BTCC: Daniel Rowbottom joins Plato Racing for 2026 season

The newly founded BTCC team Plato Racing has announced that multi-time race winner Daniel Rowbottom has signed for the team for 2026.

Plato Racing joins the BTCC for 2026 as team owner and two-time BTCC champion Jason Plato looks to make a strong debut with the Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon built and designed by RML with extensive knowledge of running touring cars in the past. The team have announced that Rowbottom will be the first of two drivers to join them and will push the team forward heading into his seventh season in the BTCC.

Rowbottom has previously driven a Mercedes made car back in his debut season in 2019 scoring points on four separate occasions that season in a tightly contested field. He would return in 2021 with Halfords Racing with Cataclean where he would score his maiden victory at Oulton Park. He would claim three other podiums that season on his way to ninth in the overall championship and claiming the Jack Sears Trophy. After another solid season in 2022 in the Honda Civic Type R, he would switch the NAPA Racing UK for the 2023 season.

He would score his best season to date that year claiming his second race victory in the BTCC among as well as four other podiums and a consistent season all season long to claim seventh in the standings by years end. But his 2025 campaign showed Rowbottom to be a strong contender for the future claiming three victories in the season as well as five further podiums. He would score points in all but four races last year to claim fifth in the standings.

Joining Plato Racing for 2026, he also brings long term partner and sponsor Cataclean to the team with them sharing success on and off the track together over their time as partners.

After signing with the team, Daniel Rowbottom said: "This is without 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 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. 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."

Team Owner, Jason Plato, said: "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."