Photo: TCR Media

Fernando Monje targeting points as the best outcome following engine woes

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Campos Racing team manager/driver Fernando Monje hopes that if the engine problems which resurfaced in qualifying are gone tomorrow, then the best option at the hard-to-pass Salzburgring circuit for the Opel driver would be to leave was some points tomorrow.

The struggles for the Spanish team with the Opel Astra OPC come just one week after the team’s best result of the season, when Monje took over the wheel of the car which had previously been raced by Igor Skuz, Jordi Oriola and Oscar Nogués, and the former ETCC champion scored a first podium in the second race.

Unfortunately, following an engine change last night, technical issues hampered any running in Free Practice 1, and in Free Practice 2, broken suspension following a puncture prevented any time to set any quick laps before qualifying, which also didn’t go to plan.

“In qualifying we had the same problem as FP1,” said Monje to TouringCarTimes. “We again had problems with the engine, so we were doing out and in laps all the time and we didn’t even have a flying lap. We’re trying to solve the problem and check it tomorrow in the shakedown, so hopefully it’ll be fine for the race.

“We’re starting last on the grid so that doesn’t give us a lot of options. Hopefully it’ll be solved though and we can at least finish the race. When the car’s right as we saw in Monza it has a lot of potential, so if there are no problems and the car’s like it was last week we might be able to score some points.”

Monje’s joined by Markus Östreich this weekend with the team fielding two cars in the races tomorrow. Östreich qualified 13th though he caused extensive damage to the rear of the Astra after crashing out at the end of the first part of qualifying, while Monje starts 15th, and it’s not clear whether the 22-year-old will continue driving or will step back to his team manager role at the next race at Sochi.

“It was a last minute decision for me to race again here. We wanted to try and repeat after the results in Monza, but there’s nothing confirmed for the coming races,” he added.