Tiago Monteiro has called for no team orders in the battle to be runner-up in this year’s World Touring Car Championship, with the Honda ace currently embroiled in a five-way tussle for the position.
Monteiro is currently level on points with Citroën’s Yvan Muller in the battle to be ‘best of the rest’ in this year’s championship, having amassed 199 points.
But the Portuguese star has called for a clean fight with no team orders, after Muller recently took victory in Japan after being gifted the position by team-mate José María López – in part to help him in the fight to finish runner-up.
“My aim now is to secure second place in the drivers’ championship,” said Monteiro. “Any of the Honda drivers could finish second and there are no team orders, which is exactly how it should be. I hope the other teams take the same approach.
“At Honda, we are all equal when we’re on track, we do not sacrifice ourselves for the result of a team member.
“It would be fairer and more in the spirit of sport that all our opponents have the same approach. The important thing is to concentrate on our job and do the best one possible.”
Aside from the battle for second, Monteiro admits that he has fond memories of the Shanghai International Circuit, as he took his first win as a works’ Honda driver at the track back in 2013 when the team were in their first full season in the WTCC.
Monteiro’s cause will be helped by the fact that the Honda Civics will carry 60 kg of compensation weight this weekend – 20 kg less than last time out in Japan.
“I have great memories of Shanghai as it’s the track where I took my first WTCC win for Honda in 2013,” added Monteiro. “Based on our performances with a lot of compensation weight over the past few rounds, should give us a great opportunity as a team to win again this weekend.
“Our motivation is high because we have been competitive this year and are still battling at the front. There is no reason it shouldn’t be the same in Shanghai.”