While Simon Tiger is naturally among the favorites to win this weekend in Portugal, the Swedish driver admits that the front-wheel-drive Open 2WD cars are giving him more trouble than expected.
After winning Q1 and then settling for fourth in Q2, Tiger currently sits second in the intermediate standings, just behind Viktor Johansson. The Super1600 entries of Tiago Ferreira and André Sousa complete the Top 4.
Despite the tricky racing conditions, the experienced driver had plenty to smile about after a solid start to the weekend.
“We tried to show we still have pace. We’ve got a minor issue with the turbo’s wastegate in Q1—there’s a small leak—so I’m down a bit on power. But overall, I think we’re in a good spot. The front-wheel drives are really quick on the gravel sections, but they can’t match us on tarmac. The goal is to pull away at the start and see what happens from there.”
The variety of technical profiles on the grid—lightweight front-wheel-drive machines versus powerful rear-wheel-drive cars—has added an unpredictable edge to the racing.
“Honestly, I didn’t think they’d be able to keep up. But they’ve proved me wrong—especially on gravel. They’re super nimble and fast through the tight sections. On tarmac, they don’t stand a chance, but in those loose gravel turns, they come at you from everywhere, like little bugs! It’s fun, really. I could hear them buzzing behind me the whole time. But it spices things up. It’s shaping up to be a great battle.”
On a track as demanding and ever-changing as Montalegre, Tiger admits there’s only so much the car’s setup can compensate for.
“I don’t think there’s much I can tweak. The car is set up for northern tracks where the gravel sections are quicker. Here, the gravel corners are really slow, and my car’s just too heavy with a lot of power to handle. As soon as I hit the gravel, I lose speed. It’s too slippery, and with all that weight in the rear, it feels like I’m carrying a backpack. Meanwhile, the front-wheel drives come flying in from all angles—like mosquitoes.”