Tiago Monteiro has completed three days testing at the Portimao circuit in Portugal at the wheel of the JAS Motorsport run Honda Civic WTCC car which he will race from Suzuka and in 2013.
Having had the chance to compete in a number of different cars throughout his career to date, the Portuguese racer has gained plenty of knowledge about the car.
“The Honda Civic is very effective under braking and corner entry, but it is very different from what I have been used to driving for some time,” says the former Formula 1 driver. “The first race in Japan will be a huge challenge for Honda. It will be a home event and the desire is for everything to go really well.”
The three day test saw Gabriele Tarquini at the wheel of the car for the opening day before handing it over to Monteiro and he was pleased with how the Portuguese test went.
“We worked hard because we’re out of time before the first race. The reality is that every time we take to the track, we take a step forward. There is still a long way to go, but with the dedication and professionalism of JAS Motorsport Honda, I’m sure we can achieve our goals,” added Monteiro.
Before his first race run in the Civic at Suzuka next month, Monteiro takes to the track this weekend in the SunRed SR Leon 1.6T at Sonoma Raceway in California.