Plato's 2015 options

One of the main talking points of the 2015 BTCC pre-season is the future of double champion Jason Plato.

After announcing today (January 8th) at the annual Autosport show that he is still working towards a deal for the forthcoming season, here are some of the options that may be available to the former MG/ Triple Eight driver.

Chrome Edition Restart Racing/ Team BMR
A new team to the BTCC grid last season, run by former British Superbike Championship racer Warren Scott after buying the assets of Tony Gilham's Team HARD outfit in 2013. There was mixed fortune for the team last season, with Aron Smith taking two race wins, and a podium finish for Alain Menu at Rockingham, as well as point scoring finishes for Jack Goff and team principal Scott, but a season which also contained bad luck for the team due to numerous circumstances.

So far the only announcement from the team ahead of the 2015 season came towards the end of the last campaign, with Aron Smith continuing his partnership with the team in one of the VW Passat CC's. There have been whispers of Menu remaining with the team, but nothing official has been confirmed yet.

The VW's were competitive all season long, with all four cars showing their prowess in the latter stages of the campaign. With Plato's vast experience in the BTCC, he could be the key to taking the team one stage further.

Motorbase Performance
One of the oldest teams on the grid, 2014 was a mixed bag for Dave Bartrum's squad.

The season started brightly for the team, having announced the arrival of double champion Fabrizio Giovanardi in pre-season, with Mat Jackson and former single seater driver Jack Clarke completing the line up.

While Mat Jackson was the only driver to complete every lap of every race last season and took two wins and seven podiums over the season, the rest of the campaign was somewhat underwhelming for Motorbase, with Giovanardi struggling to get to grips with NGTC machinery since his return and Jack Clarke's inexperience in the BTCC, although a podium at the season finale shown his potential in the championship.

Like with BMR, there haven't been many announcements from the team about the 2015 season, but they have confirmed former Porsche Carrera Cup GB driver Alex Martin will step behind the wheel of one Ford Focus, under the Dextra Racing banner, and the team will also be running under a new name this season after losing title sponsor Airwaves.

The cars have potential, and have been at the front of the grid before - it might just take the right driver to unlock the car's full potential; that driver could be Plato, and if the team retain Mat Jackson, then Plato will be reunited with his team mate from 2009 at Racing Silverline.

Eurotech Racing
The team formed in 2006, running a Honda Integra for Mike Jordan and have ran under the Pirtek Racing banner in recent years.

Last season focused on the team's lead driver Andrew Jordan, who began the defence of his BTCC driver's title.

The team performed well in the opening half of the season, taking four wins and running strongly at the front of the grid alongside the manufacturer Honda team and keeping pace with the MG's and WSR's BMW's. However, a huge shunt in free practice at Snetterton for Jordan saw the team drop back, with the returning Martin Depper struggling with the team's second NGTC Honda Civic.

Despite the blip in the second half of the season, Eurotech remain one of the bigger teams on the grid, and with Andrew Jordan sealing his move to the MG/ Triple Eight squad, it could pave the way for Jason Plato to take the lead seat alongside Jeff Smith - although the chances of Plato stepping behind the wheel of any Honda seems an unlikely venture.

West Surrey Racing
The team to beat last season, WSR dominated in 2014, taking the team's championship, and Colin Turkington taking both the overall and independent's driver's title.

The team have been busy in pre-season too, snapping up Sam Tordoff from Triple Eight, and announcing today that triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx will be joining the squad with backing from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

With the futures of champion Colin Turkington and Rob Collard still up for discussion, a move to WSR is unlikely for Plato, although stranger things have happened in the BTCC.

Other possibilities
There are rumours that a fourth manufacturer could be entering the grid, which could be a potential destination for Plato if the rumours prove to be true.

There is also a possibility Plato could set up his own team, if he still has backing from Tesco and KX next season.

Overall though, these seem to be the most likely options for Plato, and it'll be interesting to hear his plans for next season, sooner rather than later.