Tiago Monteiro slams Yokohama after race-ending puncture in Germany

World Touring Car Championship leader Tiago Monteiro has laid into tyre supplier Yokohama after a puncture on the final lap of the opening race put him out of the Nürburgring Nordschleife for the second year in a row.

Monteiro was leading the race last year before a puncture at a high-speed part of the circuit saw him hit the barriers hard, and was then collected by Citroën driver Yvan Muller.

This year, Monteiro’s accident was a single-car accident, and the Portuguese driver was able to return the car to the pits at a crawl so the car can be repaired for the main race, where he’s due to start fourth.

Monteiro wasn’t the only puncture, with ETCC points leader Christjohannes Schreiber also suffering trouble on lap two, and with Volvo’s Néstor Girolami also suffering with a puncture a few corners after Monteiro’s and crashing out, and will not start Race 2.

“The feeling is frustration and I’m very, very angry at Yokohama,” said Monteiro after the race to Eurosport. “Every year we have problems. This is not acceptable at this level of the championship, I am furious. (Néstor) Girolami lost the race, I could lose the championship here.

“It’s dangerous. You cannot play with lives. We take risks yes, but we need to have a proper talk.”