Montoya's driving style

[Sodemo]

Does anyone else think that Montoya is tearing his rear tyres to bits when he is in a race?

Just watching the Brazil race, I think it would have been a miracle if his tyres would have lasted.

[Damon]

One thing I have noticed is that he has very aggressive throttle control. Probably a legacy of his Cart years. Whatever his style it ain't half exciting to watch .

[Tristan]

True: that's why I'll always be a fan of someone like Montoya, his style is attacking, discernable and great to watch. Very Shumacher-y.

[RussianFriend]

Originally posted by Tristan
True: that's why I'll always be a fan of someone like Montoya, his style is attacking, discernable and great to watch. Very Shumacher-y.

Cannot agree. Shumacher-y is not agressive and attacking. In his early F1 years TGF was famous as computer-man, intellegent, hard-working, controlling everything.

Maybe Villenueve-y ?

[PoweredByHonda]

People have compared Montoya to Villeneuve as they both came from CART.
I think Montoya is just very sure of himself, cocky and his driving reflects that. He has a no bull attitude and isn't afraid of anyone/anything. He has supreme confidance in himself and the car.

[JeremySmith]

Mr Montoya's driving "style" reminds me more of Jean Alesi or Nigel Mansell than anybody else..

Except for one thing, need I say more!

[Jay]

Montoya's driving style is a very all or nothing style. If he has the right car, and is at the front, he will probably win. If he has a bad setup, and is battling further back there is a very good chance he will end up in the armco or a gravel trap. That was his style in Cart, and it appears to be in F1 too.

During the practice sessions he drives the same way: on the limit, whether it is out lap or his hotlap. Unfortunately for Juan, this has rarely meant he is higher on the time sheets, as he usually loses as much time as he gains by locking tires and having to correct the car.

It is definately an entertaining style. He will almost always either make a good pass or crash.

[JeremySmith]

Yes you are right, bull in a china shop driving..IMO I don't think he will last..unless he learns to calm down and keep his mouth in a closed position..I don't see it myself, but I have been wrong many times before.

[mac]

Jay - what you said about Montoya when he gets back in the field is spot on. One major difference between he and Zanardi (and the thing that will either make or break JPM) is that he is a frontrunner. That is, he is fantastic when he's right up at the pointy end, but get him towards the middle or back of the field and he struggles by overdriving the car and being impatient, forcing passing moves. I remember this happened quite a lot in CART (Detroit '99, Australia '99 and a handful of other times in 2000). The reason this will make him successful in f1 is that he is in a good car and has the potential to run at the front (where he is very quick). This may also be his downfall if he gets back in the field early in races.

Throughout his whole career, Zanardi spent practice sessions setting the car up for the race, and not caring too much about qualifying (believing that if he had the fastest race car, he could pass guys and it wouldn't make too much difference). He did this countless times in CART, and didn't mind getting a little further back in the field. However you simply can't drive like that in f1.

Also, the hard on the gas style - I remember hearing a former CART and f1 driver (might have been JV?) saying that any more than two years in CART, and drivers start to develop bad habits (for driving f1 cars). This person thought that was the problem with AZ, and feared it might be a problem for JPM.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Jersound
Yes you are right, bull in a china shop driving..IMO I don't think he will last..unless he learns to calm down and keep his mouth in a closed position..

I think his dad gave him some strong advice along these lines. It was either in F1-Live or autorace.com.

[JeremySmith]

Hello Valve.

Well yes he needs to listen to somebody doesn't he..Maybe his fathers words will do the trick...What we are seeing with Juan is pretty much what I expected..It's not that he is not a good driver, in fact he is very good..I just feel in my bones that Montoya is not made to be F1..I certainly so not wish him bad luck..Temperament would be the word I would use. He does not have the right Temperament..Senna was volatile but their was a big difference he had flare, arrogant as hell of course, but lots of flare..

[Valve Bounce]

I THINK HE IS TRYING TOO HARD TO WIN, AND (sorry for caps) not focussing on finishing. Basically, that's what his father advised him to do.

[Tristan]

JPM IS a bit Schumacher-y IMO. They both like a very chuckable, pointy car with bags of oversteer. Great fun to watch....

[Total-F1]

I think Frank Williams' words will have struck home quite hard...

Montoya is very relaxed about what he does, but because he has been hyped up so badly, he is trying that extra bit more to fulfil people's expectations of him - he's come to F1, tried to hit the ground running but tripped up. He needs to stand up slowly and walk first.