In the first of a new regular feature we take a closer look at an Avon Tyres British GT Championship driver and how their season has unfolded thus far. First up it’s RAM Racing youngster Lewis Plato whose 11th place in the GT3 standings doesn’t tell the full story of an unlucky start to the year.
‘One of those seasons’ perfectly sums up Lewis Plato’s start to life in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship. It’s half-distance in the 2015 campaign and the 22-year-old finds himself outside the top-10 after just two points’ finishes all year. Certainly it’s far from where he, co-driver Alistair MacKinnon and the RAM Racing squad – former European Le Mans Series title winners, don’t forget – had hoped to be at this stage of proceedings.
Not that speaking to Plato reveals any of the frustrations he and the team must be feeling. Indeed, his considered but engaging attitude bears all the hallmarks of a young pro eager to make his mark on sportscar racing.
“This is my first year of GTs after karting and Radicals, and there’s been a lot to learn,” says the Essex ace. “The mindset is completely different and you have to accept that a lot of what happens is out of your control. You need to make compromises, which is something I wasn’t used to. We’ve made a couple of mistakes but the results really haven’t reflected our performances. We’ve been competitive everywhere, which is why our heads haven’t dropped. There are a lot of positives.”
He’s not wrong. A glance at RAM Racing’s 2015 scorecard reveals just one top-five result all season – a fourth place at Rockingham’s third round of the year in early May. But dig a little deeper and you realise it could have been so much better.
A four-car incident put paid to what looked a likely top-five finish at Oulton (as well as compromising the second race, in which Plato finished eighth), before the high point of coming home just 0.4sec shy of the Rockingham rostrum. But there was disappointment at Silverstone where MacKinnon’s clash with Jon Minshaw while running second overall saw the Mercedes excluded. And a late racing incident when challenging for fourth at Spa-Francorchamps also resulted in a non-score last time out.
“We’ve had opportunities every race weekend to pick up strong results that, for whatever reason, have ultimately eluded us,” continues Lewis. “In terms of race pace we’re a top-five contender; I’ve no doubt about that. The Mercedes is easier on its tyres than our rivals so we can run a very similar pace to that of qualifying in the race while the others, who tend to be quicker over a single lap, can’t match that same level during a stint. It means we’re usually fighting our way through the pack and that adds an element of uncertainty, especially given how competitive British GT is. Four winners in five races is testament to that.”
So what are the chances of seeing Plato and MacKinnon’s names added to the 2015 honours board? Again, Lewis is realistic.
“A headline result would be great and do justice to the fantastic work RAM has put in throughout the year, but a victory might just be beyond us at the moment,” he says. “Podiums are definitely possible; we came very close at Rockingham and, as I’ve said, the pace is there to consistently finish in the top-five. We just need a clean race. It would be great to get our first at Brands Hatch.”
With a little luck expect to see the white and green Mercedes back at the sharp end this weekend.
Did you know?
As well as racing and driver coaching Plato is studying for a degree in Motorsport Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire. His placement year has been spent with Corbeau where he’s helped in the design and development of a unique seat application for a major manufacturer, which will be launched in the coming months.
“It’s been really fun and I’ve learnt a lot,” he adds. “The degree has also given me a much better insight into how a race car works, which obviously has its advantages when it comes to British GT!”