World Touring Car Championship points leader Tiago Monteiro has been hospitalised after a crash in testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday as a precaution.

The Honda Racing Team has been at the Spanish circuit as part of a promotion and test during the three-month off-season break for the WTCC.

The team has confirmed that Monteiro was involved in a high-speed accident at Turn 1 in the Honda Civic WTCC test car, with the 41-year-old Portuguese driver requiring extractio from the car, where he was taken to the circuit’s medical centre without any broken bones, before he was moved to a local hospital fully conscious.

Monteiro underwent an MRI scan today where no injuries were detected, but will remain in hospital until at least Monday, after which he may be able to move to a medical facility in Portugal to continue his recovery.