Jason Plato = Best btcc driver ever

Mike Sheraton · 11 Oct 2009, 14:20 (Ref:2559013)

hi guys, was just thinking that JASON PLATO is possibly the best BTCC driver ever, his abilty in a touring car is second to none in my opinion and how he hasn't won more than one title is beyond me

And jason if you are reading this, just to let you know that you have my support, and i hope the rest of the forum too !!!!

crmalcolm · 11 Oct 2009, 15:03 (Ref:2559031)

Erm, I have to disagree I'm afraid.

He is undoubtedly one of the better drivers to appear in BTCC, but I think the fact that he only has one title in twelve years underlines the fact that he is far from being the best ever.

Taking statistics as a measure puts Rouse higher in terms of wins overall - Menu, Giovanardi and Aiello in terms of wins in a season - and thirteen drivers have strung together a longer run of consecutive wins.

I don't mean to be too critical, and fully respect the achievements made by Plato, but there are many other drivers in the BTCC's history who I would view as better.

Mulsanne Bleu · 11 Oct 2009, 15:22 (Ref:2559037)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Sheraton

hi guys, was just thinking that JASON PLATO is possibly the best BTCC driver ever, his abilty in a touring car is second to none in my opinion and how he hasn't won more than one title is beyond me

And jason if you are reading this, just to let you know that you have my support, and i hope the rest of the forum too !!!!

I also have to disagree, comparing Plato with those like Jack Sears, Win Percy, Andy Rouse, Laurent Aiello and Roberto Ravaglia - ok, the latter never won a BTCC title but he did compete there, though he had titles elsewhere, hence why I picked him - would you say Plato is greater than those I listed.

Mike Sheraton · 11 Oct 2009, 15:23 (Ref:2559039)

think about this though, plato has been in with a chance of the championship for nearly all of his years and if luck was on his side he could of had atleast 3 championships, because in the BTCC on finals day and throughout the season luck can decide the 5-15 points that decide a title

**FIRE** · 11 Oct 2009, 15:54 (Ref:2559045)

Plato is one of the big names of BTCC history but not the best driver ever.

Robbe · 11 Oct 2009, 16:07 (Ref:2559049)

It's always hard to judge drivers from different decades, but if I just watch the time since I follow BTCC (maybe 96, 97), Plato is surely one of the best - because he has been in the fight for the title in almost every year.
Drivers like Laurent Aiello are surely great touringcar drivers, and IMHO Aiello was the greatest in SuperTouring, but he has only been in BTCC for one season. Who knows how many titles he would have won if he had sticked to BTCC? Maybe 5? Or just the one in 99?
It's easier to compare Plato to Thompson, Muller, Neal, Turkington, because they have spent some more seasons in BTCC.

Personally I think Plato is one of the best drivers in BTCC and it's really strange why he has won only one championship, but I wouldn't call him the best - rather on one level with Giovanardi, Muller, Menu, Thompson and maybe Turkington (who really surprised me, but that's another topic..)

kimbo · 11 Oct 2009, 16:19 (Ref:2559060)

As always, difficult to compare different eras, i.e. S2000, BTC, Super Tourer, etc.
I think that if JP had been in a Vauxhall for the last few years, the record books may have looked somewhat different! Either way, he is certainly no.1 or 2 in the modern era in the BTCC and has got time to go on and win more titles, if he's got the car underneath him.
Now if Andy Priaulx and James Thompson had been in the BTCC in competitive machinery - THAT would have been something worth watching!!

Kim.

p.s. Mike - see you next year in Pre'93. We'll be in C.T. in an E30 325.
edit pps Robbe - you beat me to it!

Super Hans · 11 Oct 2009, 16:50 (Ref:2559064)

I'm not sure he's the best ever, but I'd put him among the top three of the modern era (alongside Gio and Muller). For some reason I've always felt people don't take him as seriously as they should because of his TV career.

werner · 11 Oct 2009, 17:00 (Ref:2559070)

Giovanardi, Muller, Menu, Rydell, Tarquini, Thompson are better, to name just a few.

chunder · 11 Oct 2009, 17:31 (Ref:2559082)

I think a lot of people dont give PLates the respect he deserves really, He has been quick in all era's of teh sport in lots of different cars.

The likes or Tarquini, Rydell, Muller etc have always progressed onwards which maybe suggests that Plato either didnt want to or was not consindered for WTCC jobs.

He has been quick against teh Clelands, Sopers, Winkhelhock, Cecotto et al who are considered the best.

In BTCC terms he has be up there with Neal, Cleland, Soper, Rouse.

Only thing I dont like is his determination to get invovled in contact, this year he has been much better but with people like Neal and Muller he was always doing the pushing invariably which is s sign of weakness in my eyess.

But in pure BTCC terms he has to be considered a great. In World terms no, but BTCC yes

**BertMk2** · 11 Oct 2009, 17:38 (Ref:2559085)

Plato has consitently got good results but I'd not class him any where near "the greatest". Just taking last weekend - 3 wins but at least one of those should have been taken away for intentional contact. That's the big problem for me with Plato - quick but his overtaking is appalling - the greats get past people without bashing them about, Plato seems to think a tap on the rear of another car is not only perfectly acceptable but actually how you get past someone.

If Plato drove in a club series he'd have a queue of people waiting to "re-educate" him in the paddock afterwards. He's an appalling example to others.

Super Hans · 11 Oct 2009, 17:44 (Ref:2559088)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BertMk2

If Plato drove in a club series he'd have a queue of people waiting to "re-educate" him in the paddock afterwards.

But he doesn't drive in a club series. He drives in the BTCC where such driving is (how can I put this?) not wholly discouraged.

aland · 11 Oct 2009, 18:34 (Ref:2559108)

not the best but up there with them, you cant compare modern times to the likes of the super tourer days buy guys like Andy Rouse and John Cleland were better drivers IMO

NAC · 11 Oct 2009, 18:45 (Ref:2559112)

And lets not forget 2 times World Touring Car Champion Paul Radisich

bdwoody · 11 Oct 2009, 19:14 (Ref:2559123)

If Plato drove in a club series he'd have a queue of people waiting to "re-educate" him in the paddock afterwards. He's an appalling example to others.[/QUOTE]

and that is a problem as all the new drivers comming up seem to think that is the way to do it , but it aint !

davyboy · 11 Oct 2009, 19:37 (Ref:2559133)

Whether Jason is the greatest BTCC driver or not, we'll never know... mainly because in years gone by the class system and the enormous differences between cars competing in the same class made it very difficult for us to discerne how good the drivers really were. However in the modern era, Plato is definitely among a small number of 'world class' touring car talent that we've had grace our domestic circuits in this championship. He has always struggled to be taken seriously because he fell into touring cars after his career more or less ground to a halt. He had always been talented - I remember him in karts - but a sequence of dud drives sent him up a blind alley and he was indeed fortunate when he got the call up from Williams to drive the Laguna after his success in the Renault spiders. He has always been a bit of a lad, a practical joker, and that's probably not helped him either. Nevertheless he's fantastic behind the wheel of a touring car and capable of stepping into a car and making it run at the front immediately. He'll be a firm favourite for the 2010 title if he's back in an RML Chevy.

pinkd56 · 11 Oct 2009, 19:58 (Ref:2559154)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Sheraton

think about this though, plato has been in with a chance of the championship for nearly all of his years and if luck was on his side he could of had atleast 3 championships, because in the BTCC on finals day and throughout the season luck can decide the 5-15 points that decide a title

Technically, Every single BTCC Driver Is in with a Chance at the start of the Season

brands hatch · 11 Oct 2009, 20:00 (Ref:2559157)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Sheraton

hi guys, was just thinking that JASON PLATO is possibly the best BTCC driver ever, his abilty in a touring car is second to none in my opinion and how he hasn't won more than one title is beyond me

And jason if you are reading this, just to let you know that you have my support, and i hope the rest of the forum too !!!!

IMO, Jason is, obviously, a brilliant driver. He is immensly talented at what he does. He is, despite some audacious overtaking moves, brilliant behind the wheel. Is he one of the best? possibly...he is up there with thompson etc

**ghinzani** · 11 Oct 2009, 20:05 (Ref:2559158)

No way, not even good enough to make the top 10. Think of some of the names like Sears, Clark, Percy, Rouse, Fitzpatrick, Gardner, Hoy, Thompson, Tarquini, Winkelhock, Biela, Menu, Rydell, Giovanardi etc etc Plato does not have the stature of any of them. Then again my faveourite touring car driver is Dennis Leech, so what do I know?

Benny1664 · 11 Oct 2009, 20:57 (Ref:2559197)

Jason is indeed a pretty damned good pedaller but I don't think he is a clean enough racer to be considered the greatest. Its not just winning that counts but how you win...

kipper · 11 Oct 2009, 21:13 (Ref:2559207)

Whilst over the last few seasons, Plato has proven himself to one of the quicker drivers with the BTCC, I do not consider him to be the greatest BTCC driver ever. This is partly to do with some of his tatics. That said, he is a talented driver but the history of the BTCC does feature more accomplished drivers such as Win Percy and Andy Rouse.

chunder · 11 Oct 2009, 22:01 (Ref:2559234)

I agree with some, but guys like Rouse had little competition sometimes so hardly a fair comparison, Plates has alwasy been in the toughest of competitions!!

THIM · 11 Oct 2009, 23:10 (Ref:2559289)

Nope. For his ram racing, I really dislike him, despite he is quick indeed. But it's nearly sure, when he's closing to someone, there will be very unnecessary contact.

davyboy · 12 Oct 2009, 08:26 (Ref:2559545)

Quote:

Originally Posted by THIM

Nope. For his ram racing, I really dislike him, despite he is quick indeed. But it's nearly sure, when he's closing to someone, there will be very unnecessary contact.

With few exceptions [maybe Turkington] 'ram racing' seems to be the de riguer approach in the modern era. They're all at it. Sad but true.

emicen · 12 Oct 2009, 10:13 (Ref:2559590)

No. Too reliant on the nudge wide to initiate passes.

Very good driver though and his higher public profile with doing 5th Gear is good for the sport.

View Poll Results: Is Jason Plato the best BTCC driver ever?
Yes he is.	11	14.67%
No he isn't.	64	85.33%
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