Matt Neal admits Knockhill win ‘right place, right time’

Matt Neal admitted that his race winning performance at Knockhill was largely down to being in the ‘right place at the right time’ after cementing second place in the BTCC standings.

At what is traditionally regarded as a rear-wheel drive circuit, Neal produced one of the drives of the season in the second of the weekend as he made the most of his soft compound Dunlop tyre to race through from eighth on the grid to secure an unlikely win.

Having added two more top ten results in the other two races of the weekend, Neal ended the weekend within ten points of championship leader Sam Tordoff and he admitted that the Knockhill meeting had gone better than planned.

“Considering how quick we are in a straight line, I didn’t think we stood a chance of winning,” he said. “Our car is quick through the corners but that isn’t usually a factor at Knockhill. However, the little Civic Type-R was mega through the chicane and we were able to carry the speed we do have well.

“We had lady luck on our side a little bit as we were on the right tyres at the right time in race two and there was no doubt that we benefitted from that. It was a great race and a win I’m absolutely delighted with.”

Neal will now seek to maintain his title challenge at Rockingham next time out, where he admitted that the return of the hard compound Dunlop tyre could be an interesting factor.

“Rear wheel drive cars have gone well at Rockingham in the past but the hard tyre could be an interesting factor,” he said. “In the past, the front wheel drive cars struggled with the soft tyre as they absolutely killed them, which handed the advantage to the rear wheel drive cars.

“The fact we don’t have the soft tyre to worry about this time around could make things interesting…”