Neal targets points at Brands Hatch

The reigning British Touring Car Champion had his first test in the new Honda Civic last week, and he has admitted that the team will have to be realistic at the beginning of the season.

"We're not kidding ourselves that we're going to be right at the sharp end from the word go at Brands," he said.

"We've got to be realistic. It's about getting as many points as we can."

For the past two years Neal has won the BTCC title with a Honda Integra, but the car is no longer eligible for overall honours as the series has switched to Super 2000 rules for 2007.

"It's a brand new sheet of paper - the whole concept is new," he said. "There are areas where we simply can't do some things that we could do with the Integra."

However, the two-time champion believes that the new package has potential, and he expects the team to get it working as the season progresses.

"We're learning how to skin a cat a different way, but I can feel that it's there in the package, and we've just got to get it out."