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SEAT UK confirms new Leon

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SEAT UK has confirmed it will contest the 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with its stunning new Leon model. Jason Plato will spearhead the two-car team, although SEAT has held off confirming the identity of its second driver for the moment.

Monaco-based Briton Plato was BTCC Champion in 2001 and for the last two years has raced in the series for the SEAT Sport UK team. In 2004 he won an unequalled seven races and finishes third overall, while in 2005 he took three victories on his way to fourth in the final standings.

In a statement, SEAT Sport UK said one of its chief aims was to win the BTCC Manufacturers title and added: “While no decision has been made on who will drive the second car, it’s likely that Plato’s team-mate will also be an experienced racer who has the potential to win at every race circuit.”

For 2006, SEAT Sport UK will bring the exciting new Leon to the BTCC for the first time. The racing Leon – based on the 137mph road-going Leon 2.0 TFSI – made its FIA World Touring Car Championship debut at Oschersleben in Germany in August and by the end of the season had won in the hands of Jordi Gené.

Plato said: “The new SEAT Leon looks fantastic and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The more I see of the car the more convinced I am that it’s a winner. As it has never raced in the UK before we’ll obviously have a lot of work to do before the first race of the season and as a team we need to raise our game, but all of us know this and we’re up for the challenge.

“On a personal level I’m working hard on my fitness, I’ve stopped smoking and I’m going to come back leaner and meaner. We’re only racing for one reason and that’s to win it, and I hope the BTCC is ready for us!”

Scott Dennis, SEAT UK’s Motorsport Manager, commented: “The BTCC offering for 2006 provides a solid platform for us to work towards achieving both our sporting and marketing aspirations. The SEAT Sport designers and engineers have done a fantastic job with the new Leon and the results already achieved in the WTCC demonstrate that the car has the potential to be winning races regularly both in the World Championship and in the British Championship.

“We’ll start testing the new car as soon as we can so that our drivers are confident that they can get the most out of the new car over the course of a race weekend.

“I’m confident that we’ll take our experiences from the last two years in the BTCC and build on a team that is capable of winning. We relish the challenge that lies ahead.”