Plato goes for diesel power, in a van.

British Touring Car Championship frontrunner Jason Plato is to stranger to delivering the goods on the track - and at Brands Hatch next month he will get the perfect opportunity to do so when he takes the wheel of Volkswagen's van-tastic Caddy TDI racer.

Jason will be swapping his multiple BTCC race-winning SEAT Toledo Cupra for the potent Caddy van to help celebrate the final rounds of the ultra-successful Volkswagen Racing Cup, which take place at the Kent circuit on 3 October.

Powered by a 2.0-litre, 230 PS turbodiesel engine, the Caddy is a very different machine to that which Plato is used to. He's relishing the challenge.

"I'm really looking forward to it and I'm hoping it will be a lot of fun. It's certainly the first time I've ever been asked to race a van, and it will also be my first experience of racing a diesel, so it will all be totally new. And who knows? It could be a toe in the water for a whole new career!"

Jason's Brands Hatch adventure will mark a return to the circuit at which he won his sixth BTCC race of the season for the SEAT Sport UK team, but he harbours no illusions that he's in line for another victory.

"I'm racing for the fun of it," said Thirty-seven year old "and I've certainly no intention of getting in the way of drivers going for championship positions."

The Caddy's usual pilot, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Peter Wyhinny, thinks Plato will do a superb job.

"I know that the new Caddy has the makings of a really rapid racer, and Jason is just the guy to bring out the best in it. It's certainly going to be great fun to watch. We are very grateful to SEAT Sport UK for allowing him to come and help us in this way."

Sam Roach, Volkswagen Racing's UK director adds: "It's going to be a fantastic end to the championship season to have a driver of Jason's calibre on the grid. The Volkswagen Racing Cup is the fastest growing and most successful club championship in the country and this will help us end the season on a high note."

Jason can be seen this weekend in action at the BTCC finale at Donington Park. Be there too...

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