Fábio Mota and Christjohannes Schreiber to start from the back in Portugal

Two drivers will start further down the grid than hoped for today’s first race at Vila Real, after LEIN Racing’s Fábio Mota was stripped of his times from qualifying, while Rikli Honda’s Christjohannes Schreiber has lost sixth after an engine change.

Schreiber’s penalty means the championship leader will start from the back for Race 1, but will be able to make use of the reversed grid for Race 2, should he be able to break into the top eight on the tricky street circuit.

Mota had qualified third, but after losing his times after failing to stop at the weigh bridge, the Portuguese driver will also start from the back of the grid, perhaps switching his focus from Race 1 to Race 2 to deliver a result in front of his home crowd.

Promoted to third on the grid for Race 1 is Target Competition’s José Rodrigues, making his ETCC debut this weekend.