BTCC: Matt Neal crowned champ

18th October 2006

Newly crowned BTCC champion Matt Neal and his family-run Team Dynamics outfit are already flat out plotting how to complete an historic hat-trick of touring car titles in 2007.

In front of a record 33,000 crowd at Silverstone on Sunday, Neal became the first driver for 19 years to win back-to-back BTCC championships. Now he’s targeting three on the trot.

But to achieve that, Neal needs new machinery as his current Halfords-backed Honda Integra will not be compatible with new technical regulations. These will give the advantage to those racing Super 2000 specification models, as featured in the World Touring Car Championship.

“Winning the BTCC again is just fantastic both for me and the team, but now we’ve got to find something new,” said Neal. “This year, we hit the ground running while others, like SEAT, have struggled with their new
cars. Next year the boot is going to be on the other foot.”

Dynamics is still weighing up its options for 2007. One possibility is to purchase proven technology from a manufacturer such as BMW or Chevrolet, who are already competing in the WTCC. Another alternative is for the team to build its own chassis. Either way, it’s a tricky decision for team boss Steve Neal, Matt’s dad, to make.

“It is going to be a tough winter,” he admitted. “We’ll be up against our biggest challenge yet, but so far we have met all the challenges and beaten them. Three titles in a row would be amazing.”