In case you missed it: THAT near fight between Neal and Plato in qualifying…

We know these two are bitter enemies on the track, and yesterday at Rockingham they again managed to find a way to have an argument on track…but this one took itself to the pit lane straight afterwards.

Photo credit: PSP Images

….Cue the pair nearly come to blows in possibly the closest to a full-on bust up between the pair.

Enjoy!

Here’s ITV4’s footage of the event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXBvSgqseL0

The scene was that Plato had secured pole position and in the last minute flurry by everyone for an improvement, the reigning champion squeezed his way in between the two Hondas of Neal and Gordon Shedden, brushing Matt aside.

Then into the hairpin on their flying laps, Plato appeared to slow and the Honda driver had nowhere to go but in the back of him, effectively ruining Neal’s chance for pole.

In the pits afterwards, Plato celebrated with his team, then turned to Neal and sent him a hand gesture. Neal came over, they had a few words, and when Plato dropped the word w**ker ino the converation, Matt lurched at Jason with his fist clenched before their mechanics butted into the situation.

Plato afterwards then pleaded his own innocence: “There doesn’t seem to be any remorse from Matt and that shouldn’t happen. He lost control of himself and I’m annoyed im deemed equally to blame for that. We needto just put it to bed and move on.”

Neal meanwhile pointed out the dramas that Plato has been involved in of late: “It was just a nasty spoiling thing to do.”

“I bring my car in, my car’s wrecked, he comes in and celebrates with his team then turns round and gives me the finger, so that sort of lit the blue touch paper because he’s been on the internet saying stuff about me, saying stuff about my family which is not really called for especially now he’s a BRDC director. I’ve got a big enough fight on my hands without him!”

In the end, they barely made contact on track once on the Sunday, so as Tim Harvey said, it’s amazing what three points and a £1,000 fine can do to you sometimes.

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