Yvan Muller and Tiago Monteiro at odds but not angry about race two clash

Honda’s Tiago Monteiro overtook Citroën’s Yvan Muller for second position mid-way through the main race in France, but not without contact, with the Portuguese driver locking wheels with Muller’s C-Elysée at the last turn, knocking the four-time champion off wide and down to fourth place.

The incident was not deemed worthy of investigation by the stewards, with Monteiro going on to finish second and Honda team-mate Norbert Michelisz third, scoring key points in the manufacturers’ championship, which Honda now lead for the first time since 2013.

“There’s not a lot of places where you can overtake and he was definitely braking very early there,” said Monteiro after the race. “So I tried (there); I was almost alongside him, and he saw me and he closed the door, so it was going to be contact. I did this overtaking move three times in race one and there was no contact because we leave room for each other.

“So it was one of those things. He probably has his own opinion about it I’m sure, and I have mine…but I’m confident that I didn’t do anything on purpose or anything intentional to put him out.”

Muller was philosophical about the incident, declaring that with Citroën’s exceptional handicap for the first two rounds of 80kg of compensation weight, it was a matter of time before the Honda was able to pass.

“With 80kg, I would be surprised if we’d have been able to keep them behind,” said Muller to TouringCarTimes. “I did a good start to get ahead of Tiago, then he came back, he was faster especially in the last sector, and the last corner, and I knew that would be the key for him to pass, but when you pass there it’s risky, you can’t avoid contact. He tried there, and there was contact and it cost me two places.”

“I did close the door a bit, but at the same time, I am on my line, but it is what it is. It’s 1 for him, 0 for me, it’ll be 1-1 someday.”