Neal Wins 1 to Take BTCC Lead
Team Dynamics' Matt Neal reclaimed the lead of the British Touring Car Championship with a lights-to flag victory at Brands Hatch


The Honda Integra driver made a textbook start from pole position, and despite never extending his lead beyond one second, he never looked seriously threatened by the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatches of Colin Turkington and Yvan Muller.
The Frenchman initially seemed the man most likely to challenge Neal, but in the early stages of the race he had his hands full with holding off the second Integra of Dan Eaves. Repeatedly Eaves looked to the inside at the entry to Clearways, but his impatience got the better of him as he challenged Muller into Paddock Hill Bend on lap 11, locking up and sliding into the barriers and out of the race.
This allowed Turkington to pile the pressure on Muller, and with fourth-placed Jason Plato closing rapidly in his SEAT, Turkington forced his way into second at Surtees on lap 20.
Despite pressurising his long-time rival, Plato was unable to find a way past Muller, with a half-hearted look on the last lap at Paddock that cost valuable momentum his best attempt.
Plato's SEAT teammate Luke Hines claimed fifth place on the last lap after forcing his way up the inside of the MG of former independent Champion Rob Collard at Druids.
Collard was fortunate to hold onto sixth, as Tom Chilton, who had qualified second on time but was relegated to eight on the grid after being penalised for an incident in the last round of the Championship at Thruxton, came close to getting ahead on the run down to Graham Hill Bend.
The victorious Neal will start this afternoon's second race from pole position, although he will be carrying maximum ballast as a result of his win.
CLASSIFIED: Pos Driver Make Time 1. Matt Neal Honda Integra 20:18.601 2. Colin Turkington Vauxhall Astra Sport + 0.304 3. Yvan Muller Vauxhall Astra Sport + 1.061 4. Jason Plato SEAT Toledo Cupra + 1.602 5. Luke Hines SEAT Toledo Cupra + 2.798 6. Rob Collard MG ZS + 3.323 7. Tom Chilton Honda Civic Type-R + 4.175 8. James Kaye Honda Civic Type-R + 4.179 9. James Pickford SEAT Toledo Cupra + 6.628 10. Gavin Smith Vauxhall Astra Sport + 11.795 NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS: Driver Make On Lap Richard Williams Lexus IS200 15 Mark Proctor Vauxhall Astra Coupe 14 Ian Curley Lexus IS200 11 Dan Eaves Honda Integra 9
How the BTCC's new hybrid era aced its first test
Expectations were high for the start of the British Touring Car Championship’s hybrid power era, and despite nerves and problems to solve prior to its debut the new rules gained widespread approval. Here’s how the first test at Donington Park was passed and the thorough examinations that are to follow
The Ford BTCC superteam combining two reigning TOCA champions
Reigning BTCC champion Ash Sutton and Porsche Carrera Cup GB victor Dan Cammish form a potent line-up at the Motorbase-run NAPA Racing team as the series adopts hybrid power. With Sutton bringing the key components of his title-winning Laser Tools Racing set-up, and Cammish eager to prove a point on his return, their dynamic is set to be one of the season's major talking points
The stalwart tin-top boss still shaping careers more than 40 years on
Veteran team manager Marvin Humphries and former Tech-Speed team boss has worked not only with stars of the British Touring Car Championship, but legends including Gil de Ferran, Hans Stuck and Tom Sneva in a long and varied career that has spanned five decades across tin-tops, single-seaters and sportscars
The grassroots rise that shaped an understated BTCC star
Having started out in club-level competitions alongside his own university engineering studies, Josh Cook's journey to becoming an established frontrunner in the British Touring Car Championship is atypical. But it's these experiences that have moulded the 30-year-old into a humble star, respected throughout the paddock
Ranking the top 10 BTCC drivers of 2021
A refresh in equipment and some returning faces helped contribute to a supremely competitive 2021 British Touring Car Championship campaign. Ash Sutton was crowned a three-time champion, successfully defending his 2020 title, but faced stiff competition in the final year before the switch to hybrid. Autosport picks out the best performers
Why the BTCC's ballast increase couldn't stop champion Sutton
Ballast will be gone from the BTCC next year as hybrid power enters the scene, but for its final season the maximum was increased from 60kg to 75kg. Despite having to carry that nearly all season, Ash Sutton was always the favourite to pocket a third title - the 27-year-old getting his reward for a season of speed tempered by savvy to nail his opportunities
The much-loved tin-top superstar bowing out at 59
OPINION: It's not often that a driver achieves widespread affection for their personality, as well as their on-track performances. One such individual is Gabriele Tarquini, who will soon bring the curtain down on a remarkable career that has yielded touring car titles on the European and global stage - and, famously, in Britain too
The making of the BTCC's newest superstar
Ash Sutton is on the verge of being crowned a three-time British Touring Car Champion; he seems to have it all. But life hasn't always been straightforward for this superstar of touring cars, as Marcus Simmons has been finding out