Plato 'over the moon' after title

The Chevrolet driver's second win in a day at Brands Hatch helped him to build an unassailable lead over his chief title rival Matt Neal, who finished second.

Plato's second BTCC crown comes nine years after he won his first - also at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit - for Vauxhall.

"It's been a fantastic weekend and I'm just over the moon," Plato said.

"We really hit the sweet spot with the car this weekend, which we've only done once or twice before this year, and it's just a wonderful feeling."

Plato was quick to pay tribute to RML, which runs the Chevrolet programme.

RML had previously won BTCC drivers' titles with John Cleland in 1995 and Laurent Aiello in '99.

"I can remember back in my first year of touring car racing in 1997 when I landed myself in the best car in the championship; the Renault Laguna," he added.

"I got the sense from [team-mate and champion] Alain Menu early in that season that it was a pretty special set-up, and when we unlocked the speed from the Cruze during the summer this year, I felt it again.

"I've thought for a long time that RML is the best team in the paddock and this is just proof of that."

Plato's victory was his seventh of 2010 and the 60th of his BTCC career, equalling Andy Rouse's all-time wins record that has stood since 1992.