Honda Racing Team’s Matt Neal says he can extend his points advantage at this weekend’s sixth meeting of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season at Snetterton in Norfolk.

The Honda Civic driver has a nine-point buffer at the top of Britain’s most prestigious championship going into the three rounds at the 1.95-mile circuit. The championship will burst back into life after a seven-week summer hiatus.

“It’s going to be a tough weekend because Snetterton’s layout always provides rough and tumble,” explained the 43-year-old. “There are some very fast straights followed by tricky corners and it is hard to defend when you are in the lead. But the fast corners on the track play right into my hands because the Civic has a great balance through those kinds of sweepers.”

Neal is forced to carry 45 kilos of success ballast into the meeting because he is leading the standings and the circuit also accentuates the strengths of the LPG-power cars in the contest.

“It’s going to be hard to match the LPG cars because the long, long straights are where they excel so we have got to look to be best of the rest after them,” said Neal. “Also, the 45 kilos will have a big effect on my car during qualifying which will make it tough for me to be at the front of the grid. Despite all of that, I am confident we can bag three solid results and increase the margin at the top of the table.”

Neal’s team-mate Gordon Shedden took two wins at the last round of the series at Croft in North Yorkshire and he thinks he can narrow the gap to Neal in the rounds this weekend.

‘Flash’ Gordon said his aim for the weekend was to zero in on Neal with some podium finishes. “Like Matt, I think the LPG cars will be untouchable at Snetterton and we have got to aim to grab our chances when they come. We will be strong because of our good chassis but you can never tell. I will have to carry 27kgs in qualifying which could hold me back a bit so I will be concentrating on races two and three to score well. 

“The Honda has been quick at Snetterton in the past and there’s no reason why it won’t be again, because we have done lots of work on it over the last 12 months. I am looking forward to it because it has been nearly two months since the last round. This is like starting the championship all over again, and we are feeling confident.”