"USE YOUR HEAD," FORMER CHAMP CLELAND TELLS NEAL
John Cleland has told Matt Neal to “start using his
head” or see young pretender Colin Turkington steal
the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title away
from him.
As the UK’s premier motor racing series prepares for
its big race day at Fife’s Knockhill circuit on Sunday
3 September, Scotland’s former double BTCC champion
Cleland says current title-holder Neal needs to think twice
before making risky moves if he wants to retain his crown.
At Snetterton two weeks ago, Neal tried passing another of
his title rivals, Jason Plato, for the lead into the last
bend but instead ended up spinning down to eighth. It’s
those sorts of incidents that Cleland says Neal must avoid
if he’s to prevent second-placed Turkington or Plato,
in third, catching him.
Cleland, whose BTCC antics made him a household name in the
Nineties, said: “Matt either sometimes seems to lose
the plot and over-drives or his head isn’t quite as
clear as it should be.
”It is hard when you’re at this stage of the
season because your instinct is always to go for the win.
But he needs to start using his head and calculating just
how much he needs to win – how much is it worth risking
a difficult move for a few points more? He’s had plenty
of wins so maybe now it’s better to settle for second,
take the points and move on.
”If not, then I could see Turkington nicking it. He
consistently keeps racking up the points and he’s a
handy wee driver – the sort I’d seriously be talking
to if I was setting up my own touring car team.”
Cleland believes there are other perils that face Neal who
is trying to become the first driver for 20 years –
and the first ever since the BTCC’s current two-litre,
single formula rules were introduced in 1991 – to win
back-to-back titles.
”If you look at the history of the championship, the
odds are stacked against Matt,” added Cleland. “It’s
also about this time of year that people do start driving
like idiots. They’re either after a piece of the glory
before the season finishes or they want to make sure they’ve
got a drive the following year.
”I certainly think Matt’s got the best car out
there, but when they are on form then Plato and the SEAT team
are the best-drilled. Plato’s been a bit of a loose
canon this year, though, but he could still do it. The best
thing Matt could do is keep finishing right behind Plato and
Turkington and bagging the points he’s sitting on.
”Knockhill will definitely have a big say in where
this year’s title goes. He’s almost 30 points
clear of Turkington at the moment and if he comes away 20
or more points still in front then you’d have to say
that all he’s got to do is keep his nose clean at Brands
Hatch and Silverstone and he’ll do it.”
Admission to Knockhill's BTCC race day is FREE for children
aged eight and under, while information on tickets for adults
is available by calling the circuit on 01383 723337.
In addition to the BTCC's three rounds on Sunday, there will
be another eight races put on by a variety of supporting championships
from BMW, Porsche, SEAT, Formula Ford and Caterham.
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