Jason Plato lambasts BMR team-mate Aron Smith after BTCC title loss

The two-time champion suggested on television after race one that his fellow Volkswagen CC driver had "got himself the sack" by not backing the lead pack up or dropping behind Plato and fellow Team BMR title protagonist Colin Turkington.

Plato won the final race of the day but lost out on a third title to Gordon Shedden by four points.

"Certain members of the team could have played it differently and helped me out as they said they were going to," he told Autosport after race three.

"I don't know. I'm not in their heads, they do what they like.

"I'm not great friends with anyone in the paddock apart from a couple, because by definition we're all liars. That's been proven.

"That's a team issue and I'm sure there'll be quite harsh words."

Smith was unhappy with his team-mate for the public slating and insisted he would not have deliberately hindered BMR's bid for the drivers' title.

"I was more than disappointed to read the comments the other driver made in interviews," he told Autosport. "Not a word was said to me unfortunately.

"I did the most I could. I feel like I've been here from the start and I've loved seeing the team grow. It's a privilege to be part of it.

"I still played the team game, it's just a shame it had to end the way it did because it certainly soured my working relationship there [with Plato]."

Team owner Warren Scott publicly backed Smith, taking full responsibility for what he called "a mistake somewhere in the team".

"It was a miscommunication or something," he said to Motorsport News. "I don't think anyone on purpose did anything wrong. It just didn't come out how it should have come out.

"It is a lesson for next year. I am proud of everyone involved in the team - everyone has done their job this year throughout the year perfectly and that gave us this opportunity.

"The disappointment is that when you make a mistake like that within the team, its magnitude is massive - it affected the whole championship in one day.

"As the team boss, I take full responsibility for it."