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Plato's new dawn with MG

With Jason Plato having confirmed his attack on the BTCC with the Triple Eight-run MG squad, Kevin Turner asks whether the 68-time race-winner can dethrone his nemesis Matt Neal and claim a third title in 2012

Kevin Turner Jan 26, 2012, 11:51 AM

MG-Triple Eight-Jason Plato. Sounds like a pretty promising combination for the British Touring Car Championship, doesn't it? The Chinese-owned firm will push hard to re-establish the marque in the UK; it just seems right to have Triple Eight involved in a works programme; and Plato will get his hands on a turbocharged engine after all the equalisation controversy of 2011.

It's difficult to know exactly what the team is capable of in the short-term. There isn't much time left before the Brands Hatch opener on April 1 to build the cars, let alone get them out testing. And there's also the TOCA engine that the MGs will use in 2012. Last year the Swindon-built unit proved solid, but was gradually left behind by the Neil Brown-prepared turbos in the Hondas and the Mountune engines in the Fords.

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Author Kevin Turner

Kevin Turner is Autosport’s Chief Editor. While studying History at the University of York, Kevin began covering UK club events as a freelance reporter for Autosport and Motorsport News. He joined the Autosport staff as Editorial Assistant on the magazine in 2006, winning what is now known as the Motorsport UK Young Journalist of the Year Award. He became National Editor in 2008 and over the next few seasons covered a range of international events, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as the British Touring Car Championship and British GT. Kevin became Features Editor before switching to edit Motorsport News in 2014.

He returned to Autosport in 2016 to become editor of the magazine, a dream job that is still part of his role.

He became Chief Editor in 2020, helping to plan content for autosport.com and Autosport’s podcast as well as seeing the magazine through the coronavirus pandemic. Kevin also led work on the special publication celebrating 70 years of Autosport and has been a judge on the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, formerly known as the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, since 2008. He lives in Warboys with his wife and two children.