WTCR Qualifying woe for Monteiro, WTCR Qualifying front row for Tassi 03.07.2022: WTCR Race of Portugal 2022 VILA REAL Portugal Sunday, July 3rd 2022 While it was a WTCR Race of Portugal Qualifying woe for home hero Tiago Monteiro in Vila Real yesterday, his fellow LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler driver Attila Tassi earned himself a h

WTCR Race of Portugal 2022
VILA REAL Portugal
Sunday, July 3rd  2022


While it was a WTCR Race of Portugal Qualifying woe for home hero Tiago Monteiro in Vila Real yesterday, his fellow LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler driver Attila Tassi earned himself a huge opportunity to win the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup’s 100th race.



Tassi qualified ninth in the second phase of Qualifying on Saturday to earn himself a front-row start for the partially-reversed-grid Race 2, which also doubles as the WTCR’s milestone event, later today.



On the streets where he claimed his maiden WTCR pole three years ago, Hungarian Tassi showed excellent speed and was third in Q1 before recording the ninth-fastest time in Q2 to equal his best qualifying result of the season.



“Finally, I’m back in Q2 for the first time since Pau – it seems as though I like street circuits,” said Tassi, who started at the front in the second of two races in the French town in May. “I felt we developed the car nicely, session by session, and that I had the pace to challenge for Q3, but my first Q2 lap was not a great one; it was a bit safe, though I also touched the wall.


Then, on my second run, I lost too much time in the first sector and despite improving in sector two it didn’t seem like it would be enough to make Q3 so we decided to lift. Second on the reversed grid is a good reward for our efforts, and although I’m a little disappointed because I wanted to be in Q3 so much, on the other hand we have a good opportunity.”



Portuguese driver Monteiro came agonisingly close to joining team-mate Tassi in Q2, falling just 0.042 seconds shy of advancing from Q1 as he recorded the 13th-fastest time.



At his home event, Monteiro dug in deep in qualifying but, despite the best efforts of him and his crew – who were able to send the car out for a fourth run in Q1 – there was to be no fairytale for the ex-Formula One racer, who again was unable to find the optimum set-up for his Civic Type R TCR.



“We came here not expecting so much, but to miss out on Q2 by such a small margin is very frustrating,” said Monteiro. “I didn’t have an amazing rhythm, it was still a struggle to get that. My LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler crew did a fantastic job changing the tyres quickly enough to give me a fourth run in Q1 – I think we were the only ones who managed this – but I was overdriving a bit to make up for the set-up.


When things are not in perfect shape at such a demanding and difficult track it makes it that bit harder. We still want to put on a good show to the fans and we’re so happy to be back. I’m sure there will be two exciting races.”




- Richard Rodgers, photo WTCR DPPI