Tiago Monteiro heads to the Hungaroring full of confidence after securing his first podium finish of the season last time out in Slovakia.
The Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver believes that the forthcoming weekend in Hungary will suit the Honda Civic despite the additional 30 kilograms which has been added to the weight of the car.
“Despite this handicap, the Hungaroring is a track that suits the qualities of our car and I think that we can extract the full potential of the Honda Civic,” explains Monteiro.
The results secured in Slovakia, where Honda secured a 1-2-3 finish in the opening race and Monteiro himself had a 32 point weekend with a fifth place to back up his podium finish in the opening race has increased his confidence arriving at the venue for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
“Of course the team’s performance in Slovakia has increased our confidence,” added Monteiro. “We are aware of taking a big step in the car’s evolution, but we must not rest on our laurels. 30kg ballast will have a definite impact on our overall competitiveness but it is impossible to judge what our performance loss will be before the first runs.”
Monteiro admits that the free practice sessions will be useful to find the best set up for the circuit and the additional weight on board.
“We will take advantage of free practice to make the necessary adjustments. Our goal is to score the most amount of points in both races. Finishing on the podium again would be a great result,” concludes the Portuguese racer.