Plato praises team after return from crash [video]

Jason Plato crashed and rolled heavily in the second race of the British Touring Car Championship weekend at Donington Park. After the initial reports that Plato was out for the third race, the RML team managed to put the damaged Chevrolet Cruze together and get Plato out in time for the start.
“It was amazing. You can see the passion in everybody, there were seriously tears in our eyes, including mine,” said Plato.

Plato rejoined the action-packed third race to finish sixth, ahead of championship rival Matt Neal.

“We thought it near impossible, but RML will never give up and the guys put in 110 %. For both cars to finish in the points is just reward for the hardwork and Jason’s 6th place will be greatly celebrated by us all, given how it looked post race two,” said RML Team Manager Ron Underwood.

The reigning champion was caught up in a incident in the second race involving Liam Griffin’s Motorbase Performance Ford Focus and Gordon Shedden’s Honda. Despite rolling several laps in high speed, Plato was able to walk away unhurt.

“That was a big shunt – I think it was three rolls? As soon as the impact came, that was it. Needless to say, it was bitterly frustrating for me, but I’m ok,” said Plato.

After a puncture in the first race, the big crash in the second and just give points in race three, Plato has dropped from leading the championship to fifth place.

“To turn that car around and get it on the grid for race three looked an impossible task, but they did it and that makes RML the best team out there. That is teamwork. To see their commitment makes up for all the bad weekends we’ll ever have. That was real emotion out there today,” said Plato.

See the crash in the video below, as well as a series of photographs by clicking here.