Honda leads manufacturer standings in British Touring Car Championship opener

Honda leads the British Touring Car Championship manufacturers' table following the opening three rounds of the 2019 season, while Halfords Yuasa Racing driver Matt Neal had a podium finish in the final race snatched away on a difficult day of ever-changing weather at Brands Hatch.

The Honda Civic Type Rs of Neal and teammate Dan Cammish secured sixth and seventh on the grid after a challenging qualifying session in which the track steadily became damper, and which was interrupted three times by red flag stoppages.

Race One was decided before the start when light rain resulted in the front half of the 30-car grid, including both Halfords Yuasa Hondas, switching to treaded wet-weather tyres. Neal finished the best of the 'wet-weather' runners in eighth, overtaking five cars that had started in front of him and securing the manufacturer's prize for Honda.

Race Two proved frustrating for both Honda drivers as they fought to overcome the frantic midfield battles on the tight circuit. Neal lost several places with wheelspin at the start but recovered to take 11^th while Cammish staged a recovery from 16^th start spot to finish just behind his teammate. Neal's day was then considerably brightened when the reverse-grid draw for the final race put his Civic Type R onto pole position.

Neal looked to have held on to the final podium finish in Race Three, but after making contact with the race leader causing suspension damage, the Halfords Yuasa Racing driver brought the crippled Civic Type R to seventh place - enough to put Honda at the head of the manufacturers' championship at the end of the weekend.