Monteiro: “My wish is to stay in the WTCC”

You covered around forty laps during your recent tests in Spain, what car did you have? According to our colleagues, it was a Leon equipped with the new 1,6 liter turbo engine built by Seat Sport.
I read that, but if it is indeed a new engine, it is not the one developed by the factory. This is a new, lighter aluminum block. The old one was too aggressive in its use, while this one is more flexible. The car is performing well, it has evolved considerably since the last round in Macau.

The announcement of your program is slow in coming. Will you still be in the WTCC this season?
Several opportunities exist. In the WTCC, but also in other championships. I really want to stay in this World Championship because I have been involved in it for 5 years. Especially since in 2013, it will gain interest with the arrival of new manufacturers. I would therefore like to stay, but if the conditions are not met, it is not worth it.

Being in uncertainty, how are you spending your time at the moment?
My winter was very busy on all levels. First of all, I had to save my season. Last November, it was almost finalized but in December, everything collapsed and everything had to be redone. So I had to respond to all the requests, because I had several, and not necessarily in WTCC. Then we also had to restructure our GP2 (Ocean Racing Technology) team, as we moved to beautiful new premises in Porto.

Do you also closely follow the career of a young pilot?
Yes, I also spent time looking after Antonio Felix da Costa (winner of the last round of the GP3 Series at Monza in 2011). The objective would be to move him into GP2 this season, but it is always very complicated to find partners. There were also contacts with horse stables Formula 1. With all that, I didn't have time to get bored, and I simply enjoyed a few days of rest with family during the Christmas holidays!