Matt Neal: “We’ve got nothing to lose”

Team Dynamics Honda driver Matt Neal starts 11th for the first race of the day at Brands Hatch as he chases down a record fourth BTCC drivers’ title, and says the strategy is about scoring points later in the day.

Neal was caught out, like many, by the early rain shower in qualifying, but was able to wrestle his Civic Type R up to the order when the track started to dry in the last five minutes despite carrying 57kg of success ballast.

“We’ve got nothing to do lose,” said Neal to TouringCarTimes. “We’ll just get around in the first one and get the weight out, then we’ve got the soft tyre for the second race when we’re light and hope to score some good points.”

On who he thinks will shine through on race day, with Honda team-mate Gordon Shedden closest to BMW’s Sam Tordoff in the standings just 11 points behind and three places further up the grid, Neal’s betting on his team-mate.

“At the moment, I think Flash will win it…if either of us do it, it’ll be history making. Unity and working as a team is usually one of our ace cards, whilst everyone else is a little bit every-man-for-himself, so I hope that doesn’t play against us.”