Engine Equivalency - The Facts

I think the point is the Turbos were pegged back before Thruxton and Plato, when he wasn't in the tyre wall, was well on the pace!

He qualified 5th, a respectable starting position, 2 places behind Neal.

He stuffed it in race one because he was "Trying too hard to keep up with the stupid Turbos!" (Hahaha! Oh how I laughed when I saw his 'brief' interview after the race!) Even for a racing driver, thats a poor excuse for flat spotting a tyre / hitting curbs too hard, resulting in yet another smashed up Cruze! But, before he stuffed it, his fastest lap was a massive 0.063 seconds off the fastest lap of the race!

Second race he started from the back and finished 8th with his fastest lap a whole 0.166 seconds off the fastest lap of the race! But wait a minute, the fastest lap of race 2 was set by none other than, Alex McDowell! Had he sneaked a turbo under his bonnet during the break!? A Non Turbo car setting fastest lap!? How can this be!?

Plato won race 3... and set fastest lap... by 0.376 seconds! Dont think I need to say much more about that one do I!?

2 of the 3 fastest laps set by non turbo cars on the fastest track on the calendar! If anything "Equivalencey" has tipped in favor of the Cruzes already!

I think that TOCA should wait till Oulton Park to see how the limiter worked. Thruxton is a very, very fast track and racewise Chevy looked OK. It's the qualifying which is an issue - kinda like Ferrari in F1...

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Originally Posted by I am evil Homer

But that starts from the premise that 'equivalency' is even possible...i'd suggest it's probably not unless you want to change boost pressures from circuit to circuit to into account the track nature.

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Indeed. But the fact remains that it was promised, and entries of normally-aspirated cars were made on that basis.

Well at least we now know how Plato managed to win race 3 .............................

http://twitpic.com/4sevvk

:) :) :)

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Originally Posted by Bruce-1980

He stuffed it in race one because he was "Trying too hard to keep up with the stupid Turbos!" (Hahaha! Oh how I laughed when I saw his 'brief' interview after the race!) Even for a racing driver, thats a poor excuse for flat spotting a tyre / hitting curbs too hard, resulting in yet another smashed up Cruze! But, before he stuffed it, his fastest lap was a massive 0.063 seconds off the fastest lap of the race!

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Don't forget that he was "Driving the car faster than it was capable of going" too!!

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Originally Posted by Andrew Webster

Well at least we now know how Plato managed to win race 3 .............................

http://twitpic.com/4sevvk

:) :) :)

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Haha! Good 'en! :)

I find it most bizarre how certain drivers moan about the turbo cars saying things like, "It's unfair", "Without a turbo we have no chance" etc. However, when they start from pole and win, flag to flag, and, the turbo powered cars can't catch them, suddenly all is well with the world.

The whole situation is grossly out of order.

I think it is admirable that Jason Plato has come on this forum to clarify the situation when lots of people are just jumping to the wrong conclusions.

It is clear that there is not parity in the regulations for 2011. It is ridiculous that the season was allowed to start this way and even if resolved, has already created an unfair advantage for certain teams and drivers.

Keep pushing for it to be sorted, Jason, and while you are at it tell the powers that be to have a look at some of the dodgy driving standards that seem to be going unpunished – specifically at Donington – which you were on the receiving end of!

If you think it's any worse in the BTCC today Bezza then I'd think again - I seem to remember James Thompson pushing Jason Plato clean off the race track at Oulton Park in 1999!

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Originally Posted by AndySpeed

If you think it's any worse in the BTCC today Bezza then I'd think again - I seem to remember James Thompson pushing Jason Plato clean off the race track at Oulton Park in 1999!

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That remains one of the worst bits of conduct I've ever seen in the BTCC — and, while I hate to criticise drivers, Thompson's attempt at an explanation when asked about it afterwards has to go down as just about the most pathetic in racing history! A rare blot on his record.