30/1/2003

Honda Racing have today announced the drivers who will be competing in the 2003 British Touring Car Championship. Unlike their return to the sport in 2002, Honda will be fielding three touring class cars, one for Alan Morrison, who claimed a win for the Honda squad last year, another for talented youngester Tom Chilton, and a third for Matt Neal.

Morrison, is upbeat about Honda’s 2003 campaign. “We were improving steadily throughout 2002, and the win at Donington was the culmination of a lot of hard work by the whole team. I will be looking to build on that success and to fight at the front of the pack this year.”

Tom Chilton, at 17-years-old, becomes the youngest ever BTCC driver to enter a factory-run team. Despite his age, Chilton has clearly demonstrated his natural ability on the track, finishing an impressive third overall in his BTCC debut race at Brands Hatch last year, where he raced in the touring class for the privately entered Barwell Motorsport team.

Tom said, "I got a call from Arena Motorsport telling me I'd got the drive. I've been smiling ever since. Honda is one of the best manufacturers in the world, and to drive for it is amazing."

Matt Neal is one of the fans favourites in the BTCC, after many years of beating the works teams with his independantly entered Team Dynamics car. Last year Matt drove for the works funded Egg Sport team and finished third overall in the championship. Matt is looking forward to racing the Civic Type-R after a successful test last December. “The test went very smoothly and the car feels quick. It’s still a bit early to say, but I feel confident that we can push for top results.”

The trio will be driving Honda Civic Type-Rs, which went from strength to strength towards the end of last year, dominating the proceedings during the final race weekend of 2002 at Donington Park. Morrison won the Feature race, and Civic Type-Rs took pole position and fastest lap closing the season on a high for Honda.

Arena Motorsport will, for the second year, be in charge of running the Honda Racing team. The highly respected Littlehampton-based firm headed by former Formula One team boss Mike Earle, has enjoyed success in other prestigious series such as the 2001 European Le Mans Championship. Arena returned to the BTCC last year following a two-year absence. Mark Davies, Head of Racing at Honda (UK) is going all out for “maximum attack” this season.

“We have the strongest, most powerful cars with a fantastic driver line-up,” he said. “We have the ability to do it, second just isn’t an option this year.”