Neal found guilty of bringing BTCC into disrepute
Multiple Dunlop MSA British Touring car champion Matt Neal has been found guilty of bringing the championship into disrepute, and the Team Dynamics team he part owns has been fined £25,000 and had its TOCA BTCC licenses revoked, after comments he made at Rockingham were published in a motorsport magazine.
The hearing came after an investigation into the remarks by the championship stewards, who met on Tuesday.
However the punishment has been suspended until the end of next season, allowing Matt and the team to race on.
A statement issued this morning by the BTCC said: "Team Dynamics and Matt Neal are highly valued participants in the BTCC, whose participation spans more than two decades. Their deep and long-term commitment to this Championship is greatly respected and valued. In view of this the Championship Administrator suspends both penalties until December 31st 2015, on which date these will be discharged if no further infractions occur during that time."
Matt Neal said: “I regret the comments made to a member of the press in the immediate aftermath of the recent BTCC event at Rockingham and sincerely apologise for any offence they may have caused.
“It was never my intention to bring the series into disrepute and therefore I understand that my comments were unacceptable and completely accept the sanctions imposed.
“I am fully committed to Honda, Team Dynamics and the BTCC – a series I have loved and raced in for many many years – and look forward to moving on from this incident with immediate effect.”