1st stint
2nd stint
Race recap
Click a link to go directly to that story!
1st stint
Once again Tiago Monteiro showed great strength at the wheel of the Team Oreca Matmut Aim prototype, the Portuguese driver beginning his second stint in the 77th running of the Le Mans 24 hr in 22nd position before handing the wheel back to Stephan Ortelli after gaining 7 places. Tiago set some very competitive times and is left with the feeling that he has done his best and achieved his goal. "This stint went well once again and the car was keeping up to speed even more so, which means by night you have to take great care of it. After Bruno Senna's stint I gained several positions and I am totally satisfied because I did not make the smallest mistake in demanding and difficult conditions where there was less visibility and when both machine and the human body started to tire," explained Tiago.
In the early hours of the morning, following an off track excursion by Stephan Ortelli, the Oreca no.10 was stationary in its garage undergoing a prolonged stop which worried Hugues de Chaunac and now, due to the lack of spare parts, the team has been forced to retire. Tiago, who was the only driver in the crew not to make an error, will not be able to contest his third stint in the car or see the chequered flag. However, that said, Tiago carried out a convincing return in this ultimate test of endurance.
2nd stint
Tiago Monteiro has contested his first run in the Le Mans 24HR at the wheel of the Team Oreca Matmut Aim Prototype. The Portuguese driver was the 3rd member of the number ten to take to the track, in 19th position in the general classification, shortly after 18:30. The team has shown good potential up until now, and is planning on returning to the top ten. During the first relay, Stephan Ortelli had an off track excursion after putting a wheel on the grass, which cost the team invaluable time as they had to change the rear wing, but overall the incident did not greatly affect this great race of endurance.
When Tiago Monteiro climbed from behind the wheel, the Oreca 01 no.10 had returned to a promising 14th place, showing the Portuguese driver has adapted excellently to the most demanding endurance race in the world. "I completed my first stint, I drove for 2 and a half hours and everything went well. With night falling the temperature fell, which is good for us. Plus, the more we run the more the track is rubbered in, which is good. The main difficulty comes from traffic and visibility, which forces us to be very cautious in any overtaking manoeuvres. We will have to stay focused because the smallest mistake or misjudged manoeuvre could ruin all our efforts. It is a very special race for me. We know that we don't have the car to fight with the diesel cars but our aim is to see the chequered flag," explained Tiago.
Tiago is expected to return to the car for his next stint around about 3:00 am, for roughly three more hours. The Le Mans
24Hours can be followed on the Eurosport television channels.
Race recap
Last weekend, Tiago Monteiro realized his dream, to return to the Le Mans 24 hr, and for the first time in his career, take part in the most prestigious category, LMP1. Ten years after his first appearance in this magnificent king of endurance races, the Portuguese driver adapted fantastically to the Oreca 01 and carried out two stints without error. His lap times continually matched the team's expectations but on his return to the car, Tiago was unable to enjoy the pleasure of taking the chequered flag because his teammates, Stephane Ortelli and Bruno Senna, had suffered several off track excursions, eventually damaging the TEAM Oreca Matmut Aim no.10 enough to call a halt to their race.
Nevertheless, Tiago has given a positive assessment of his return to the Le Mans 24 hr. "It was a great experience. It was my third time at the Le Mans 24hr but the first time in the LMP1 category. Our car was excellent and gave me similar sensations to F1. Obviously, it is frustrating not to get to the end of the 24 hours, but Stephane Oretelli and Bruno Senna had incidents, it happens in racing. As for me, my performance was good and I am satisfied with my lap times but I still have a lot of room for improvement. I loved spending two weeks or so with Team Oreca. Our relationship is excellent, so is the new one I made with two drivers I did not know beforehand. After this successful comeback I am keen to repeat the experience! The final result does not reflect our competitiveness, but you have to accept race hazards and the most important thing is the overall result of this experience and the atmosphere within the team" he explained.
On the whole, Tiago Monteiro raced for nearly five hours and he gained several places during each of his stints. The Portuguese driver took to the wheel for the first time on Saturday, shortly after 18:30 and moved the no.10 up four places in the general classification. On Sunday he climbed back into the car in the early hours and was even faster, despite the challenging night conditions, moving up five places to put the car into 14th position before handing the wheel over to Stephane Ortelli. Alas, the driver from Monaco then went off track and the damage was irreparable.
Tiago Monteiro has little time to rest as he is now eagerly awaiting the next round of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) which will take place next weekend where the SEAT Sport driver will continue to defend the Spanish team's title in the two races scheduled to take place in Brno (Czech Republic).