Plato urges caution in turn one

Championship leader Jason Plato has urged caution among his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car rivals at Rockingham this weekend to ensure they avoid any accidents through the circuit’s notoriously fast Turn 1 bend.

Plato, who like SEAT team-mate Darren Turner has experience of Turn 1 having previously raced on Rockingham’s full-length banked oval track, says the corner has a reputation for punishing any rash moves.

The 2001 BTCC champion told BTCC.net: “The corner is flat-out and you can go comfortably side by side with the bloke next to you, but the last thing you need is anyone trying to stick their nose into a gap that isn’t there or suddenly deciding to switch direction.

“Darren and I both know what it’s like to hit the wall there – it bloody hurts, even in one of the American stock cars which are built like tanks.

“I suppose we’re a bit cosseted at other tracks with run off areas, gravel traps and tyre barriers, but you don’t have that luxury at Turn 1.

“I’m sure everyone will realise that. Nobody wants a big off and while it’s very competitive at the front in the BTCC I’d still ask everyone to just think – if you go off there it’s going to hurt.”

Plato currently leads the Drivers’ standings by nine points, from reigning champion Matt Neal, in his Team Halfords Honda Civic. But Plato says he “couldn’t care less” who his nearest challenger is, preferring instead to concentrate on getting the best from his SEAT Leon with which he won two of the season’s opening rounds at Brands Hatch.

He added: “I couldn’t care less who is nearest to me. It’s of no interest and I’m certainly not keeping an eye on anyone in particular. I want us to concentrate on what we are good at and maintaining our lead over whoever that happens to be.

“Turn 1 gives us something different to think about – because it’s banked there’ll be a different kind of load on the tyres so we might have to think about that with our final set-up on the car.”