Reigning champion signs up for Chevy

Mar 6 2011 by Zoe Burn, Sunday Sun

JASON PLATO will defend his MSA British Touring Car Championship crown with the RML-run Chevrolet UK factory team in 2011.

The reigning BTCC champ last week agreed terms with the squad in what is believed to be a one-year deal.

While no official announcement regarding drivers and sponsors has been made by RML, Plato has confirmed his intention of picking up where he left off last season.

As well as clinching his second BTCC title in 2010, the Newcastle-educated star equalled Andy Rouse’s record of 60 wins, and it looks likely he will be able to obliterate that this season.

But as ever, Plato insists his only focus is on another title. “The aim this year is to win the championship, that’s all everyone’s focused on,” he said. “While the records are lovely, they’re not important - those things are good for when you retire and I’m not ready for that yet.”

Plato will again drive the Chevrolet UK-backed Cruze, an updated version of the one he drove to victory last year, which followed him finishing runner-up in a Lacetti in 2009.

“We just want to continue the good work we did last year. We were very dominant at the end of last year and we’re hoping to start where we left off.

“We’ve got continuity in terms of staff and are starting from arguably the best position ever - at least in the three years I’ve been with RML.”

And he is convinced the team’s effort will be enough to power them to their second consecutive title with their S2000-spec machine.

“We all know what the turbo cars can do but if you look at the performance of the NGTC-spec engines last year, the S2000 cars were competitive.

“We’re not ready to run a turbo engine yet and we feel that knowing the package as we do - knowing the car, knowing the next engine development stage - we’re confident we can mount a strong championship campaign.”

The team will make its announcement on drivers and sponsorship soon, but has confirmed it will run plain-liveried cars at a test session at Brands Hatch this Wednesday.