Tiago Monteiro handed 10-second post-race penalty

Tiago Monteiro was briefly promoted to third position in the final World Touring Car Cup race at Suzuka following Kevin Ceccon’s penalty. But the KCMG driver only got to keep it for ten minutes.

Monteiro was handed a ten-second penalty and two penalty points for cutting across the grass and then passing Cyan Racing driver Thed Björk while behind the safety car.

The penalty drops the Portuguese driver from third to 16th position, with the stewards issuing the following statement:

“Car entered pit lane, after that he decided to go back on the track, he cut across the grass area and overtook car #11 under SC.”

The penalty elevates Björk to the final podium position.

Also penalised for overtaking under the safety car procedure is Nicky Catsburg. The Hyundai driver received a two-second time penalty for overtaking Lynk & Co Cyan Racing driver Yvan Muller.

“Car 88 had commenced but not completed an overtaking manoeuvre of car 100 at the time the Safety Car procedure commenced. It was not possible in the circumstances for the Race Director to reposition the cars before the end of the Race. The Stewards add 2 seconds to car 88s Race Time to effect the reposition of the cars as they were positioned at the time the Safety Car procedure commenced.”

The penalty drops Catsburg from eleventh to 15th position.