Tiago Monteiro on the road to Curitiba

Tiago Monteiro heads to Brazil to take part in the opening race weekend of the 2010 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). The Portuguese racer will be beginning his 3rd season in the discipline, but this year will see a new challenge. Due to the withdrawal of SEAT as an official factory works team Tiago has joined a private squad, SR-Sport, which will be able to count on the assistance of the carmaker from Martorell. He will be behind the wheel of a SEAT León TDI 2.0 and is confident as the new season approaches.

"I am genuinely satisfied to race with SR-Sport. It is a very professional outfit which has given me a warm welcome," Tiago explains. "The WTCC will probably have a new face this year. The economic crisis forced the teams to cut their costs and this will have its influence on the championship. We will have to wait until after the first few races to know where everyone is performance-wise. I am confident however as the SEAT León TDI car has already proved it is an excellent car, and our team has a great deal of experience and the relationship between the drivers is good."

To partner Tiago, SR-Sport will entrust a car to the reigning world champion, Gabriele Tarquini, as well as independent champion Tom Coronel and Jordi Gené. Tiago will drive car #3 and knows that the experience he has gained over the past three years will be crucial in what is one of the FIA’s most competitive championships. "It is proven that experience is crucial in WTCC. The championship is very competitive and we often find 15 cars or so in the same second. The margin for error is minimal and the smallest mistake can cost you several positions. I did not secure points in the first two rounds in 2009 and it compromised my final rank in the drivers’ championship. This year, I want to score points as soon as the first races, this will be my main aim. Consistency is one of the keys to success in this championship," Tiago said.

The races in Curitiba could take place in heavy rain and storms. Curitiba qualifying will take place on Saturday the sixth of March at 7:00 PM, with the first race on Sunday March 7th at 5:00 PM and the second at 6:15 PM UK Time.