Who Is Jason Plato?
Timothy Jason Plato is a British racing driver who holds the British Touring Car Championship record for race wins, with 97. He was born in Oxford on 14 October 1967, won the British Junior TKM karting championship in 1989 and the Renault Spider Cup in 1996, and reached the BTCC in 1997.
He got the drive by asking for it. Williams ran a shootout for its second seat and passed him over; Plato went to the team’s base, argued his case, and Frank Williams gave him the contract. He took pole for his first three races in the Renault Laguna, won twice as a rookie and finished third in the championship behind his team-mate Alain Menu.
The first title came in 2001 with Vauxhall, decided when team-mate Yvan Muller’s car caught fire at the final round. The second came in 2010 with a Chevrolet Cruze — and his 60th win, at Brands Hatch that October, equalled Andy Rouse’s long-standing record. He passed it at the first round of 2011.
He kept going for another decade. Seven manufacturers, twenty-three seasons and a 500th start in 2016 that he marked by winning at Knockhill. His last full campaign was 2022 with BTC Racing. He is also a television presenter, best known for Fifth Gear.
