seat leaving btcc

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Plato has "mixed emotions"

Jason Plato says he his full of mixed emotions following SEAT’s decision to withdraw from the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship, having led the Spanish manufacturer to tremendous success both on and off the track in the UK.
SEAT brought down the curtain on its UK motor sport programme in the BTCC’s final round at Brands Hatch on Sunday.
It had been a major player in the BTCC since entering the series in 2004. In all, it contested 150 BTCC races and won 43 of them, with Plato – a driving force behind its programme since the start – achieving 27 of those victories.
He also finished championship runner-up twice for SEAT and helped lead it to Manufacturers’ (2006) and Teams’ (2007) title glory.
Much more than that, though, SEAT’s participation in the BTCC – with Plato effectively the face of its campaign – has led to a boom in vehicle sales. Its image has also received a tremendous boost with its brand having attracted many thousands of new followers.
Plato, one of the BTCC’s star attractions over the years, said: “We’ve been incredibly successful and I leave with a lot of mixed emotions; pride that we achieved so much and sadness that it’s all over.
“I have really enjoyed working with the people at SEAT. They are my kind of people – they work extremely hard, they want to win and they know how to enjoy themselves.”
He added: “Putting the racing to one side, SEAT has had a massive influence on my life – and not just from 2003 to where we are now, but on the rest of my life too. If it wasn’t for SEAT I would not have met my wife Sophie and I wouldn’t have a wonderful baby daughter. I’ve got an enormous amount to thank SEAT for.”
Plato joined SEAT in 2003 prior to its BTCC entry the following season. It meant a return to the BTCC after sitting out for two years following his shock departure from the Vauxhall team just hours after winning the drivers’ title with the British make in 2001. The 40-year-old takes satisfaction in that he has been able to contribute much more than just the role of a driver.
He added: “My association with SEAT started in 2003 and up until that point in my career, particularly in touring cars, I had always been just a driver. When I left the BTCC at the end of 2001, I knew that if I came back I’d want to do something different and be more than that.
“When the opportunity to get involved with SEAT came along, I could see I could be more than that. I could get involved with its marketing and be an ambassador for the brand and that was a very exciting prospect.”
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