DRIVEN BY QUALITY
The family man tells us how he surrounds himself
with beautifully designed machines, both on and
off the race course.
It wasn’t the need for speed that sparked Jason Plato’s passion for
racing. It was his love of beautiful machinery that inspired him to
follow in the tracks of legendary drivers like James Hunt, Gilles
Villeneuve and Jody Scheckter. Having achieved numerous titles
early on in his career, Plato has grown into one of Britain’s great
racing drivers.
“I’m so fortunate in that my career has enabled me to experience
and drive so many of the world’s most amazing cars,” Plato
says. “Weird as it sounds, racing and driving incredible ‘bits of
kit’ is part of everyday life for me. I appreciate and really love
beautifully made machines.”
Plato is a two-time winner of the British Touring Car
Championship (BTCC), winning once for Vauxhall in 2001 and
again for Silverline Chevrolet in 2010. He has finished in the top
three on twelve occasions and currently holds the record for
race wins in the BTCC. But cars aren’t the only machines he’s
passionate about; Plato is a qualified pilot, and previously owned
a Piper Malibu Mirage aircraft, which he used to commute from
his former Monaco home.
Raised by two loving parents who gave him a childhood filled
with joy and laughter, Plato – together with his wife, Sophie – is
now raising two children of his own, Zia and Alena.
Above: Craig Davies and Jason
discussing race tactics for the
TT at Goodwood Revival 2017
where they drove the 1965 Mighty
Corvette Stingray.
Left:Jason is interviewed following one of his many successful races.
Left:Jason is interviewed following one of his many successful races.
Above: Just another day
at the office for Mr Plato.
Objects that
bring you
joy, you must
work hard to
get them
in your life.”
— JASON PLATO
Keen to give his children the same upbringing he enjoyed, Plato
knows the importance of quality family time, which often means
enjoying good food together. As with racing, when it comes to
cooking, Plato opts for quality first and foremost.
“I discovered Sub-Zero & Wolf when I was in my early thirties, and
realised that if there are objects that bring you joy, then you must
work hard to get them in your life,” he says. “At the moment, we
are Sub-Zero indoors and Wolf outdoors, but we plan to go Dual
Fuel indoors and make the range the centrepiece of the kitchen.”
But food and cooking isn’t just a key part of family life for the
Platos; with such a fast-paced lifestyle, getting enough carbs on
board is critical for Plato’s career. “I have a ritual that on the
morning of a race day, I have a full cooked English breakfast,” he
laughs. “It’s served me well!” And it certainly has. At 49, Plato is
still at the top of his game, picking up two 2nd place finishes in
the BTCC over the past four years.
Although he enjoys the success, Plato says it’s still his love for the
machines that brings him back to the racetrack time and time
again. And the same goes in the kitchen. “My Sub-Zero & Wolf kit
makes cooking an absolute pleasure. I use it every day,” he says.
“But my wife Sophie is the real cook, so she’s usually in charge
of meals!” For the Platos, quality design keeps bringing the best
results – both on the racetrack and in the kitchen.
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