Jason Plato said he was happy to have narrowed his deficit to Gordon Shedden in the British Touring Car Championship title fight, but was puzzled by the lack of assistance he received from his team-mates.
The double champion finished the day’s second race in sixth which, with Shedden finishing outside of the points in 19th, means that just 12 points separates the pair going into today’s [Sunday 11 October] final race of the season.
Plato, however, spent some time behind team-mate Aron Smith before the Irishman allowed him past – with Plato unable to make progress from there despite catching up to the battling pair of Dave Newsham and Jack Goff.
Speaking after the race, the Team BMR driver was happy to have cut into his rival’s lead but felt his team-mates could have been more supportive of his efforts.
“Of course, I’m happy with that,” said Plato when asked by TouringCars.Net if he was pleased to have reduced Shedden’s lead. “I’d have more points, wouldn’t I, if people were playing the f***ing game? But they’re not.
“I sit here now ruing the puncture here at the beginning of the year. I’d be home and dry now, it’d [the championship] be in the bag. I’m sat here ruing the puncture at Silverstone, I’m sat here ruing…it wasn’t Ingram’s fault, he got contact with a whack at Rockingham.
“We’ve had terrible luck which has cost us vital points. But I think it’s 12 [points between us], Shedden’s 20th so, you know…”
The Volkswagen CC driver will crucially start the third race from second which would be more than enough to hand him the title, although he starts behind long-time rival and Shedden’s team-mate Matt Neal.
Assessing his chances, Plato reiterated that he was unhappy with how the second race had played out race but admitted that the result nevertheless put him in the ascendancy in the fight for the championship.
“I haven’t had any good luck, I’ve just been doing my job. We’ve had no fortune, we’ve just been doing our job. In fact, actually we’ve had things going against us like other people in the team driving like muppets.
“When I come second I throw the f***ing trophies in the bin. I’m not interested [but] it matters to some people. That cost us vital points that did.
“Yes, the momentum is with me, is it going to be enough? I don’t know. I start P2 – I know Matt’s going to be a pain in the arse so we’ll wait to see what happens.”