2001 BTCC champ Jason Plato lives the life. Loves Monaco, flies his own plane, likes the ladies - and has tastes to match. He also loves being on TV: you'll recognise the Seat Spor🀅t driver from Channel 4's Driven and ITV1's Speed Sunday. As the first part of BTCC title sponsor Dunlop's 'Drivers know'ꦇ series, Jason lets us know a little more about him.

Jason's favourite road story:
There's so many, but the one that comes to mind was a trip last year - horrendous at the time, but priceless. I hate petrol stations and my hatred grows by the day. The whole thing seems to be getting longer - maybe number plate recognition or something, the pumps 🤡seem slower - a tedious waste of time - and then you have to stand in a queue to pay for ten minutes. I have a habit of running down to vapours to minimise the number of stops I have to make.

This particular trip I was driving from my parents' to a corporate event for SEAT. It was about 6.30am on a Monday morning on the A12 and my fuel light came on. I thought - OK - another 20 miles or so as I drove past a filling station. Three miles later it died. It was sheeting down with rain. I had no coat - just a fleece. I couldn't believe it. I was running late - so knew it was pointless calling the AA - only thing to do was walk and try to hitch a lift. I left the bonnet up so that people would know I'd broken down, realise I needed lift and stop. An hour later I was still walking - no one stopped - mainly just blew the horn and waved. My disgust for fellow motorists grew. Aftꦇer about 4 miles I got to the next filling station. It had no cans. I even asked all the motorists on the forecourt to give me a lift. Nothing. So I had to call a taxi to take me to another filling station, get a can of petrol and take me back to the car. The car starts fine - but now I'm panicking; I'm over an hour late. I was so wet that the car turned into a stinking steam room. So I phone SEAT to warn them I was late only to be told I'd got the wrong day - it was the following day. I think it will stick in my mind forever as the greatest Plato cock-up (but now I carry a can of fuel).

Jason's nomination for a 'car that deserves more recognition':
It has to be the 2CV. It was my second car - sky blue. I was at college🥀. It cost about ?200. It was almost so uncool it was cool. It cost less than ?5 a week in petrol and the fastest I ever got it was 72mph down a hill. It was marvellous 🙈- loads of room and really good fun to drive until I snapped the floor pan in half on a kart track.

Jason's Driver's Drive:
I'm really lucky with my TV work - I get to drive some fantastic cars in amazing locations - Wales, Yorkshire Moors, Tuscany.... I don't think I've got an absolute favourite but probably some of the roaไds over the Pe🍸nnines, through Bakewell are amazing. Twisty, with brilliant corners that you can see for miles ahead as you come down a hill. You can really get into a rhythm and get your foot in. The A66 from Scotch Corner to Ullswater's good too.

Jason's favourite music to drive to:
It changes every 🌠day or so - but curren⛄tly Groove Armada

Jason's entry for the Dunlop Collection:
It would have to be my Linn hi-fi. Linn are a Scottꦗish company that make hifis for houses, although they've been commissioned to make their first in-car system for the Aston Martin DB9. Unbelievably y🧔ou can spend up to ?1 million for the top level system. The entry level isn't cheap at about ?1000 but it's amazing kit. I got my first bit in 1996 and it all integrates as you get more. It does multi-room - keypads in each room for selecting different music and volumes for each room. The sound is like nothing else - it's phenomenal and I'm very passionate about it.

- a monthly newsletter - but have a look through the archives too. I especially like Alain Menu's menu spot.

Jason's nomination for design icon:
M෴ichael Graves' kettle for Alessi - it💯's only a kettle - but it's amazing.