Tiago Monteiro: “The WTCR field is very strong”

ALL-INKL Motorsport driver Tiago Monteiro believes the mix of experience and youth in this season’s WTCR will raise the level of the championship during the year ahead.

The WTCR starts this weekend in Germany with 22 full-season entries, including no less than six world champions, but also some young and fast drivers.

“This is a special peculiarity of this championship,” Monteiro told TouringCarTimes. “For instance, my team-mate Attila [Tassi] is just 20 years old, but already has some good experience, but then there are others like myself, Tommy [Coronel], Gabriele [Tarquini] and Yvan [Muller].

“It’s a mixed championship, with a good mix of raw speed and experience, and this is one of the strongest points about this championship, and having people like Jordi Gené back is good for the series.”

The Portuguese driver is targeting race victories this year in his Honda Civic Type R, but reckons the competition will be fierce and it won’t be easy.

“The target is always the top step of the podium,” the former F1 racer said, “but the field is very strong and it won’t be easy to start the season at the Nordschleife. Still, I’m looking forward to the practice sessions.

“We have been clever to improve as a team, and I have a strong team-mate, we work well together, but we also want to stay in front, so it’s going to be a challenge.”