BTCC boss Alan Gow blasts Jason Plato's 'latest round of moaning'

Two-time champion Plato, this season driving the new-for-2016 Subaru Levorg package developed by Team BMR, derided the series' engine equivalency formula at the latest round at Knockhill over the weekend.

The BTCC has sought to strike a balance between the engine manufacturers with the establishment of success ballast, but that has not gone down well with Plato.

The 48-year-old went on to take pole and his first victory of the season - in the 500^th race of his BTCC career - in the opener at Knockhill.

In then carrying 75kg of success ballast in race two, Plato could only manage third, and was constantly pressured by team-mate Colin Turkington throughout.

Plato later slated the new regulations on its ITV broadcast, claiming they were not doing the job intended in terms of balancing out engine performance, and expressing hope they would be reviewed at the end of the season.

Gow was flabbergasted by Plato's comments, and felt obliged to issue a highly-critical response.

"I'm just astounded at this latest round of moaning by Jason," said Gow.

"The fact of the matter is he and his team would not be at anywhere near their current performance level had it not been for the efforts of TOCA, all the BTCC teams and the Engine Technical Review Panel (ETRP).

"As their performances at the first two events highlighted, their inlet manifold originally homologated was just not capable of delivering the engine performance that their boost level was set to give.

"They would have had no choice but to make do with what they had for three years - the engine regulations state that certain major components, such as the inlet manifold, cannot be changed for a three-year period.

"But purely through the good graces of TOCA, along with all competing BTCC teams and engine builders agreeing to it, they were given a waiver and the unique opportunity of correcting their performance issue.

"Since fitting this new manifold and camshaft their performances have been nothing short of extraordinary; achieving three out of four pole positions, winning four races, achieving 15 podiums and setting three fastest laps.

"So for Jason to still complain and infer they have not been given the "right level of performance" is simply bizarre.

"It's actually borderline offensive - not only to TOCA, but to all other BTCC teams and engine builders who all agreed to assist them.

"Had it not been for this unique co-operation and agreement, their car would have remained far less competitive than it now is.

"With their current level of success I would have thought Jason would be thanking TOCA, the teams and the engine builder, but sadly not and he has prodded this subject too often for me to just sit back and not respond.

"However, I will be interested to hear if the thoughts of Team BMR Subaru also reflect those of Jason's."