High praise for Mat after test in Seat's BTCC Leon

It's been a busy week for Henley in Arden's Mat Jackson - last Thursday he excelled in a test in the SEAT Sport UK team's British Touring Car Championship title-winning Leon while on Sunday switched from race suit to dinner jacket to appear on stage at the BTCC's annual awards ceremony.

Mat's test in the Leon, the car that in the hands of such greats as Jason Plato and James Thompson won SEAT the BTCC's coveted Manufacturers' title, took place at the Rockingham circuit in Northamptonshire. It was part of his prize for winning SEAT's Cupra Championship that has this year supported the BTCC. Mat, aged 25, clinched the title last month at Silverstone in front of 33,000 spectators and he has made no secret that the BTCC is where he wants to be in 2007.

If his performance in the Leon is anything to go by, he will have plenty of teams interested in his services. Although the test, that included three other Cupra drivers, was not timed, Mat clearly impressed the SEAT hierarchy. SEAT UK's Motor Sport Manager Scott Dennis says: "As we had expected from our new Champion, Mat performed fantastically well, both on the track in our BTCC Leon and in our pit garage as a team member with the mechanics and engineers. "He quickly got used to the extra levels of power and grip and showed he has the ability to adapt his driving style to suit the techniques required to wring the best from a title-winning BTCC car.

The team commented that his technical feedback and recall were also very impressive. In addition, he was able to handle all the PR aspects of the test in an intelligent manner. "He is undoubtedly a very exciting future touring car prospect and I'm sure will be hot property as the BTCC teams evaluate their driver line-ups for 2007."

Mat himself was delighted with the test and left hugely impressed by the high levels of professionalism within one of British motor sport's top teams. He adds: "To get the chance to drive a top touring car is incredible. The Leon felt fantastic - very well balanced and with huge amounts of grip but requiring a completely different driving style to the turbocharged Leon Cupra R I've been driving this year. "It's also been very interesting working with the SEAT Sport UK BTCC team. The levels of professionalism are exceptional, especially compared with our family-run team. There has been so much to take in, but probably the biggest thing I've learnt is that I want to get into a touring car and, if possible, continue the relationship with SEAT that I've enjoyed so far. To win the most highly-respected one-make championship in the UK with a manufacturer so involved in motor sport and then having this chance to work with the team is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Sunday evening then saw Mat don his black tie and suit at the BTCC's annual awards ceremony, held at Birmingham's Hilton Metropole Hotel where in front of 600 guests, including the BTCC's top team managers, he received his SEAT Champion's other big prize of £100,000 from SEAT UK. He praised sponsor Whale Tankers and his family-run Jacksons Motorsport team whose car he drove to victory in 11 of this year's 18 races to seal the title. And Mat joked: "It's fair to say I've had a few domestic arguments with my dad this year on how to get the best from the car! But seriously, everyone's worked brilliantly together and we've achieved some great results. The BTCC is where I'm heading for in 2007, but it's important that I conclude a deal soon to be as well prepared as possible for what is going to be a considerable step up in terms of competition."