Plato Racing announce Daniel Rowbottom for debut BTCC season
- Michael Williams
- Feb 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 28
Plato Racing has announced multiple British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) race winner Daniel Rowbottom as the first driver for its debut season in 2026. Rowbottom joins the team after several seasons with NAPA Racing UK.
Rowbottom has racked up five wins in his previous six seasons in the BTCC. He finished fifth in the championship last year, marking his highest-ever finish.
The team, owned by former champion Jason Plato, will enter two cars this season, with Rowbottom’s team-mate yet to be announced. They will race a pair of Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloons, adding an additional manufacturer to the BTCC grid.
Rowbottom said: “This is without a doubt the biggest move of my career so far. To be a partner with Jason at Plato Racing is a pretty special feeling and something that a 10-year-old me would have never believed could be possible.
“The deal has been in the works for a while and as you would expect with Jason being involved, everything is being done properly and to the highest of levels. Being aligned with the team gives Cataclean much tighter control of our destiny and being able to maximise future opportunities.”
Long-term backers Cataclean join Rowbottom in his move to Plato Racing.
Rowbottom continued: “We've recruited some big names, and the work that is going on back at base is pretty incredible; I'm confident that we've got something special with the Mercedes. For me personally, I'm really excited to be stepping into that role of leading a team and driving it forward, too.
“Last season was my best yet in the BTCC and the target now is to build on that. I want to be BTCC Champion one day and believe this is the place where I can do just that. We've got a big year ahead of us but I believe we'll be mixing it for wins and podiums from the get-go.”
Jason Plato emphasised his excitement ahead of the team's debut and its partnership with Rowbottom and Cataclean: “We are all very excited to have Dan and Cataclean as a part of Plato Racing for 2026 and beyond.
“On a personal level, I'm very proud to have Dan in one of our race cars; the journey he has been on, to come through open heart surgery at the end of the 2024 season, is remarkable. His performances last year were the best they have ever been, and his focus and determination is second to none. We're all expecting great things from Dan.
“It's also fantastic to have the backing from Cataclean. They are a fantastic company who understand how to leverage this investment in the BTCC; we're all working hard to further expand their growth in the automotive sector.
“I'm confident that Plato Racing, with Dan and Cataclean on board, will be a true force in the BTCC this coming season.”
The team will make its BTCC debut at the season opener at Donington Park on 18th and 19th April 2026.
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