Matt Neal was heading for a clear victory in BTCC race one at Silverstone, until a minor technical problem halted his charge.

The 36-year-old Honda Racing ace had led for the majority of the race, but unexpectedly coasted to a halt on lap 21. A dejected Neal was then forced to remain at the side of the track, watching the rest of the field go by and wondering when his luck will change.

Neal’s team-mates Alan Morrison and Tom Chilton did their level best to compensate for this misfortune by fighting their way through the field to take fourth and fifth place respectively for Honda Racing.

Matt Neal: “I had a technical problem right from the warm-up lap and had no idea of my revs for the entire race. For the first couple of laps I was bouncing off the limiter until I managed to gauge the revs a little better. Then, just when I looked to have the race wrapped up, everything let go. I’ve really got my work cut out in race two now because I’m starting from 12th on the grid.”

Alan Morrison: “I’m a bit disappointed actually. I worked really hard to get that fourth place because the ballast weight is killing us, especially in the slower corners. Without the weight, I’m convinced the Honda Civic Type R is the best car out there.”

Tom Chilton: “I had a little coming together with someone in the first turn which put me out wide. I found myself way back in the pack and had a great time fighting my way back up to fifth. Now I’ll start from fifth on the grid, so I’m looking for a good start in race two.”