Q & A with Matt Neal

He took time out of his pre-season preparations to talk to autosport.com about the beginning of a new era.

Q. You're back with Triple Eight for the first time in six years. Are there many faces here from the 2002 season?

Matt Neal: "A few, it's about 50/50. So it feels kind of familiar, but there's an element of being the new kid on the block still."

Q. It seemed like a strange decision for you to leave the relative comfort of your family-run squad, Team Dynamics.

MN: "There were pros and cons for leaving and staying, and I was in my comfort zone there. Yes, we could have gone for another championship there, but I felt like I have to prove that it is possible for me to win a title away from Dynamics, both to other people and to myself as well.

"Coming and racing against Fabrizio [Giovanardi], who is renowned as one of the best in the world, again it's a big challenge for me. I've never confessed to making life easy for myself, and that was part of it. I wanted to take myself out of my comfort zone.

Q. It's not the first time you've left Dynamics. Is it any different this time?

MN: "Sure, because Dynamics have a wonderful package at the moment. The Honda looks incredibly strong. Then again, I am racing for the current champions now. I could sing the praises of all the teams at the front end. Vauxhall, Honda, BMW, SEAT - they all have their major plus points."

Q. Fabrizio will be so tough to beat. Do you feel like you're starting on the back foot?

MN: "A little bit, because he's had a year already and it's been designed around his style, and it's very different from my own. I've been learning the car and how he drives it, so I've been having to think 'how would Fabrizio do this, or that?' so it's been dictating the way I've been driving so far.

Q. Is that counter-productive?

MN: "No, because he's constantly proving that it will do the times. I've just got to adapt, taking one chip out and putting another one in.

Q. Is that a new experience?

MN: "A little bit, because every Honda has been developed around me - even the works car in 2003. It was me, me, me, me, what I want and where I want to go. It is different, but it's something you have to get used to because it is a big team. We've got Tom [Onslow-Cole] as well, who is going to be quick. It's just part of the package really.

Q. How do you rate Tom against the other young drivers in the championship?

MN: "Tom did a good job last year with Team RAC - a team I've never really been the best of buds with. He's a really down-to-earth, nice guy and I've really warmed to him. He's gone well in testing too.

"I said to him 'look, I've driven the BMWs before and they're not easy to drive. He had a tough year really, but he won his first race - a good thing to get over - but I think we'll see a new thing with him this year. Front-wheel drive is what he knows, and I think he'll be right up there."

Q. There seem to be a few distinct groups up the pitlane. Is it just going to be yourselves and SEAT gunning for the title?

MN: "You always get a little bit of segregation and groups among the grid. This year though you probably have eight or nine drivers who can win the title, and that's a great thing for the championship."

Q. Is that all down to the rules, with the reverse-grid regulation helping?

MN: "I think Toca are very good at being on hand. They don't allow one group to get away with it at the front. With the Dunlop tyres being the same for everyone too, it's allowing the good Independent teams to run right up there and go for race wins and title wins - Dynamics proved that."

Q. SEAT and BMW are at each other's throats politically in the WTCC. Do you think that with SEAT having brought their diesel engine to the BTCC that Vauxhall will be just as political?

MN: "Probably. There's a bit of in-fighting in the WTCC, but I think that's down to there only really being two manufacturers. SEAT and BMW dominate the numbers and they're obviously looking to not be disadvantaged against each other.

"The FIA are in a tough position, because they can't really let BMW win it again, and they, I think, need SEAT to win it this year, but SEAT do seem to have too much of an advantage over everyone else with the diesel engines. I don't envy the juggling act they have to do. We have different tracks, and there are a few curveballs to be thrown into the mix."

Q. You have a fair old rivalry with Jason Plato. Do you think that will continue this season?

MN: "I think he'll be up at the front all the time, and I just hope I'm on the same piece of tarmac so I can race with him. We'll see. Inevitably we'll be close to each other at one point this season.

"I never like falling out with Jason, but everyone's passionate, we all want to win and your emotions spill over sometimes. I have a bit of a history with Jason, but I don't like arguing much. Maybe we should go for a pint and forget about it all."