Honda Racing have confirmed that stalwarts Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden will spearhead their British Touring Car Championship campaign for a sixth successive season, while also announcing that their 2015 machine will make its public debut at Donington Park later this month.
The pair, who respectively won the 2011 and 2012 drivers’ championships, have raced for the Team Dynamics-backed outfit since the marque returned to the grid as a manufacturer in 2010, and combined have won 49 races during that time.
Experimenting with Honda’s Civic Tourer model last season, the campaign was the first since the team’s return in which they were unable to secure a title, having won both the teams’ and manufacturers’ titles between 2010 and 2013 alongside the aforementioned drivers’ crowns.
Neal and Shedden’s returns were widely expected prior to the team’s announcement, but Honda also confirmed that their 2015 challenger would officially be revealed at the championship’s media day on March 24.
For Shedden, 2015 marks a new challenge for himself and the team, but he insisted that his sights remained set on the ultimate prize.
“We’ve shown over the past few seasons that we’re never afraid to push back the boundaries and come up with something different and new that really engages the fans,” he said. “The Civic Tourer was fantastic for us and created history in many ways, and I’m sure what we have planned for this year will generate a bigger buzz still!
“We approach every new season with optimism, and the goal remains the same – to try to win the championship. The priority as ever will be the manufacturers’ championship for Honda, followed by the teams’ title for Team Dynamics – and of course, both Matt and I are keen to get to the last round and still be in with a shout of lifting the drivers’ crown.
On the back of a difficult 2014 campaign, teammate Neal was confident that the team’s new machine would bring improved performance and a return to the front of the field.
“The anticipation surrounding Honda’s new car for 2015 is immense and we can’t wait to show it off,” he said. “I’m confident it will be a step forward in every area and a very potent weapon.
“We had a difficult season at times in 2014, but that only gives us renewed motivation to climb back to the top. We still have massive self-belief in our ability to build and run a front-running touring car, and we are ready to put up one hell of a fight!”