Tiago Monteiro goes back to WTCC school in Oschersleben

After a month of holidays, Tiago Monteiro will be back behind the wheel of his SEAT León TDI for his Sr-Sport team this weekend where he will take part in the 15th and 16th races of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The Portuguese driver is hoping to secure more points in the two German events in order to close the gap to 5th place in the driver’s classification which is only a mere three points away.

Tiago’s mission will also be to contribute to the overall performance of SEAT in the manufacturer’s championship and secure points for the team as well. In Oschersleben, BMW will be racing on home soil and a circuit which is favourable for them on paper, but Tiago thinks that it will be possible to oppose the German manufacturer on a layout where they conquered a podium place after a good qualifying back in 2008. "We know Oschersleben is not ideal for our car and we will have to cope with BMW and Chevrolet. Last year things did not go well early in the weekend with a poor qualifying but years prior to that were not like that," Tiago smiles, "I am confident that we will be able to secure a good result and I am delighted to take the wheel again after a four week break in August."

With eight rounds already contested this season, the championship remains very open with three teams still in the race for the world title and eight drivers who can still seal the crown. It is precisely this very heated competition and the quality of the field which contributes to the success and the popularity of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

"It is a championship where experience counts a lot and where the smallest mistake can cost you dearly," Tiago says, "The closer we get to the end the more the drivers will take risks. It is clear that you need a bit of luck, but the most important thing is to keep your head cool and avoid any mistakes because they are useless at this level. You must not lose your concentration, you must stay focused and try not to suffer from your rivals mistakes and I know what I’m talking about as I have suffered from them several times this year."

In Oschersleben, the sky should be not very cloudy and temperatures should border around the 20°C mark.