Matt Neal Signs For Honda

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

A new season and Honda announces today (Thursday) the attack the BTCC has been waiting for - the team to take on all-comers. A three-strong squad of Civic Type-R racers will take up the challenge of winning both Manufacturers' and Drivers' championships with Alan Morrison, winner of the final race of last season at Donington Park, hot-shot youngster Tom Chilton and, bringing added strength and experience, Matt Neal.

Alan Morrison, is upbeat about Honda's 2003 campaign. "We were improving steadily throughout 2002, and the win at Donington was the culmination of a lot of hard work by the whole team. I will be looking to build on that success and to fight at the front of the pack this year."

Tom Chilton, at 17-years-old, becomes the youngest ever BTCC driver to enter a factory-run team. Despite his age, Chilton has clearly demonstrated his natural ability on the track, finishing an impressive third overall in his BTCC debut race at Brands Hatch last year.

Tom, from Reigate in Surrey, revealed: "I got a call from Arena Motorsport telling me I'd got the drive. I've been smiling ever since. Honda is one of the best manufacturers in the world, and to drive for it is amazing."

Matt Neal is one of the most popular drivers in the series. Third overall in the 2002 BTCC, Matt is looking forward to racing the Civic Type-R after a successful test last December. "The test went very smoothly and the car feels quick. It's still a bit early to say, but I feel confident that we can push for top results."

The trio will be driving Honda Civic Type-Rs, which went from strength to strength towards the end of last year, dominating the proceedings during the final race weekend of 2002 at Donington Park. Morrison won the Feature race, and Civic Type-Rs took pole position and fastest lap closing the season on a high for Honda.

Arena Motorsport will, for the second year, be in charge of running the Honda Racing team. The highly respected Littlehampton-based firm headed by former Formula One team boss Mike Earle, has enjoyed success in other prestigious series such as the 2001 European Le Mans Championship. Arena returned to the BTCC last year following a two-year absence. Mark Davies, Head of Racing at Honda (UK) is going all out for "maximum attack" this season.

"We have the strongest, most powerful cars with a fantastic driver line-up," he said. "We have the ability to do it, second just isn't an option this year."

[Alfa Fan]

Good to see Matt has a drive, in probabily the best car this year. Glad the forums back to, I think i'm only the second after you to post?

[touring fan]

Am I right in thinking it may be a team dynamics livery?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

yup. No official word yet. it would be nice to see TD red livery back again. :)

[Radisich Fan]

Great news, I can't wait to see it, although I would prefer a Honda livery for Matt! :D

[touring fan]

Dunno, I think a TD honda would look pretty good.

[Invincible]

Good news, the Honda Civic is on form and we're bound to see a lot from Neal, Chilton and Morrison this year.

[Radisich Fan]

Chilton don't deserve it though, and nor dfoesd O'Neill deserve his drive!

[touringlegend]

Matt must have to be odds on to be the fastest in that team this year. Morrison is very good, but I somehow don't think he will conquer the series.

[Radisich Fan]

Who? Morrison? Morrison will win one or two, but not much else.... Neal will be No.1 in that team. Chilton don't even deserve a seat there!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Honda to win BTCC 2003? Very possible. We are in for a close one this year :)

[Amanda]

Great news! Matt should have a real chance of winning the championship in the Honda. Good Luck Matt!

[thommo_fan]

great news for matt and also for honda, thats 10 works cars this year, i hope MG and maybe proton also run 3 cars

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

does anyone want me to do a prediction image?

[Alfa Fan]

Yes, I think its time you get your colouring pencils out! Hope to see it soon!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Heres the car from the side.

[Alfa Fan]

That is super! Thanks for doing that!

[Radisich Fan]

That's a great pic Sim!

[Ann]

Great news this - well done Matt! Fingers crossed for a fantastic season.

[Radisich Fan]

Will be a championship favourite in my book!

[thommo_fan]

really good picture sim

[Jackie]

Nice pic!! Have to say I'm 100% behind your signature Radisich Fan!!! :)

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Thank you for the kind comments on the pic. I'm going to do a front veiw soon. :)

[AussieV8]

Great pic sim

[Radisich Fan]

Originally posted by Jackie
Nice pic!! Have to say I'm 100% behind your signature Radisich Fan!!! :)


Damn right!

[Claw]

So all 3 drivers are staying afterall. Some negitive people (mentioning no name) thought all 3, Muller, Thompson and Neal would leave the BTCC! Well they are all staying!

Good luck..

[Radisich Fan]

Who? :p

I did think Muller may go, but I am glad he didn't!

[thommo_fan]

i thought muller would go to. but they all stayed
happy days

[Peter]

I a fairly sceptical about Matt Neal's chances this season. I do not think the car will be on par with the Vauxhall, which Matt drove last year. Thus his chances of winning are smaller.

Although, Honda were mighty impressive at the end of last season and they could be the dark horse.

[thommo_fan]

honda are no dark horses.
at the end of last season they probably had the best car.

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Oh I certainly think Honda was the best car at the end of last season, but the development process can certainly change things. Vauxhall were pushing the Astra to the limit, can they add to the limit. It could of gone more on the edge but that was causing reliablity problems. The Honda however was not fully developed.

[Radisich Fan]

vauxhall will come out stronger than ever next year though! :)

[King Cleland]

Vauxhall will certainly not dominate like they have done previosuly mind

[thommo_fan]

honda can deffinetly make a bigger step in developement then vauxhall can. i doubt vauxhall can push the astra much further without causing big reliability problems.

[King Cleland]

Nah, they will go forwards

[thommo_fan]

yeah but will it be far enough forward

[King Cleland]

I think so!

[thommo_fan]

i hope so because i really want jimmy to win back to back titles:p

[King Cleland]

Muller will have something to say about that!

[thommo_fan]

so will reidy, hughes, morrison, neal

[King Cleland]

Sounds like we are in for a classic BTCC year!

[thommo_fan]

thats what everyone wants:D

[AussieV8]

Even us stuck down here want a bonza season.
Bring it on..
Go the ?? (v8).....

[thommo_fan]

do you know anyone else in oz that watches the btcc?
or if it has a big fan base?

[King Cleland]

I wonder if any other countries have a big fan base of the BTCC :S

[thommo_fan]

the motorstv deal will help build the btcc's profile in other european countries.

if we had a few more foreign drivers, that would help too.

[John]

Originally posted by King Cleland
I wonder if any other countries have a big fan base of the BTCC :S

Sweden did when in the 90s (ie when Rickard Rydell was driving a Volvo) think it was prime time viewing? Dont know if they do now or not though?

[Claw]

Yeah, Sweden had high viewing figures for the BTCC around the 97/98 time.

[cav1995]

Matt Neal for Honda? I didn't see that one coming.

I don't reckon Honda had the quickest car at the end of 2002 either. All that success ballast cra p made it difficult to judge.

I just hope that Chiltons clumseyness trips his competitive team mates up and Vaux can sail towards another championship victory.:)

[John]

I hope Matt wins it - but I realised the following which doesnt make happy reading for Honda fans:

They (along with Peugeot) are the only team not to have won a title out of everyone competing between 1996 and 2000 (except the odd Indy title) in the modern era, whereas the others - BMW, Nissan, Ford, Volvo, Vauxhall, Renault, Audi - have.

About time that changed I think!

[thommo_fan]

i know, its quite surprising that honda haven't won the btcc title, they've won a lot of races over the years tho.
the trouble is that honda have never had the best car consistantly over the season. it was good on some circuits but not as good on others.
towards the end of the super touring era honda did have the best engine tho, remember thommo's win at oulton park in 1999, the acceleration was amazing.:D :D :D

[John]

Just a bit!!

They totally should have won the 2000 championship based on their performance in 99 relative to Vauxhall & Ford, but obviously the others worked even harder over the winter to catch and pass them.

Pity really cos Honda have been associated with the BTCC for quite a while now

[thommo_fan]

thats exactly what i thought about 2000 as welll, because the honda was quite a bit better then both ford and vauxhall so i thought honda would win the title reletively easily.
thats obviously what honda thought too so they maybe didn't work as hard as they could have over the winter.

honda tried to sign aiello for the 2000 season.

[John]

I presume the fact it was split between WSR and JAS didnt help, nor did the fact Thommo was out at the start of the season after the Brands 'mis-hap'

[thommo_fan]

the thing is, is that tarquni's jas car was often better then the wsr cars.

ford were always going to win the title in 2000 tho.

[John]

Especially at the live rounds - dont know why that was. But then other times it ran round at the back.

[AussieV8]

Quite a few of my mates watch the btcc racing on Fox and its on at 10.30pm tonite and I know I've seen them all and got the reviews but its still great to watch them. The weekly publication of Auto Action has a page designated just for the BTCC and its great to get upto date news. I found this site by watching the TV and seeing it on the cars. Channel 10 has most of the motorsport live and this year it poached the F1 from Ch9.

[cav1995]

Hey Aussie, your V8 Holden HSV jobbie is finally getting the proper badge, (Griffin), over here in the UK. Or so I read in Auto express. I don't think it's the supercharged one though. Shame. It still won't sell though cause petrol costs as much here as plutonium does in Iraq. Good for the Vauxhall image though. :)

[AussieV8]

Its a shame that the Monaro that goes to the States is called a Pontiac and they change the front (its ugly).

Just watching as I type Donnington Pk from 2002 on Fox Sport the sprint race just finished. Who won