Plato still leads the...

Plato still leads the series as the tin-top teams arrive at Croft in North Yorkshire for the next round, but in recent races the SEAT star has seen his early season advantage eroded by Vauxhall’s hard-charging Italian ace.

Neal said: “Being realistic, I think it is going to be tough for us to fight Jason for the title now. I see a big dust-up looming between him and Giovanardi. They are close in the points and both are hard men, so as the pressure mounts and as the season progresses, sparks should fly.”

Though currently in fourth position and still learning how to get the very best out of his new and improving Honda Civic, Neal isn’t totally discounting his own chances. “My immediate focus at the moment is how we make the car fast, strong and reliable.” he said. “Then it’s about taking the programme forward and winning a bunch of races in the second half of the year.”