SEAT Toledo Cupra touring car chassis number 007, which was damaged in a huge start line accident at Brands Hatch, has been replaced. Jason Plato will therefore race a new SEAT Sport UK car in rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Silverstone on Sunday 9th May. “You could say James Bond’s in hospital undergoing major surgery, but he will be rebuilt,” says Jason!

Great crowd-pleasing performances in the six races already held have seen the SEAT Sport UK drivers hold a monopoly over the Driver of the Day award – with Jason receiving the award after his Race 2 win on the team’s BTCC race weekend debut at Thruxton and team-mate Rob Huff winning the award after scoring his first BTCC podium in only his fourth touring car race at Brands Hatch.

The SEAT Sport UK team will be aiming to continue its encouraging performance at Silverstone, regardless of an additional 25kgs of lead ballast that has been added to its Toledo Cupras. Despite this weight penalty, imposed by the BTCC organisers on all Super 2000 spec cars running in the series, SEAT Sport UK has taken the decision “on the chin” and still aims for a podium finish for a third consecutive time.

Silverstone’s 2.249 mile International Circuit will be a trip into the unknown for SEAT Sport UK, which has not previously tested the Toledo Cupra there and has no track data. With long fast straights and tight corners, it’s a circuit with a wide variety of challenges – some of which will suit the Toledo Cupra better than others. While Jason swaps to a new car, Rob will drive the car he raced at Thruxton and Brands Hatch.

Jason said: “I know Silverstone well and I really enjoy racing there. I’ve raced at Silverstone in the sun and rain and at night as well as during the day, so you could say I know my way around. Some parts of the circuit will suit the Toledo Cupra and other parts won’t, but the beauty of Silverstone is the circuit contains a bit of everything. We have to take the weight penalty on the chin and get on with the development of the car. We hope to have modifications at Silverstone which will improve the Toledo Cupra’s grip and power. The development work goes on – and will do all season.”

Rob said: “Finishing second and fourth in two races at Brands Hatch has given me a real confidence boost and I’m looking forward to racing at Silverstone because it’s one of my favourite circuits. I’ve also raced well at Silverstone and won there in single seaters and saloons, so if we can find a decent set up in free practice and wind it up in qualifying I think we’ll be in good shape come race day. To be fair it’s a shame about the extra weight, but at the end of the day there is no point complaining about it - you just have to get on with it.”

Scott Dennis, SEAT UK Motorsports and Events Manager, said: “This was always going to be a difficult situation to deal with and we believe the BTCC organisers have the best interests of the series at heart. We shouldn’t forget that the weight we carry will vary throughout the season and whilst it’s not ideal for Silverstone we just have to accept it and carry on with the development of the SEAT Tolodo Cupra. Hopefully we’ll still be able to compete somewhere near the front and give the paying public some more close entertaining racing.”

The BTCC race weekend at Silverstone will begin with two 40 minute free practice session on Saturday 8th May, starting at 10.05 and 12.05, followed by a 30 minute qualifying session starting at 15.25. Three 16 lap races around the Silverstone International Circuit will take place on Sunday 9th May, beginning at 11.25, 13.55 and 16.35.

It happened to us at Silverstone

Not condoning speed on the road in any way whatsoever, Silverstone holds a special place in Jason Plato’s motoring memories. In 1987 Jason got a job with TWR, and on his second day at work he was dispatched to deliver parts to Silverstone. Approaching Silverstone village on the A34, the local police stopped him for doing 107.9mph. “I had to go to court and plead that if I lost my driving licence I’d lose my job, so they gave me a huge fine instead,” recalls Jason. “I don’t condone speeding on the public roads – I learnt my lesson then and I never do it now.”

Rob Huff has never crashed on the Silverstone circuit – but he did destroy one of his father’s company cars on an access road, when, as an 18-year old, he had a head-on collision with a seven and a half tonne truck at 7 o’clock in the morning. Ironically, he was on his way to work at the time - where he was a driving instructor at Silverstone!

Silverstone was were the pimple burst in the well-publicised Jason Plato / Yvan Muller bust up in 2001, where Jason’s race victory was taken away and reports of what happened on the track differed greatly. It’s all water under the bridge as far as the 2004 race is concerned.

Rob Huff has always raced well at Silverstone. He’s won races there in a MGB and Formula Vauxhall and last year finished a close 2nd in both Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship races. Shadowing Silverstone expert Stefan Hodgetts, and setting the fastest lap in the day’s first race, was a significant step in Rob winning the SEAT title. Jason Plato won the European Renault Spider Championship British Grand Prix support race at Silverstone in 1996.

Jason Plato has also worked as an instructor at the Silverstone Racing School. “At the time it kept me on the circuits and close to the game, but it could be fairly sole destroying work sitting next to people who had as much talent as a chocolate fireguard and who seemed intent on trying to throw you off into the boonies at every corner,” recalls Jason