SEAT star Jason Plato...

SEAT star Jason Plato is vowing to put reigning champ and series leader Matt Neal under even greater pressure as the BTCC bursts back into action at Croft on Sunday.

Britain’s premier race series returns after a six-week break for the football World Cup with its annual visit to North Yorkshire, and Plato knows he must up his game if he is to stay in with a chance of claiming the 2006 title.

The Leon driver has suffered more than his fair share of bad luck during the opening 12 races, and currently trails his rival by 45 points.

However, with 18 rounds remaining and 16 points awarded to each race winner, Plato is confident that he can make up the lost ground. “The title is still there to be won,” claimed the popular presenter of TV series Fifth Gear. “But we need to pull up our socks and start performing to the maximum of our abilities, or we’ll fall further behind.” Although Plato is desperate to get right back into the title hunt, he doesn’t wish any ill fortune on Neal. “I want to win this fair and square by beating him on the track,” he insisted.

“It would be absolutely brilliant for the fans if I could start pegging Matt back and make a fight of it.”