Vila Real, Race 2 : Monteiro scores majestic home win in Vila Real

Honda driver Monteiro led from pole position to chequered flag after making a great start, but he was pursued hard all the way by Yvan Muller. Though he managed to briefly build a lead of over a second at one stage, the final margin over the Citroën driver was 0.821 seconds.

The Portuguese star was greeted by a large and loud crowd of fans at the podium ceremony for his second win of the season.

Norbert Michelisz completed the podium after resisting an attack from team-mate Rob Huff late on, with Honda securing a 1-3-4 finish.

Championship leader José María López was able to stay in touch with the lead group for much of the race but dropped back towards the end and finished only a second in front of Volvo driver Thed Björk.

Björk kept fast-starting LADA driver Nicky Catsburg at bay, with the Dutchman himself under pressure for a while from WTCC Trophy winner Mehdi Bennani (the pair made slight contact at the first corner as Catsburg forced his way through) before shaking him off towards the end.

Catsburg’s team-mate Hugo Valente made an ever better start, gaining four places to climb to ninth, which he maintained until the end under pressure from Tom Chilton.

Opening Race winner Tom Coronel made a false start from 10th on the grid and was given a drive-through penalty, finishing 16th.