But the vehicle came off the road and burst into flames after what was initially suspected to be a tyre blow–out as the car performed an overtake. Both are thought to have died almost instantly.
In only their second official statement since last week’s crash on the A–62 near Zamora, close to Spain’s north–west border with Portugal, Spain’s Civil Guard said it believed that Jota had been driving.
It said of the progress of its investigation: ‘The expert report is still being worked on and finalised.
‘Among other things traffic police from the Zamora branch of the Civil Guard are studying the tread marked by one of the wheels of the vehicle.
‘Everything is also pointing to a possible high excess of speed over the permitted speed on that stretch of the motorway.
‘All the tests carried out for the moment point to the driver of the crash vehicle being Diogo Jota.
‘The expert police report when it is finalised will be handed over to a court in Puebla de Sanabria.’