Jason Plato was denied by a piece of debris in the second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race of 2015 at Brands Hatch, but told TCF that the BMR Racing squad are heading thoroughly in the right direction.
Plato claimed a podium finish in the opening race of the day at the Kent circuit, following home team-mate Aron Smith and race winner, Rob Collard.
The second race saw the 2001 and 2010 champion start from pole position and lead from the start, only to be denied by cruel fortune when a piece of debris punctured his left-front tyre and sent him into the gravel trap at Paddock Hill Bend with four laps remaining.
“We don’t need bad luck and that’s what that was”, Plato told The Checkered Flag after his race two puncture. “We picked up a piece of debris, it punctured the tyre and then of course it deflated and fell apart.
“Unfortunately, it has ruined our weekend. Our mindset is not about fighting through in race three because, even if we do fight our way through the pack, we might only score a point.”
Plato says that the final race of the day will be used as a test session for the BMR squad, in a bid to learn more about the mannerisms of the softer tyre compound which has hindered several drivers during the opening meeting of the season.
“What’s more important is to use this race as a test session so we can understand the tyres. We might even pit in the middle of the race to make a change just to understand it that bit more.”
The double champion added that the positives which can be taken are that the Volkswagen squad has shown strong pace at Brands Hatch, saying that the team will come out fighting at the second event at Donington Park.
He added: “I’m really pleased. The new personal are great and we’re driving forward at Team BMR. It’s going in the right direction.”