Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya standing on the podium.
Former Williams and McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya said he adopted an “a**hole” approach to racing of ‘leave me space or crash’, as he did not like seeing rivals putting up such little fight against Michael Schumacher.
Montoya would make his Formula 1 debut with Williams back in 2001 and remained with the team through the height of Schumacher’s dominance at Ferrari, where the German racer made himself a seven-time World Champion with a run of five titles in a row between 2000-04.
Juan Pablo Montoya admits approach to Michael Schumacher ‘p*ssed me off’
During the Schumacher era, Montoya achieved victory in four races while driving for Williams. The Colombian driver voiced his dissatisfaction with the prevalent racing mindset, emphasizing that back then, Schumacher seemed to face no competition. Rather, Montoya believed that other drivers were content with yielding their positions without putting up a fight.
“When Montoya appeared on the Beyond the Grid podcast, he expressed frustration with Michael, stating that nobody ever dared to race against him.”
As Michael approached from behind, it seemed as though everyone instinctively cleared a path for him, acknowledging his presence.
“That angered me, and you know why? It’s as if they’re saying, ‘Oh, it’s Michael, don’t mess with Michael’.”
Montoya was asked if the reason for the approach from rivals towards Schumacher was because he was driving a powerful Ferrari at that time. In response, Montoya stated, “Indeed, I understand that, but it was more about the immense respect everyone had for him.”
Montoya confirmed that Schumacher had his rivals beaten even before he wore his helmet, when asked if that implied.
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Montoya would clarify that his racing philosophy revolved around being an aggressive competitor, known for being ruthless on the track. He believed in giving his opponents a clear ultimatum when making a move – they either had to yield or face the consequences of a collision.
Montoya further expressed, “My racing approach involved a rather aggressive demeanor, to the point where I could be seen as quite unpleasant. However, this audacious attitude seemed to work in my favor, as people perceived me as being wild and it ultimately yielded positive results.”
“When I tossed the car in, they instantly recognized my intention and realized I wouldn’t yield. Therefore, there were two options: either make way for me or collide with me.”
Montoya disclosed that he had a single conversation with Schumacher, which occurred at a gathering hosted by former Mercedes motorsport vice president Norbert Haug. It was at this party that Montoya, Schumacher, and his Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello indulged in some drinks.
Montoya reminisced about the solitary occasion when he conversed with Michael, which took place while he was competing for BMW and Michael was still associated with Ferrari. Montoya vividly remembered the invitation extended by Norbert Haug for a party at Nurburgring subsequent to the race.
I replied affirmatively as we intended to spend the night there.
“I visited the place since Norbert extended an invitation, and with the company of Michael and Rubens, the three of us indulged in some drinks, concluding our experience.”
Montoya proceeded to become a part of McLaren for the 2005 season, but made an early exit from both the team and Formula 1 during the 2006 campaign.
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