Jason Plato says he hopes that a test in team-mate Ash Sutton’s Subaru Levorg will help him to return to form in the second half of the BTCC season.

Ahead of this weekend’s meeting at Snetterton, Plato and Sutton conducted a test at Donington Park that saw the pair swap cars as the BMR-run outfit tries to get to the bottom of the issues that have affected Plato for the opening half of the year.

Running the same set-up on both cars, Plato revealed that the differences were clear to see and would allow the team to now focus on finding a solution.

“The cars were set up identically and there was clearly a difference in the chassis and the way they were reacting on track, and there should not be, they should be the same,” he said.

“There were quite large differences in feel. I liked the feeling on the front of his car, he likes that mine’s a bit lively on the rear, but he didn’t like the lack of grip at the front. His gearchange is completely different to mine in the way it exits a corner, and it should be the same.

“The cars were reacting differently in the same points of the track, no matter which driver was at the wheel. So it was a very useful test and the main thing is we can start drilling down and taking driver style out of it. With slightly different styles we were getting the same reaction.

“We know where the differences of the car are and we can now start exploring and digging a bit deeper rather than scratching our heads.”

The former champion admitted that the test had also given him a personal boost ahead of a return to action at a circuit where he has taken more poles, wins and podiums than any other driver in the series.

“I never doubted myself because I’ve been at this a long time,” he said. “I know what feels right and what doesn’t feel right. You could say it’s a weight lifted off my shoulders, and it’s a relief that everybody else within the team has some understanding as well – not just the high level engineers, but the mechanics as well.

“Even though we are a team, sometimes we all can fall in the trap of working in our own silos, and no-one’s privy to all the information. It’s a healthy thing and good for everybody to see there is a difference. It’s very positive for all sides of the camp.”