Jason Plato described winning the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship as a magical feeling.

The Oxford driver sealed the title by winning two of the three races in the final round in front of 42,000 fans at Brands Hatch.

In doing so, he equalled Andy Rouse’s recoerd of 60 race wins in the BTCC.

Plato, who also won the crown in 2001, said: “The BTCC is one of the very best championships in the world so to win it is a very magical feeling.

“Everyone in my team, Chevrolet and RML who prepare the car, are the best in the business and also a great family of people, so it’s a very joyous experience winning it for them.

“Sixty wins sounds nice, but not as nice as 61!”

Plato added: “When I first started in the BTCC in 1997 with the Renault team I knew we had a fantastic car and it duly won the championship that year.

“Mid-way through this season when we unlocked all the secrets of the Chevrolet Cruze I got that same feeling again.

“It has been a phenomenal car to race but, like I say, that’s very much down to the people at Chevrolet and RML.

“Personally, I am of course delighted. I’ve been runner-up three times in the last four years, so to finally get that second crown probably means I won't be such a pain in the backside to live with now.”"

The three drivers who could have beaten Plato to the title – Matt Nealm Gordon Shedden and Tom Onslow-Cole – duly finished second, third and fourth in the final standings.

Final standings (top five): 1 J Plato 260pts, 2 M Neal 229, 3 G Shedden 218, 4 TOnslow-Cole 200, 5 T Chilton 191.