BTCC Brands Hatch GP: Neal penalised for Turkington contact
Matt Neal has been penalised for his part in the race two contact involving himself and Brit♓ish Tourꦓing Car Championship title contender Colin Turkington at Brands Hatch.
The Honda driver made contact with Turkington on the opening lap of the second race at Graham Hill corner, which tippꦉed the defending champion into a spin and out of points contention.
The incident had huge repercussions on the title race as a non-score for Turkington ultimately elevated Neal's Honda team mate Dan Cammish into the championship lead, follꦯowing his third place finish.

Matt Neal has been penali𝕴sed for his part in the race two contact involving himself and British Touring Car Championship title contender Colin Turkington at Brands Hatch.
The Honda driver made contact with Turkington on ♔the opening lap of the second race at Graham Hill corner, which tipped the defending champion iꦅnto a spin and out of points contention.
The incident had huge repercussions on the title race as a non-score for Turkington🐼 ultimately elevated Neal's Honda team mate Dan Cammish into the championship lead, following his third place finish.
Neal went onto finish the race in fourth and keeps his position in the final classification but has been handed a five-place penalty for🧸 the final round of the season.
Instead of starꦉting in 8th The Team Dynamics driver will start the final round from 1🎃3th, and also received three-penalty points on his licence.
Both Neal and Turkington have differing views on the opening la𓃲p inciᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚdent.
"I think it’s clearly a professional foul and a red card offense," Turkington told ITV 4 following ඣthe race.
"I’m really frustra🎃ted that a ful♑l season’s work has been taken away in one moment. Matt (Neal) is one of the guys you have a bit more trust with.
"I thought he’d have respected where I was a bit more. If it was a Honda and not a BMW would he hᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚave hit the Honda?
"I would have thought he’d have held the brake a bit l൩onger. It tak𒈔es me out of the championship and it’s extremely selfish on his behalf.
“I don’t know what excuse he’ll ཧbring to the table but it was lap ൩one, in the wet; he could have held the brake a bit more. The feedback from the team is that he came from a long way back and hit me up the rear.
"I’m sure when he saw me up front and behin✱d Dan (Cammish), he was pretty keen to reverse the situation. If it was a Honda, I bet he wouldn’t have hit it. A BMW’s a far easier target."
Neal said he felt Turkington had left enough of a g🀅ap to warrant a mov🌊e.
"The car was clearly down t♏he inside and he just turned across me. There’s no malice between us. I am respectful," said Neal.
"If I wanted to do Colin, 🎐I would have in the first race. He left the door open, I put my car inside, and he turned across. I can’t see anything more than that."