PRO ANNUAL 2018

myself to 100% of my ability and always committed 100%. I wouldn’t change that but I did naively trust everyone along the way and as a result I lost a lot of money at times so I would recommend younger drivers to be more cautious sometimes. This crash has opened me up to some interesting reactions from some people too. Most have been amazing but a few I have been surprised at.” Tiago was replaced by fellow ex F1 and long-term touring car team mate Gabriele Tarquini for one round and then the following rounds were covered by the feisty Argentine, Esteban Guerrieri. A driver that has really impressed Tiago it seems. “He is great. I was very intrigued to see how he would perform behind the wheel of the Honda and he did not disappoint. He is a solid driver and also a complete package. I am pleased he was the one to replace me”. See page 90 for Esteban’s story. WTCC has finished. Tiago, understandably is extremely sad about missing out on the final rounds of what has been a great championship, however he is very excited about its new future and says “..the new World Touring Car Racing (WTCR) is ideal. It is the best thing that would have happened to us and it should have really happened some time ago. It is looking good.” So, will it just be in WTCR that we will see him or will we see him popping up elsewhere? It is no big secret that last year he tested the Mahindra Formula E Spark-Mahindra M2ELECTRO car last year at Calafat. So what are his views on motorsport pushing hard to progress down the more electric route? “I’m ok with that as long as it isn’t ONLY electric! I hope in two years’ time there will still be at least a bit of thermic engines. As for racing making a step to Formula E, I have no plans at this stage. My focus, as always, is on my recovery and my campaign with Honda. It’s not easy to simply sign with another manufacturer in Formula e – plus, right now, all of the drivers in the world are trying to get in there! We shall see. It isn’t a priority right now but I am a fan and was since day one.” So the future really doesn’t seem as bleak as it did a few months ago for Tiago. No doubt, he has physically and mentally been through some incredibly hard few months, but there is a resolute feeling of gratitude for it too which I am sure only a few would truly understand. No-one wants to go through a life-changing journey like this, but somehow Tiago is making it work for him and it has opened his eyes to a whole different outlook which I feel will result in an even stronger, even more fearless driver. “I am so grateful for my 20 years of racing and I now feel, thankfully, that I still have many more years to go. My future has been rewritten a little but my focus is the same. I want to race. I will race. Simple as that. That is my blood and that will never change. I am doing everything I can to be ready to be part of the new era of WTCR and I am excited to get back to winning again.” Good to hear it. FEARLESS DRIVER PRO ANNUAL 2018 78