The first round of the 2003 Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship took place in cool, cloudy and changeable conditions today at Mondello Park circuit in Ireland, with Honda Racing’s Alan Morrison coming third in the first of today’s two 25-lap races. Matt Neal and Tom Chilton were both forced out of the race in extremely tricky driving conditions.

Pole sitter Yvan Muller got the holeshot and Honda Racing’s Matt Neal was pushed wide on turn one of the greasy circuit, allowing Anthony Reid to slip past. On cold, slick tyres, Matt Neal set after the two drivers in front of him but as rain started to fall on lap two, the 36-year-old Worcestershire driver was determined not to make a mistake, despite increasing pressure from current BTCC champion James Thompson, who actually slid off the circuit on lap four, allowing Honda Racing’s Alan Morrison up into fourth position.

Although the compulsory pit-stop window didn’t actually start until laps 10-18, many drivers took the decision to pit early to change to wet weather tyres. Neal took the lead on lap six, as Muller and Reid went into the pits. The first Honda Racing driver to pit was 18-year-old Tom Chilton, followed by Alan Morrison on lap seven. This split strategy allowed Matt Neal to stay out in the front on slick tyres, albeit with much slower lap times.

However, Matt Neal’s advantage was diminished by the appearance of the safety car on lap eight, which bunched the field right up while several cars were removed from the gravel trap. With his pit stop window approaching and conditions worsening, Neil knew that the gamble was a tough one, as the safety car returned to the pits and he knew he’d then have to complete one more lap in atrocious conditions on slick tyres.

Neal bravely nursed the Honda Racing Civic Type R around and by the time he made his obligatory pit stop, he had been passed by most of the field. A quick pit time and a clear track on the exit allowed the Worcestershire driver to then push the Civic Type R to its maximum potential with full wet tyres. But the reappearance of the safety car was another blow for Neal, as it diminished the advantage gained by staying out for so long on slick tyres and he knew he’d have to work his way through some slower traffic once the safety car returned to the pit area. However, his race came to a premature end when he was punted off the track at turn one when Gavin Piper lost control of his Vauxhall Astra.

A smart pit stop by Alan Morrison allowed him to return to the track in front of Anthony Reid and by the time normal racing was resumed and all stops had been made, Morrison found himself in third place. With just five laps remaining and James Thompson getting away at the front, Morrison started to put the pressure on Warren Hughes, but it was pole sitter Yvan Muller who came from behind and forced his way past the Ulsterman on lap 23.

Tom Chilton’s race came to an end on the same lap when he crashed out, so it was down to Morrison to try and capture the final podium place for Honda Racing. Despite numerous attempts to pass Warren Hughes in the dismal conditions, Morrison waited until the last lap to make his move stick and grab the final podium position, safe in the knowledge that he would then start race two from third on the grid. The race was won by James Thompson, with Yvan Muller picking up second place.

Alan Morrison: “It’s great to be on the podium on front of my home crowd. It was a difficult race, with two pit stops and constantly changing weather conditions. The Honda Racing crew did a fantastic job. All credit to them for giving me a car that could get me on the podium today. With the rain coming down it’s great to be in this grid position for the second race.”

Matt Neal: “It was unfortunate that the safety car didn’t stay out for one more lap after ten laps. If it had done so, I could have taken my mandatory stop and then I would have been in a good position. However, I was unhappy at the circumstances surrounding my departure from the race as the viewers would have seen on the television coverage. A driver who was trying a crazy manoeuvre at the first turn took me out. I had no control over my own destiny and that’s why I was annoyed.”

Tom Chilton: “That was really frustrating for me to run off the track when I was lying in sixth place with only three laps left to run. Visibility was a big problem out there for everyone, so I opted to stick to the middle of the track as much as I could. However, there was nothing I could do about going straight on at the first turn.”