James Thompson says that returning to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship as leader of the FIA World Touring Car Championship will give him a “psychological boost” when he races his SEAT Sport UK Leon at Snetterton circuit next weekend (August 12/13).

James took the lead of the WTCC for the first time after finishing fifth in both races in Mexico – on the same day his SEAT Sport UK colleagues were racing in the BTCC at Donington Park. With his Spanish-prepared SEAT Sport Leon weighed down with success ballast at each WTCC race meeting, consistency has been the key to James’ success. He has finished all 12 WTCC races so far this season inside the top 10, with three 3rds, two 4ths and four 5ths giving him a three point advantage at the top of the Drivers’ table ahead of last year’s champion, Andy Priaulx.

A psychological boost is perhaps the last thing his rivals will want to hear, as James has an excellent record at Snetterton anyway. Before he joined SEAT Sport UK for the 2006 season, Snetterton was the venue of James’s last BTCC race win – on September 5th, 2004; the year he won the BTCC title for a second time.

Likewise, Jason Plato and SEAT have always gone well at Snetterton, despite the theory that the fast 1.952 mile Norfolk circuit near Thetford might not suit a S2000 spec car – which this year’s Leon is and the SEAT Toledo before it was. SEAT has, in fact, won a race on both previous visits: Rob Huff won there for SEAT in 2004, while Jason won again in 2005 – leading home a SEAT one-two with James Pickford in hot pursuit.

SEAT leads the Manufacturers’ standings in both the WTCC and BTCC, and the clear aim is to strengthen that lead in Britain with another good team performance at Snetterton.

Jason said: “In theory we should struggle at Snetterton because it’s a big power circuit. There are two very long straights out of tight corners, which will not suit our car, and there are no flowing corners where the Leon excels. However, the last two years suggest that things might be better than we expect. The Toledo was never a big power car either, yet we won in 2004 and scored a one-two in 2005. The Leon is a much better racing car all-round, so who knows?

“The most important thing is that we continue to work hard as a team and score a load of points to cement our lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship. We didn’t do anything wrong at Donington, in fact it was a brilliant team effort, but we were amazingly unlucky. I don’t think it’s possible to have that amount of bad luck two race meetings in a row, so we’re all going to Snetterton in a very positive frame of mind. I’ve had some good results at Snetterton, so I’m really looking forward to it – and as a team we only have one aim. SEAT is leading the BTCC and that’s the way we want it to stay until the end of the season.”

James said: “I’ve had a lot of success at Snetterton, with a number of poles and a lot of race wins, so I’m looking forward to going back there. Leading the World Touring Car Championship is a nice psychological boost and returning to the British Touring Car Championship with not much ballast on my Leon will be good. Together with Jason I think we can work well as a team and score a lot of points for SEAT in the Manufacturers’ battle. That will be the aim at Snetterton.

“On paper the Snetterton circuit won’t suit the Leon, but I’m a great believer that you have to get stuck in wherever you are. No matter if it’s a fast circuit or a slow and twisty one, you’ve just got to do the best job you can. Snetterton has two very long straights down which we won’t be the fastest, but it’s also got some pretty serious corners where the Leon will be more at home, so hopefully we should be okay. I can’t wait to get there – I’m really up for this one!”