Brands Hatch Indy

REPORT

Honda battles weather to open BTCC season with trophy

Honda leads the British Touring Car Championship manufacturers' table following the opening three rounds of the 2019 season, while Halfords Yuasa Racing driver Matt Neal had a podium finish in the final race snatched away on a difficult day of ever-changing weather at Brands Hatch. The Honda Civic Type R FK8s of Neal and team-mate Dan Cammish secured sixth and seventh on the grid after a challenging qualifying session in which the track steadily became damper, and which was interrupted three times by red flag stoppages. Race one was decided before the start when light rain resulted in the front half of the 30-car grid, including both Halfords Yuasa Hondas, switching to treaded wet-weather tyres. But the rain eased and those towards the rear who had gambled on starting on slick dry tyres simply drove through the field.

Cammish endured a difficult race to finish 15th, his Civic hit at one point by a spinning rival, but Neal finished the best of the 'wet-weather' runners in eighth, overtaking five cars that had started in front of him and securing the manufacturer's prize for Honda. Race 2 proved frustrating for both Honda drivers as they fought to overcome the frantic midfield battles on the tight circuit. Neal lost several places with wheelspin at the start but recovered to take 11th while Cammish staged a recovery from 16th start spot to finish just behind his team-mate. Neal's day was then considerably brightened when the reverse-grid draw for the final race put his Civic Type R onto pole position.