SEAT “risk” failed says Neal

Matt Neal says his bid to win the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Drivers’ title this year would have been a lot harder had rival team SEAT employed two full-time drivers in the series.

Neal admitted in today’s Auto Express magazine that he’d needed some good luck to put him in a position to win the title at Brands Hatch this coming Sunday – his Team Halfords Honda Integra has survived numerous bashes during the season, but unlike his rivals cars has almost always still made it across the line.

But he also said the opposition had let him off the hook at times by making life difficult for itself. He specifically pointed the finger at SEAT for alternating Darren Turner and James Thompson in its second Leon alongside its full-time driver Jason Plato.

Reigning champion Neal and 2001 title-winner Plato (pictured above) have endured a season-long spat on and off the track.

Neal said: “The one thing we’ve learned over the years is that you need to build a BTCC car to withstand more than its fair share of bangs and bruises and the Integra has withstood a lot this year.

“Of course, I’ve had some good fortune, too, but I do believe that some of the others have contributed to their own bad luck.

“SEAT for instance risked all on Plato by sharing its second car between James and Darren. Had one of those done a full season, I’m sure it would have been a different story.”

Plato currently lies third in the Drivers’ standings, some 56 points adrift of leader Neal and three behind second-placed Colin Turkington, in Team RAC’s MG.

If Neal leaves Brands Hatch with his current 53-point lead in tact he will have provisionally secured a second consecutive BTCC title as only a maximum of 52 will be available from Finals Day at Silverstone on 15 October.