Andy Neate aware of expectations with Honda drive

Despite being aware of the amount of pressure on his shoulders, Andy Neate is relishing the opportunity to get back in the BTCC.

Neate will make his return to the BTCC with Team Dynamics for the 2016 season, having been on the sidelines for three years, and admits he’s missed the series but was waiting for the right deal to come along before making the jump back to the series.

“I’m delighted,” Neate told TouringCarTimes at the BTCC media day at Donington Park. “I can’t believe how quickly [the three year gap has] gone and I’m back with a great team. Not much pressure is there? I’ve missed it terribly and when I came back I wanted to do it properly.

“I’ve been with some good teams on paper in the past but things haven’t quite worked out for me. Coming in to this team with a car that, although it’s got the RML parts, it’s pretty much developed so I don’t have to sit there developing it with another driver and I can just get in and drive it.”

Neate is no stranger to being a part of top teams, having previously teamed up with Jason Plato at Triple Eight Racing’s MG squad in 2012, but rather than being intimidated by his new champion team-mates, the 42-year-old is excited to learn from Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal.

“I certainly don’t shy away from having good team-mates with Jason at MG and it can only benefit me,” said Neate. “[Neal and Shedden] have got five championships between them and they’ve been with this team for a decade, so their experience I can learn from is invaluable. With this success comes a heap of expectation but I am in a team with two of the best drivers in the grid so everyone’s got to be realistic. This year is about finding consistency, good speed, looking for that podium and helping the team how I can.”