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Halfords and Honda - a partnership is reborn!

By MJP Media | 16 March 2016

Halfords return to the BTCC in 2016 in partnership with Honda as their legendary orange livery once again graces Britain's premier motorsport series.

Matt Neal won the championship in 2005 and 2006 with Team Halfords

Retail giant Halfords returns to the BTCC to continue the previous partnership it enjoyed with Matt Meal. The team will now be known as Team Halfords Yuasa Racing for the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season, with the squad ready to defend its Driver and Manufacturer titles with Gordon Shedden, Matt Neal and Andy Neate - the first time in 10 years they have run three cars.

Halfords will be back on the BTCC grid after a seven-year absence as co-title sponsor of last year's championship winning team and the famous orange livery was unveiled today at Brands Hatch. Gordon Shedden will defend his Drivers' Championship title after an exhilarating 2015 season with team-mate and three-time champion Matt Neal entering his 26th year in the UK's premier motorsport series. The last time Halfords were in the championship they saw title success with Neal.

The distinctive Halfords orange will return to the BTCC in 2016

Halfords sponsored Team Dynamics' motorsport programme for five years from 2004 to 2008 with Matt Neal winning the first two championships of his BTCC career behind the wheel of the famous Honda Integra Type R, also becoming the first independent driver to win the overall Drivers' Championship in the history of the British Touring Car Championship. Gordon Shedden joined the Halfords and Team Dynamics family in 2006, taking four wins and helping Team Halfords to its second consecutive Teams' Championship title in his debut season.

Paul Tomlinson of Halfords said: "It's fantastic to bring the Halfords and Halfords Autocentre brands back into the country's biggest motorsport championship. We're looking forward to laying down the gauntlet this season and bringing orange and black back to the grid with Team Dynamics, as well as our partner Yuasa Batteries, to defend the driver and manufacturer titles."

Testing the 2016 Honda Civic Type R at Brands Hatch today

Andrew Taylor, Managing Director of Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) said: "We've had an amazing journey so far in the British Touring Car Championship with Matt, Gordon and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team, and now we look forward to working with Halfords to defend our championship with the team in 2016. Our sponsorship of the team now enters a new era, and one that we're very excited about."

Richard Tait-Harris, Commercial Director, Team Dynamics said: "Having worked with Halfords for five years in the past and winning two championships with Matt, we look forward to a long and successful future together. We're also excited to be continuing our fantastic relationship with Yuasa Batteries and to the challenge of retaining our title as champions of the BTCC this year."

Whilst the legendary orange paint was in evidence today, the full livery of the team's Honda Civic Type Rs will be unveiled at the BTCC 2016 Season Launch event at Donington Park, Leicestershire, on March 22nd.

Touring Car content supplied by MJP Media