held since
2001. He is also fiercely determined to lift a second Drivers'
title.
"I'm sure SEAT will admit it - this is our first proper
attempt to win the title," said Plato. "It's our
third season in the BTCC, we're very focused and we've got
a great car to do the job. That's not PR smoke up your backside,
the Leon is a very well designed and thought out car and winning
the Manufacturers' crown has really got SEAT turned on, but
we must be reliable and have consistency.
"Of course winning the Drivers' title is at the forefront
of my mind. I want to win more than anyone else, but we must
do the job we've got to do first and that's get the Manufacturers'
title secured."
Plato believes that whoever wins 2006's BTCC will thoroughly
deserve it: there are genuinely 12 potential race-winners
on the grid, with reigning Champion Matt Neal (Team Halfords
Honda Integra), the Vauxhall Astras Sport Hatches of Chilton
and Italian superstar Fabrizio Giovanardi plus Team RAC MG
ZSs drivers Rob Collard and Colin Turkington among his major
rivals.
"It's going to be one of the most competitive years,
which is a pain in the arse! But the harder it is to win the
more satisfaction you get," added Plato. "I think
in my favour now is that I'm perhaps not so gung-ho as I once
was. Testing is very restricted in the BTCC so experience
counts a lot. I can help stop the team going down blind alleys
with the car's set-up. But I also feel that I'm fast as I
ever was.
"I'm not as fast as Tom Chilton, though, clearly..."
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