PRO ANNUAL 2018

season but the combination of a disappointing round disqualification for Honda and a very dominant opposing team in the form of Citroën meant that a championship win was a fairly impossible outcome. So 2017 was Tiago’s time to really show not only his prowess but Hondas too and, for a while, everything was going to plan. By the end of round six in Argentina, Tiago was a favourite to win the World Championship, being 12 points clear of Polestar Cyan Racing Swede, Thed Bjork. Things were going very well. His best season to date. However, everything was shattered in September. A high-speed crash during testing in Barcelona in the Honda Civic WTCC test car following a failure in the brakes called an extremely abrupt halt to his hopes. Tiago spent two weeks in intensive care. He had suffered major nerve compression and had extensive eye damage. Despite doctors being extremely positive for a long-term recovery, there were no exact timings able to be given for when he would be back. Sadly, there was no chance for a return by the time the four ‘away races’ began in Japan. Tiago had hit an all-time low; not only physically, but mentally too. “I cannot tell you how hard it was to have to miss out on the chance to continue my WTCC title battle. I’ve had many lows in my life but nothing has come close to this. It has been, by far, the hardest experience I have ever had to deal with.” Three months post-crash - and his recovery was going well. Tiago looked and seemed on very good form. “I’ve just returned from a lot of events which involved a lot of travelling which, although exhausting, has been great. I’m training hard again. I have seen a lot of friends. These are the first steps but they are huge steps. I finally feel like I am moving forward again.” Tiago joined the final of the WTCC in Qatar recently – the round where he had hoped to be on the top step rejoicing. Instead he had to watch Thed win the world title “That was pretty hard. I’d have preferred to have been behind the wheel but I was genuinely happy to support Norbie and Honda and honestly, just the very fact that I am getting better all the time far outweighs the rest now. That’s what is important. I’ve had time to accept things more now. The last few months have been tough. I’ve been through really hard times before but once you accept that this is the way life is, the goals change.” Goals changed and an experience like this was bound to psychologically effect even the hardiest of beings. I wondered if Tiago had learnt anything about himself and his outlook as a result? PRO ANNUAL 2018 76