Blencowe: This made it all worth it.

Alan Blencowe said that the chance to test a SEAT Leon British Touring Car had made his decision to compete in the SEAT Cupra Championship worthwhile after he spent a day with SEAT Sport UK at Rockingham.

Blencowe, who finished second to Mat Jackson in the championship standings, joined Jackson, Jonathan Adam and Fulvio Mussi in the day long test, which saw all four drivers work closely with the team and complete a simulated race-distance run at the wheel of the car that carried SEAT to a first manufacturers' title.

"It's been brilliant, I loved driving the car and the team has been really helpful," the 30-year-old said. "Working with Jason [Plato] and Piers [Phillips, race engineer] really helped to get on terms with the car and the job in hand. The car itself is very different to
what we've been used to; it's normally-aspirated so you have to get used to really revving the engine, as well as using the sequential gearbox. It's a proper race car through-and-through and it ran faultlessly all day."

Blencowe spent two seasons competing in the BTCC in 2002 and 2003, albeit in the production class, and he said the chance to get behind the wheel of a full BTCC racer has made his time in the SEAT series worthwhile.

"It was worth doing so well in the SEAT Cupra Championship for this alone - I hope I've done a good enough job to make SEAT think about me for the future!" he said. "Personally, the most important aspect of today was to listen and do what was asked - I feel that's how you integrate with a team as a driver. I would also like to say a big 'thank you' to the team for welcoming us and making us feel part of the operation all day."