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HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship
(provisional points after Round 9)
Drivers’
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi ….91pts
2. Jason Plato….75pts
3. Matt Neal…64pts
4. Gordon Shedden…62pts
5. Darren Turner….38pts
6. Mat Jackson.…56pts
Manufacturers’
1. Vauxhall….198pts
2. SEAT….183pts
Teams’
1. VX Racing….178pts
2. SEAT Sport UK….132pts
3. Team Halfords….99pts
4. BMW Dealer Team UK….56pts
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SEAT LEON TDI
SCORES FIRST BTCC DIESEL VICTORY
 Jason
Plato smashed the Donington Park lap record on his way to giving the
Leon TDI its first HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship race win –
and in doing recorded the first victory for a diesel engined car in the
50 year history of the series. He then finished 2nd and 3rd in the next
two races to move from 6th to 2nd in the BTCC Drivers’ Championship.
Team-mate Darren Turner had a great weekend too, running 2nd in race
one, coming from 19th to finish 4th in race two and scoring his first
victory of the season with a fabulous drive in extremely slippery
conditions in the third and final race.
SEAT Sport UK got its BTCC campaign back on track with a strong display
around the 1.96-mile National Circuit. The two race wins and four
podiums sees SEAT half the gap with Vauxhall at the top of the
Manufacturers’ Championship and move ahead of Team Halfords in the
Teams’ standings.
Race day got off to a fantastic start when Jason won an incident
filled race and smashed Yvan Muller’s 2005 lap record by 0.212 seconds
with a 1:12.677 (96.95mph). Jason fought back from 5th and took the lead
when pole-sitter Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra) ran wide at McLeans
Corner on lap 14. As Onslow-Cole, Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra) and Gordon
Shedden (Honda Civic) battled for 2nd position, Jason was able to open a
gap and eventually beat Neal to the chequered flag by 1:309 seconds.
Darren had been running in 2nd place when the intercooler air intake
hose came loose. He came into the pits, and after some repair work he
returned to the track 2 laps down. He eventually finished 20th and last,
scoring valuable Manufacturer points for SEAT in the process.
Jason’s Leon TDI was the heaviest it has ever been in race two, as the
1180kgs minimum base weight had 45kgs of success ballast and 22kgs of
fuel added, making it a super-heavyweight 1247kgs. Having started from
pole, he did superbly well to finish 2nd, 2.880 seconds behind
Giovanardi. Darren started from 19th on the grid and had to take to the
gravel at Redgate Corner as his path was blocked when Martyn Bell spun
his Astra and was hit by Stuart Oliver (SEAT Toledo) and John George
(Honda Integra). From last place, Darren launched a stunning comeback.
He was 9th after five laps and 5th after 10 and moved up to 4th with a
great overtaking manoeuvre on Neal at Coppice on lap 13.
After a great start in race three, Darren moved up to 2nd after a brave
move around the outside of Redgate and then took the lead on the opening
lap when pole-sitter Shedden slid off. A dry line appeared in the middle
sector of the race as the drizzle temporarily stopped, and this allowed
Onslow-Cole and Giovanardi to close in on Darren – until the two Vectra
drivers collided at the chicane on lap 11. This gave Darren the
breathing space he needed, and whilst others around him spun, locked up
and bounced off each other, the Leon TDI driver never put a foot wrong
and scored his first win of the season. Jason had been a strong 3rd, but
on a full wet weather set-up the dry mid sector really hurt him and
having been passed by Giovanardi he dropped back off the leading trio in
4th. But he fought back and a brilliant move on Giovanardi at McLeans
saw Jason snatch 3rd place and complete a wonderful 1st, 2nd and 3rd set
of results.
Jason Plato (1st/2nd/3rd): “It’s been a great day in the
office – for me, Darren and the entire SEAT Sport UK team. We’ve got
some direction on the car and although the set-up we’ve found is a bit
wild and makes the car tricky to drive, we know we have a theory that
we’ve now proved makes the car quick. We’ve taken some gambles with
set-up in recent weeks and it’s beginning to pay dividends. Now we have
to refine that and take some of the nervousness out of the car, because
at the moment it’s very snappy at the rear. We’ve scored a lot of points
today and I’m now only sixteen points behind Fabrizio in the Drivers’
Championship and we’ve gained ground in the Manufacturers’ and Teams’
tables. Finishing first, second and third is good in anyone’s books and
the Leon TDI has been very strong today. Everyone in the team has a
smile of their face tonight, and that’s important because even though
Darren and I get to spray the champagne, it’s been a huge team effort
and a great day for all the lads at SEAT Sport UK.”
 Darren
Turner (20th/4th/1st): “Victory is just a great way to end the weekend.
Race one was going well and then we had a technical problem, the second
race was great fun because I came from the back of the grid and finished
fourth and race three fell into my hands. I had a good start, moved up
to second early on, Gordon Shedden then made a mistake and I had the
lead for the majority of the race. I was under a lot of pressure from
the two Vauxhalls behind and I was really pleased to see the chequered
flag at the end of the race. It’s just been a great race weekend for the
team. Jason had the first win for the diesel Leon TDI in race one and
has had strong races all weekend and both cars have been competitive.
We’re honing in to where the sweet spot of the car is and I can’t wait
for the next race. Donington, Thruxton and Snetterton are all circuits
where we think the Leon TDI will be at its best. We’ve been proved right
at Donington and the whole team can’t wait to get to Thruxton to
continue from where we’ve left off here.”
Scott Dennis, SEAT UK Motorsport Manager: “SEAT Sport UK has returned to
winning form in some style and I’m so proud of the whole team. Once
again we faced the challenge on Saturday of finding the best set-up for
the Leon TDI in the limited time available and our drivers and engineers
rose to that challenge. Our results this weekend have enabled us to
close the gap in the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ Championships and we’ll
arrive at Thruxton looking to maintain the momentum we’ve built this
weekend.”
Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the BTCC take place at Thruxton in Hampshire on
May 17/18.
BTCC Round 7
1. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…25:08.830
2. Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)...25:10.139
3. Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)...25:10.432
4. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic)...25:12.184
5. Andrew Jordan (Honda Integra)…25:15.415
6. Steven Kane (BMW)…25:15.688
20. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…+ 2 laps
Fastest Lap: Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…1:12.677
BTCC Round 8
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...24:46.915
2. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…24:49.795
3. Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)...24:54.151
4. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…25:00.162
5. Tom Chilton (Honda Civic)…25:00.328
6. Andrew Jordan (Honda Integra)…25:06.585
Fastest lap: Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)…1:13.967
BTCC Round 9
1. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…21:06.582
2. Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)...21:08.008
3. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…21:09.585
4. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...21:10.016
5. Tom Chilton (Honda Civic)…21:10.550
6. Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)...21:11.994
Fastest lap: Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)...1:13.967
TWO BTCC PODIUMS
GIVES SEAT A SILVER LINING
 On
a day marked by torrential rain, Darren Turner celebrated his 34th
birthday by finishing 2nd and 3rd in
the first two HiQ MSA British Touring
Car Championship races at Rockingham today, and despite ending the third
rain-soaked race in a gravel trap, it was a truly great performance by
the Leon TDI driver. Team-mate Jason Plato was also on top form, but
outstanding performances in all three races didn’t bring the rewards
they deserved. Having finished 9th in Race 1, Jason was hit by Tom
Chilton in Race 2 and had to pit. He rejoined in last place and fought
his way back to finish 9th. A 30 second stop and go penalty relegated
Jason to last place in Race 3, but another amazing drive saw him
overtake Colin Turkington on the finish line to take 6th.
As the SEAT Sport UK team continue to learn about its new Leon TDI, the
changeable weather and track conditions added to the technical challenge
of finding the right balance. The extra weight of the diesel engine,
additional success ballast and a slippery 1.94 mile International Super
Sports Car Circuit saw the team try different, and often unorthodox,
geometry settings in an effort to reduce the Leon TDI of understeer.
In
Race 1, Darren made a great start and ran in 2nd place behind Gordon
Shedden from lights to flag. Jason’s 250th BTCC race didn’t go according
to plan, as he struggled to find any grip at all. Having started 5th, he
saved two huge sideway slides to finish 9th.
Darren made another good start in Race 2 to take the lead, but his Leon
TDI was struggling in the tight and twisty infield section and on lap 10
Fabrizio Giovanardi got the nose of his Vauxhall Vectra inside at Turn
7. Darren tried to hang on, but Giovanardi forced him wide and Mat
Jackson also sneaked through, dropping Darren to 3rd. Jason was hit from
behind on the opening lap by Tom Chilton and when the Safety Car came
out on lap 2 for the marshals to recover the stranded Lexus of Stuart
Oliver, Jason came into the pits to make sure nothing at the rear of the
Leon TDI was broken. He rejoined in last position and with the car
crabbing badly and wanting to turn sharp left at every opportunity,
Jason launched an astonishing comeback and raced from 24th to finish
9th.
The start of the third and final race was delayed by a huge
thunderstorm, and all teams were allowed to change from slicks to wet
weather tyres on the reformed grid. This was unlucky for Jason, who had
already come into the pits to change to wet tyres rather than take his
place on the grid. Jason had to get from the pit lane to the grid again,
and as the team made final safety checks to Jason’s car, making sure the
windscreen wasn’t going to mist up and the doors were sealed, the
mechanics were judged to have been working on the car after the three
minute board was deployed; the punishment for which is a 30 second stop
and go penalty. This dropped Jason to last place once again and, in
heavy rain, dense spray and low visibility, he again carved his way
through the field to overtake Colin Turkington on the finish line and
claim 6th place by just 0.012 seconds.
Jason Plato (9th/9th/6th): “Sometimes you have days where everything you
do just doesn’t go quite according to plan, and this was one of those
days. It’s been a bit of a lottery, and we haven’t had much luck –
although in race two and three we’ve had some great drives back up
through the field from last place. The weekend for me was ruined by Tom
Chilton in race two. You can’t change your line in a braking area, and
coming down from 130mph into a hairpin corner he just turned left into
me. It wrecked his race as well as mine. We had to pit to check the car
over and from last position we finished ninth – and then we were a
little unlucky as the top eight was selected to start race three in
reverse order. We made a great call to change tyres before the start of
race three, but then that didn’t work to our advantage either when
everyone was allowed to do the same, and when we were doing safety
checks on the car we got a 30 second penalty. It’s just been a day full
of annoying things which haven’t worked and haven’t gone our way, but
which so nearly did. We’ve found some performance in the car and we
continue to learn about it, but in many ways it’s just been a
frustrating day to forget.”
Darren Turner (2nd/3rd/DNF): “Race one and two were really good. I made
two good starts, raced well and I was pleased to finish on the podium. I
was lucky to get to the end of the second race, as I had a good battle
with Giovanardi, but when he overtook me he hit my front wheel and took
a huge chunk out of the rim, so I was lucky I didn’t get a puncture. The
third race was very wet and I just got caught out under braking twice,
and the second time it was game over. I’ve had a good race weekend, but
it was a shame to end it on a bit of a downer. I’ve been caught out in
the rain once at Donington last year and twice here today and I need to
work out why I’m getting caught out in these conditions. It’s been a bit
of a frustrating birthday for me today, and next time out at Donington
we’ll just have to come out fitter and stronger.”
Scott Dennis, SEAT UK Motorsport Manager: “We’re getting closer to
unlocking the full potential of the Leon TDI, but frustratingly today
circumstances didn’t enable us to turn that potential into results.
Darren drove superbly in race one and two to score two excellent podium
finishes, and in very difficult circumstances Jason came from the last
to finish sixth in the third and final race. As was demonstrated last
year, every point is important to our Championship aspirations, and hard
earned points scored on a difficult day like this could prove crucial at
the end of the season.”
Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the BTCC take place at Donington Park in
Leicestershire on May 3/4.
BTCC Round 4
1. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic)...23:28.251
2. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…23:31.275
3. Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)...23:31.826
4. Adam Jones (SEAT Leon)…23:33.255
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...23:37.329
6. Mat Jackson (BMW 320si)…23:38.030
9. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…23:40.506
Fastest lap: Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)…1:24.698
BTCC Round 5
1. Mat Jackson (BMW 320si)…28:51.807
2. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...28:53.349
3. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…29:00.670
4. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic)...29:01.269
5. Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)…29:02.397
6. Colin Turkington (BMW 320si)…29:02.603
9. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…29:04.990
Fastest lap: Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)…1:25.517
BTCC Round 6
1. Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)...31:06.261
2. Tom Chilton (Honda Civic)…31:11.175
3. Adam Jones (SEAT Leon)…31:12.046
4. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic)...31:13.955
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...31:14.408
6. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…31:15.967
Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…DNF
Fastest lap: Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)…1:25.517
PROMISING DIESEL
BTCC DEBUT FOR SEAT LEON TDI
SEAT
Sport UK’s Leon TDI made a promising race debut in the HiQ MSA British
Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch today, when Jason Plato took
the series’ first manufacturer-entered diesel powered car to two podium
results and team-mate Darren Turner set the fastest lap of a race.
With time for only 150 miles of testing before the opening round of the
BTCC, SEAT Sport UK arrived at Brands Hatch with lot of untried data to
experiment with. Having qualified 4th and 6th, the team’s aim on race
day was to try and unearth a good balance, be competitive and possibly
challenge for a podium finish. Both Jason and Darren tried very
different set-ups in all three races, and the final race in particular
was a gamble, based on what looked potentially good on computer and what
the experienced drivers felt might work.
In the opening race, Jason and Darren finished line-astern in 3rd and
4th places, with Jason giving the Leon TDI a podium on its BTCC race
debut. With a heavy mid-race shower of rain making track conditions
extremely slippery, it was a challenging maiden race – and one in which
the Leon TDI showed its race winning potential.
Race 2 saw Jason again finish 3rd, while Darren set the fastest lap of
the race – his 49.491 being just 0.3 seconds short of the Brands Hatch
Indy Circuit lap record – on his way to 5th overall.
Finding it difficult to make a serious overtaking challenge on the cars
ahead, both Jason and Darren gambled on set-up in the final race – the
theory being that if it didn’t work, they’d probably not lose too much
ground anyway, and if it did work they’d have a far better chance of
achieving a better result. Unfortunately, Darren’s race was over soon
after it had begun, when Gordon Shedden hit him from behind at Druids on
the opening lap and his Leon TDI ended its race in the gravel trap.
Despite the disappointment of failing to start to season with a
points-scoring finish in all three races, Darren left Brands Hatch with
more points that he’d earned in the opening race weekend last year (15
points compared to 9). After a Safety Car period following a big crash
involving Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall), Jason had a lonely final race to
5th, maintaining a 100% finishing record.
Jason Plato (3rd/3rd/5th): “The team has done a fantastic job today. The
Leon TDI is very new, we only did 150 miles of testing before we came
here, and on its BTCC debut the car has proven to be one hundred percent
reliable. I’ve finished all three races in the points, and all things
considered, if someone had offered me two thirds and a fifth before the
racing had started I’d have probably taken them. I’ve been pretty
demanding as a driver today and changed the car an awful lot for each
race. It’s been a massive workload for the engineers and mechanics, and
everyone in the team has been extremely focused, professional and on top
of their game today. We’ve learnt a lot about the Leon TDI because we’ve
gambled on set-up and experimented far more than we’d normally dare do
on a race weekend. We know that there is good potential with the Leon
TDI, and we’re going to have to continue to work hard to unlock it.”
Darren Turner (4th/5th/DNF): “We started this weekend on the back foot a
little bit because of our limited pre-season testing, but I was very
pleased with the performance of the car and with my results in race one
and race two. Race three should have been another collection of points,
but it wasn’t to be. It’s just unfortunate that the race was over for me
before it had really begun. As a team we are very pleased with this
weekend’s performance – we’ve got a lot of work to do, but we were in
the top five fighting for position and we could have easily found
ourselves fighting for a top position. The Leon TDI has run like
clockwork all weekend, so reliability isn’t an issue and at different
stages during the weekend we have shown that we have some good pace in
the car. It’s now a case of looking at the data, doing the work and
making sure that the car works well in qualifying and in all three
races. It’s been a very encouraging start.”
Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the BTCC take place at Rockingham Motor Speedway on
April 12/13.
BTCC Round 1
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...20:15.564
2. Mat Jackson (BMW 320si)…20:15.779
3. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…20:21.791
4. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…20:23.027
5. Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)...20:23.437
6. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic)...20:23.994
Fastest lap: Colin Turkington (BMW 320si)…59.202
BTCC Round 2
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...24:43.227
2. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic)...24:44.169
3. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…24:44.640
4. Mat Jackson (BMW 320si)…24:44.898
5. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…24.46.814
6. Tom Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall Vectra)...24:47.084
Fastest lap: Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…49.491
BTCC Round 3
1. Colin Turkington (BMW 320si)…26:35.148
2. Mat Jackson (BMW 320si)…26:36.030
3. Matt Neal (Vauxhall Vectra)...26:37.447
4. Mike Jordan (Honda Integra)…26:39.194
5. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon TDI)…26:39.848
6. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra)...26:43.411
Darren Turner (SEAT Leon TDI)…DNF
Fastest lap: Mat Jackson (BMW 320si)…49.588
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