after Schumacher title blow
Matt Neal says there is no guarantee he will win the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone this coming Sunday and has pointed to Michael Schumacher’s shock retirement in last weekend’s Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix as proof of how quickly fortunes can change on the track.
Team Halfords driver Neal, from Droitwich, holds a seemingly unbeatable 35-point lead over nearest rival, SEAT's Jason Plato, as the BTCC arrives for its final three races of 2006 at Silverstone.
If Neal wins the title he will become the first driver to win back-to-back BTCC crowns since 1987 following his championship success of 2005.
But Neal said: "Just look at Michael Schumacher in Japan – it looked like he had the title in his pocket but then it all went wrong for him. He broke down in a car that never breaks down. I was gutted for him. It’s a reminder to everybody that in this game it’s not over until it’s over."
Neal, though, says the fact he has delivered strong results on tracks he thought would be tough for him in 2006 is a good sign as he’s never been a fan of the short Silverstone National circuit that stages this weekend’s title-decider. Last year there he struggled to get on the pace; in 2004 at the Northamptonshire track he was involved in a pit lane bust-up; in 1994 he was injured when he rolled a Mazda at 120mph.
The 39-year-old added: "I’ve had a few rough moments at Silverstone in the past. But this year I seem to have performed well at places which were my bogey circuits before and struggled at circuits where I’ve always done well so I hope that trend continues this weekend.
"I’m feeling pretty cool about it all. The grid is going to be the biggest of the year and Jason’s team SEAT has rolled out an extra car, but I don’t see it being any different to what it’s been during the rest of the year.
"The final stages of last year before I won the title were untrodden territory, but this time I know what I’ve got to do and how to stay out of trouble…"
Sunday's final three rounds of the 2006 BTCC season at Silverstone will be played out in front of live ITV1 cameras. Silverstone circuit has reported a boom in sales of race day tickets which can still be booked at advanced prices - £15 per adult - until midnight tonight (Wednesday 11 October) via the hot line 08704 588 260 or website silverstone.co.uk. Admission for children is free.
