SEAT Sport UK aims to complete its impressive debut season in the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park in style this weekend, as it attempts to finish 2nd in the Teams’ category. Its Toledo Cupra drivers are also aiming for a high-flying finish, with Jason Plato battling for 3rd in the Drivers’ standings and Rob Huff looking for a hat-trick of race victories in his first touring car season.

Both Jason and Rob love racing at Donington Park, but for Jason in particular the Leicestershire track holds special memories for the 2001 BTCC Champion. He won his first ever car race there in 1990, driving in the Formula Renault Championship, while in 1997 he made his BTCC debut and qualified on pole for both races in a Williams Renault.

Jason said: “I really can’t wait for this weekend. I’m seven points behind Anthony Reid in the Drivers’ Championship and it will be a big battle between us to see who finishes third. I really wasn’t expecting to be as high as this in our first touring car season, but now I am I really want to finish third! Every point is going to be crucial and we’ll have to look very closely at our strategy and see what we can pull out of the bag. We didn’t go very well at Donington at the BTCC media day back in March and we were well off the pace, so we’ll just have to see what we’re like six months later.”

Rob said: “I’m going to go for my hat-trick of wins - there is no doubt about it! We're going to struggle with the weight again that's for sure and I’m going to have to start the weekend with sixty-five kilos of ballast. That is really going to hamper me early on during free practice, qualifying and in the first race. At least it will let me get a good set-up with the weight and as Jason will start off a lot lighter than me he will be able to establish a good set-up without success ballast. As the race day progresses, and my car gets lighter and Jason’s gets heavier, we might be in a position to swap settings, which will give us both a good heavy and lighter set-up. In theory it should work, but we’ll have to wait and see if we’re in a position to do that.

“I really like the Donington circuit, although I haven’t got much race experience there. I raced a Clio once and went from twelfth to third on the opening lap and I’ve done a few races there in an MG, but that’s all. I’m really looking forward to going back to Donington with the Toledo Cupra – it’s going to be a completely new experience.”

The BTCC race weekend at Donington gets underway with two 40 minute free practice sessions on Saturday 25 September, starting at 09.05 and 12.20, followed by a 30 minute qualifying session starting at 15.20. The final three rounds 28, 29 and 30 of the BTCC then take place on Sunday 26 September, with three 16-lap races starting at 11.20, 13.40 and 16.40.

BTCC Masters

Sixteen touring car masters spanning four decades will race for the coveted BTCC Masters Champion of Champions title on Sunday, when they go head-to-head in identical SEAT Sport UK-prepared Leon Cupra Rs around the Donington Park circuit.

It’s billed as one of the most mouth-watering touring car races ever to be held in the UK, as never before have so many champions raced against each other.

Contesting the BTCC Masters race are eight former BTCC Champions - Frank Sytner (1988), John Cleland (1989 and 1995), Robb Gravett (1990), Tim Harvey (1992), Gabriele Tarquini (1994) ), Frank Biela (1996), Alain Menu (1997 and 2000) and Jason Plato (2001). They will be joined by Paul Radisich (Touring Car World Cup Winner in 1993 and 1994) who is flying in from Australia just for this race and former BTCC stars Jeff Allam (1974-94), Kelvin Burt (1990-97), Julian Bailey (1991-95) and Patrick Watts (1992-97). Matt Neal (the four-times Independents Champion) and Anthony Reid (multiple race winner and twice Championship runner-up), who have each won three races in this year’s BTCC, will also race in the Masters, while the super 16 is completed by F1 star Johnny Cecotto, who raced in the BTCC in 1995.

Jason said: “I’ve no scores to settle. There’s only one person I’ve fallen out with and that’s Yvan Muller, but he’s not doing it because Vauxhall won’t let him. “It will be great to race with the calibre of these drivers. I can’t wait. What an event – it will be amazing to be part of it. It’s going to be very hard fought: none of this ‘after you, sir’.

“For me the BTCC Masters race is important because all of the people that I watched racing when I was growing up will be there, and now I’m going to race against them. We will all want to win. Absolutely everyone will want to win and it would be great to be crowned ‘BTCC Masters Champion’. It’ll be a great thing to have on your CV and a fantastic event to be part of.”