Paul Ricard WTCC: Lopez rejects Monteiro collision criticism
Honda's Tiago Monteiro slammed World Touring Car champion Jose Maria Lopez after their Paul Ricard collision, but the Citroen driver insisted he did not feel even 'one per cent guilty'
The reverse-grid format had placed the dominant Citroens just inside the top 10, forcing Lopez to carve through the field from eighth.
Lopez took a wide line into Turn 1 trying to pass Monteiro for second, but the Honda man remained narrowly ahead of the Argentinian and was pitched into a spin.
Monteiro sustained broken suspension, while Lopez went on to win.
VIDEO: LOPEZ/MONTEIRO COLLISION
A post-race investigation decided that no further action would be taken, much to Monteiro's anger.
"Of course I'm angry because even if he had been penalised, it would not have changed my result," he said.
"This podium was very important for the team and for me."
Lopez refused to accept any blame for the incident, believing Monteiro took a gamble with his defence.
"On the first lap I managed to pass Ma [Qing Hua] without losing time and contact with the leaders," he said.
"Then the second key moment was when I was trying on the outside with Tiago.
"He just came to me, I turned and I couldn't do anything.
"It was a shame for him. He took the risk but he lost his race.
"I cannot say anything because I don't feel guilty for one per cent of the manoeuvre."
The officials investigated both drivers' actions, but ruled neither was to blame.
"The stewards do not believe either driver were wholly or predominantly to blame for the action," said their statement.
Paul Ricard WTCC: Citroen's Jose Maria Lopez wins from eighth
Sebastien Loeb kicking himself despite home win in WTCC
Double F1 race winner Jean Pierre Jabouille has died
Former French Formula 1 driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille has died on Thursday at age 80, French media have reported.
IMSA champion Jarvis to contest full ELMS season with United Autosports
Reigning IMSA Sportscar Championship title-winner Oliver Jarvis will contest the European Le Mans Series with United Autosports alongside Formula 2 convert Marino Sato, in addition to the World Endurance Championship.
20 years on: Porsche’s 911 GT Daytona 24 Hours giant-killing relived
IMSA’s new GTP class for LMDh cars had a more auspicious debut last weekend than the Daytona Prototypes that arrived in 2003. Back then, they were humbled by a GT Porsche 911, which won the Floridian sportscar classic by nine laps.
Entries open for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award story
Entries have opened for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award, with budding motorsport engineers invited to apply for the revamped prize.
Why joker laps are entering the mainstream
This season the World Touring Car Championship looks certain to bring joker laps to a circuit-racing world championship for the first time. And it need not be the daft gimmick people may think
The making of the world's best tin-top driver
He has been overshadowed at Citroen for the last three seasons, but the retirement of Yvan Muller means the world says farewell to one of touring-car racing's finest talents
Volvo's plan to conquer the WTCC
Volvo gave the World Touring Car Championship a major boost when it announced it would enter the series, but its ambitions don't stop there. JACK COZENS examines its programme, the S60 and what its arrival means for the WTCC
The WTCC's Nordschleife gamble paid off
A 17-car field on a 13-mile track - the WTCC's Nurburgring Nordschleife gamble wasn't going to be easy to pull off. STUART CODLING explains how the series made it work
Insight from a Nordschleife master
World championship racing returns to the Nordschleife this weekend. STUART CODLING got a lesson from one of the legendary track's few masters
Becoming world champion for £100k
The 2012 World Touring Car champion says he never had the money to race cars. Yet 2015 is his 11th season in the WTCC. He talks STUART CODLING through his journey from motorsport fan to paid professional - for little more than £100,000
Can the vanquished champion bounce back?
The World Touring Car Championship kicks off in Argentina this weekend, and Yvan Muller bids to reclaim his throne from Citroen team-mate Jose Maria Lopez. He talks to STUART CODLING
The top 10 WTCC drivers of 2014
Citroen had no rivals during the 2014 World Touring Car Championship, and 'rookie' Jose Maria Lopez hit the ground running to emerge as a worthy champion. PETER MILLS rates the field
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.