Jason Plato has been hurt in an incident

[FF_Mark]

They just keep copying top gear, hope hes well for Sunday though

Jason Plato has been hurt in an incident filming for the Channel 5
Fifth Gear programme.

SEAT Sport UK’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship driver was testing a road-going Caparo T1 supercar at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground near Lutterworth in Leicestershire when it burst into flames at an estimated 150mph. The car has a maximum top speed of 200mph.

Jason was taken by private car to the nearest accident and emergency facility at the Market Harborough and District Hospital. After initial treatment he was transferred by ambulance to Kettering General Hospital. Following further treatment there, he was transferred by ambulance to the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, where he received treatment in the specialist burns unit. He was released later the same evening and spent the night resting at home in Oxfordshire, before seeing a burns specialist again this morning.

Jason has received burns to both hands (the right hand being more badly injured), his face and the back of the neck. He has vowed to race at this weekend’s final BTCC race meeting at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire on Sunday 14th October, which is also his 40th birthday. Jason, who races a SEAT Leon, goes into the final three races of the season leading the BTCC Drivers’ category, nine points ahead of Italy’s Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall).

Jason said: “We were testing the Caparo T1 for Fifth Gear, and we took it to Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, a private testing facility, which is common practice. There was a slight loss of power, I looked in the mirror and saw some smoke, there was a slight smell of oil and then suddenly there was this intense heat. The car spontaneously erupted into a ball of flame and I was sat in the middle of a fireball. I hit the brakes, brought the car to a stop as quickly as I could and jumped out.

“We found the nearest hospital on our sat nav and Phil Bennett [former BTCC racing driver who was at the test] took me to the local A&E. I would very much like to thank Phil, all the staff at Market Harborough and District Hospital, Kettering General Hospital and Stoke Mandeville Hospital for all the excellent care and treatment they so quickly administered.

“The back of my neck is burnt and so are my face and hands. I obviously couldn’t take my hands off the steering wheel whilst braking and my right hand is more badly burnt than my left. I’ll have to dig deep, but I’m still looking forward to the BTCC finale this weekend. It’s been a hard-fought season and I’ve led the Drivers’ Championship almost unbroken since winning the opening round, so this isn’t going to stop me winning the title on Sunday.”

[mark87]

Sounds like a nasty incident that could have been much worse. I hope he makes a speedy recovery. He was very lucky to get away alive.

[david_white]

That sounds bad! Hope he's ok, I really want him to get the BTCC title again. pray:

Guess this doesnt look good for the caparo T1 which has already been descibed as too extreme to be a road legal car, this thing is after all, light years quicker than a Veyron in all but top speed

[Gmac]

[david_white]

Without the fighter plane style bubble cockpit they promised that just looks like a single seater with wheel arches and lights glued on

Mind you with the enclosed cockpit it could have been even harder to get out of, like being stuck in a 150mph microwave oven

[Pushrod King]

That sounds bad! Hope he's ok, I really want him to get the BTCC title again. pray:

Rather him than Gionardi (or whoever he is),but Matt Neal's better (I have to say that my wife is a supervisor at Halfords)

[Gmac]

With cockpit

[Kieron]

I hope hes OK.

[Mk2Matt]

Very sad news

I fear these accidents could start to draw the end for 5th Gear and Top Gear style shows on the grounds of 'safety'

[david_white]

Very sad news

I fear these accidents could start to draw the end for 5th Gear and Top Gear style shows on the grounds of 'safety'

Especially after that muppet crashed the rascal van trying to drift in it and broke his toes in the process

[Pushrod King]

Just found these:

[trig]

[Mk2Matt]

Especially after that muppet crashed the rascal van trying to drift in it and broke his toes in the process

That was a rather 'special' moment