Tiago Monteiro was understandably delighted to secure his first win in the World Touring Car Championship in the second round of the 2008 campaign in Mexico.
On a weekend dominated by the SEAT team, the former
F1 racer stormed to victory in the second race to lead a lock-out of the top six placings for the Spanish manufacturer, which revelled in the conditions encountered as the high-altitude circuit.
Having qualified down in tenth place on the grid but managed to climb his way up to seventh place in the opening race – which left him on the front row of the grid for race two as a result.
Starting alongside the Chevrolet of Alain Menu, Monteiro beat the Swiss ace off the line and led from start-to-finish from Rickard Rydell for his first win since switching to the series last year.
"Puebla was an unbelievable meeting,” he said. “I felt during Friday's tests that I was very fast on this circuit that I did not know but which immediately gave me good sensations.
"Things got complicated in qualifying because of a mechanical problem with the turbo but I was able to change that during the race. SEAT Sport leaves no room for doubt and this result is the fruit of the efforts of a large team. The team deserves all the congratulations for this victory, which is my first since I became a dad. So I dedicate it to my daughter!"