SEAT will switch to diesel engines for the 2008 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship season, the squad confirmed this morning at Birmingham NEC’s Autosport International Show.

SEAT Sport UK boss Scott Dennis is hoping that diesel power will give the squad’s Leons, driven by Jason Plato and Darren, a step forward in performance as it did the Spanish make’s cars in last year’s World touring car series.

Dennis said on stage: "The diesel engine that made such a big impact in the WTCC will run in the BTCC with both cars. There are a number of changes we have to make to the car.

"It is not just a simple case of slotting the engine in though. We have to start from scratch, but hopefully we will have our engines sooner rather than later so we can start testing
in earnest."

Plato, a close runner-up to Vauxhall’s Fabrizio Giovanardi in last year’s BTCC, said he was excited about the move to diesel power.

"I think it can perform," he explained. "It is something to look forward to for us. It is the first time that myself and Darren will have driven a diesel race car, which will be interesting. I am sure it will need a different style and I am very excited about it."