Neal, aged 38 and from Droitwich, finished third in the second of three races at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent to make sure of the title.

This is the first time that Neal, who drives a Honda Integra for the independent Team Halfords squad, has won Britain’s biggest motor racing championship.

Neal’s victory also marks the first time since 1991 that an independent team has won the BTCC title ahead of the bigger budgeted manufacturer teams.

“It’s an emotional moment. It’s fabulous,” said Neal. “Everybody who’s involved in backing this team has won today. If you’d told me before the season started that I’d be crowned champion, when you think of who we’ve been up against – Vauxhall, SEAT and some other very good teams and drivers – I’d have struggled to believe it.”

Neal’s team, run by his father Steve Neal, first entered the BTCC in 1992. Together, they have since won the independents title five times and in 1999 famously scooped £250,000 at Donington Park for winning a race against the might of the manufacturer teams.

Sunday, though, marks the Neals’ biggest achievement. Their team has also ended the season with more race wins than its rivals – Neal and team-mates Dan Eaves and Gareth Howell have achieved 12 race wins from 30 races – and the prestigious teams’ title ahead of manufacturers Vauxhall’s VX Racing squad and SEAT Sport UK.