Jason Plato admits he is focusing on nothing other than victory as the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship heads to Oulton Park for the seventh round of the season.
The SEAT Sport UK man secured a double win last time out at Snetterton but saw his weekend end in disappointment when he was forced out of the final race with an engine problem.
That leaves Plato 39 points behind defending champion – and big rival – Fabrizio Giovanardi with twelve races of the season still to go and he said he was looking to try and extend his solid form at the Cheshire venue, where he has taken five podiums for SEAT in twelve starts.
"It would be nice to have two days of testing before Oulton Park, like we had before
Snetterton, but c'est la vie," Plato admitted ahead of the weekend. "Arriving at each new circuit with the Leon TDI is like taking a step into the unknown, but at least the more we learn about the car the smaller those steps become. It might just come down to getting a few key corners right, like it did at Snetterton, and if we can make the car go well at Druids and Cascades, which are crucial corners at Oulton Park, then I think the rest of the lap might look after itself and we'll be very strong.
"I'm not looking at the points tables at the moment. We've got some ground to make up, so it's simply a case of cracking on and win races - and if we do that the championship will come to us. There is still a long way to go, Fabrizio hasn't had a bad weekend yet and we've had a couple, so it could all change very quickly. I'm quietly optimistic about this weekend and really looking forward to
Oulton Park."
While Oulton Park may not suit the Leon TDi in the same way Snetterton did two weeks ago, SEAT UK motorsport manager Scott Dennis said he was hopeful that the team can enjoy another strong weekend as it continues to come to grips with the challenges of running the diesel-powered car.
"We have always gone well at Oulton Park and we're quietly confident that the Leon TDi will be competitive there," he said. "We've only had our new diesel package for four months, so to have achieved five wins and twelve podiums in the first six race meetings highlights the magnificent work the team has put in so far this year.
"We proved last time out at Snetterton that we can find a very competitive set-up and win races, and with all the expertise that we are gaining on the car, we have to try and put in a similar performance at Oulton Park."
