Photo: PSP Images

Matt Neal will race at Brands, standby Alain Menu is stood down

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Team Dynamics driver Matt Neal will race this weekend and fight for a record equalling fourth drivers’ title in the British Touring Car Championship. Runner-up in last year’s World Touring Car Championship, Alain Menu, had been lined up as a possible replacement should Neal not have been able to race.

Neal broke his finger in a martial arts training accident before the last round at Silverstone, and raced that weekend with the finger still broken. He was treated following the race weekend and is his hand is now healing, which meant it was possible he could be ruled out of competing this weekend on Doctor’s orders.

Neal has gone into the final race of the season with an injury following training for the last three seasons, the first of which didn’t stop him from claiming his third title back in 2011 with the Honda Civic S2000.

“I’m looking for a calmer way of staying fit now,” said Neal.

“It is what it is, it’s happened so I’ve just for to get on with it. I was in two minds as to whether to come to this weekend or not as it’s giving me a lot of discomfort, but all five of us have worked hard all year just to get to this one weekend and anything can happen.

“With these NGTC cars, they’re great but they can be a bit temperamental. Jason (Plato)’s had his car stop on him for no reason, Gordon (Shedden)’s had the same, I’ve had steering motors go, (Colin Turkington’s team-mate) Rob (Collard) stopped at Silverstone, so anything can happen, it’s not over till it’s over,” he added.

Neal is 34 points behind Andrew Jordan in the standings, with 67 points available across the weekend, and should he be able to overcome the large gap, he could take a record equalling fourth drivers’ title, only achieved so far by Andy Rouse, who won the drivers’ title in 1975, ’83, ’84 and ’85.

“It’s an opportunity, and I don’t want to miss out on opportunities, if it comes it comes,” said Neal.

“I’m going to give it my best shot but I don’t want to damage my finger in any way. I had six laps around Donington Park yesterday afternoon and I felt I could drive the car. I couldn’t drive it at ten-tenths at that point, but another couple of days could give me a bit more mobility…it’ll probably be easier if it’s wet as the car’s not so violent to drive then.”