Tiago Monteiro

Tiago Vagaroso da Costa Monteiro (born 24 July 1976) is a Portuguese racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2005 to 2006, participating in 37 Grands Prix and scoring seven championship points including one podium—third place at the 2005 United States Grand Prix—becoming Portugal's first and still only Formula One podium finisher while later achieving far greater success in the World Touring Car Championship with multiple race victories. Born in Porto, Portugal, Monteiro began racing in 1997 in Porsche Carrera Cup France, winning several races before advancing to French Formula Three in 1998. He claimed runner-up in French Formula Three in both 2000 (finishing second at the prestigious Pau Grand Prix) and 2001, establishing himself as one of France's top Formula Three competitors.

Minardi signed Monteiro as official Formula One test driver for 2004 while he competed in Nissan World Series with Carlin Motorsport. When Midland Group bought Jordan Grand Prix, Monteiro was announced as full-time race driver alongside Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan for 2005. The team competed as Jordan in 2005 before rebranding as Midland F1 for 2006. Monteiro's Formula One breakthrough came at the notorious 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, where tire safety concerns caused 14 of 20 cars to withdraw before the start, leaving only six starters.

Monteiro kept cool amid the chaos and crossed the line third behind Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello's Ferraris, becoming Portugal's first-ever Formula One podium finisher—a historic achievement for Portuguese motorsport even if the circumstances were controversial. As of the Belgian Grand Prix (where he scored another point), Monteiro had finished every race of the 2005 season, breaking the record for consecutive finishes by a rookie Formula One driver, previously held jointly by Jackie Stewart (1965) and Olivier Panis (1994). His remarkable reliability demonstrated both his consistency and his ability to preserve his car despite driving for an underfunded team. For 2006, Monteiro remained with the team as it morphed from Jordan to Midland F1, partnered by Dutch driver Christijan Albers.

He retired from six races but his best performance came at the chaotic, weather-affected 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix where he finished ninth. On December 21, 2006, Spyker (which had purchased Midland) confirmed Monteiro would not be retained for 2007, with German rookie Adrian Sutil signed in his place. Monteiro's Formula One career ended with 37 starts, one podium, and seven championship points. After leaving Formula One, Monteiro joined SEAT in the World Touring Car Championship for 2007, remaining with them until 2012 and claiming several victories in 2008 and 2010.

He switched to Honda late in 2012, helping them win the 2013 World Manufacturers' Championship and achieving his highest personal championship finish of third place. Monteiro's touring car success far exceeded his Formula One achievements, proving his talent found better expression in wheel-to-wheel touring car racing than in Formula One's equipment-dependent hierarchy. His 2005 United States Grand Prix podium remains a source of Portuguese national pride, establishing Monteiro as Portugal's most successful Formula One driver despite the controversial circumstances of his achievement.