Autosportfoto

Prestigious award for WTCC winner Monteiro

Tiago Monteiro, a race winner and title contender during the final season of the FIA World Touring Car Championship in 2017, has received Portugal's Sport Merit Award.

Presented at his country's Gala Desporto in Estoril on 18 January, the award recognises sportspeople who show great spirit and determination in the face of adversity.

Monteiro was on course to win the WTCC title for the Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team until a testing crash in early September left him with serious injuries and unable to race again in 2017.

"It's an honour to receive this award and it makes me feel extremely proud," said Monteiro. "The past five months have been the most difficult of my professional career, but my burning desire to get back into a racing car has been all the motivation I've needed and I'm so grateful for the incredible support I've received from my family, friends and fans all over the world during this journey as well as my medical team, who have been amazing. My recovery is going well and things are improving every day, which and this helps me remain determined and confident about what I'm doing."

Organised by the sports federation of Portugal, the CDP, the awards ceremony recognised a number of other notable sportspeople including world champion race walker Ines Henriques, Moto2 race winner Miguel Oliveira and members of the Benfica triathlon team.

Zdroj: fiawtcc.com