Pepe Oriola says he was shocked to see a driver get out of the car ‘screaming in pain’ after he was involved in a first lap pile-up in the opening FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) race on the streets of Vila Real.
Oriola had started the race in 13th and at Turn 3 arrived in the aftermath of the accident between leaders Rob Huff and Mehdi Bennani.
The result saw the Spaniard and almost the entire rest of the field involved in the crash, although unlike Campos Racing team-mate John Filippi, Oriola was just far enough back to not incur race ending damage.
He admits that the scale of the accident reminded him of the dangers of the sport, and also was the first time he had seen a driver really hurt, with Bennani believed to have sustained broken ribs in the shunt.
“I want to think and to know that Mehdi and Rob are OK, because I was really shocked,” admitted Oriola. “It was the first time I’ve seen a driver get out of the car screaming in pain.
“I realised again that we are drivers and we can get hurt, but sometimes you don’t even think about it. Today was a day when I realised again.”
In the restarted race, which took place over two hours later, Oriola started from fifth on the reformed grid and went on to claim a podium finish, having passed the Audi of Jean-Karl Vernay with a deft use of the joker lap, before benefitting when the Hyundai of Gabriele Tarquini slowed with a puncture on the final lap.
“I was pushing the whole race. I overtook Jean-Karl on the joker lap, even if it was a little after. We had a little bit of contact, but I managed to pass and then I tried to push as much as I could.
“I was close to the pace of the guys in front, but I’d lost too much time and then on the last lap I saw Gabriele.
“I don’t know if he had a puncture or touched the wall because the car was moving a little bit. I don’t think it was a puncture, but in races like this you have to push to the last lap.
“I am happy for all my team and my family to score a podium.”