Montoya disappointed in F1

Only a month after being dropped my McLaren and announcing the swith to the NASCAR series, Juan Pablo Montoya confessed to Yamid Amat, a Colombian journalist, that he left F1 because he was bored and disappointed.

Juan Pablo Montoya "I left because of boredom, I wasn't enjoying the races at all. I had alread done everything that I had to do and had almost completed all the goals I had set for myself. I only lacked a championship win and I realised that the possibility to achieve it with this car was minimum. The decision to leave was the best I could have taken."

Montoya explains why he decided to make the switch to NASCAR and to leave the world of F1 behind him. "Fighting for fifth position is not amusing. I wanted a new challenge. NASCAR it is one, different and fresh. I can have 10 or 15 years more of racing. It is another world, it is more relaxed, and people are warmer.

Not only the car disappointed Montoya, but also his boss, Ron Dennis. "The relationship with Ron was allright until I broke my shoulder. I called him and told him what happened. The British press came out with a different story and they started to make jokes on Ron for believing my version. Moreover, he thought I had made a fool of him in front of the whole world. Since then, the trust was not the same."

"I did not even talk with him. When I left, his lawyer called mine lawyer and said to him: this is what we will do. That is how the deal was done: lawyer to lawyer."

Asked why McLaren made the decision to let Montoya go early, before the end of the season, the Colombian says: "They said they were worried about my concentration because, already with a contract in NASCAR, my full focus will not be in Formula 1. For them it was important to look and take care of their future and that I focus in my affairs."

Juan Pablo explains why he made the decision to move to NASCAR: "I had these alternatives: another chance in Formula 1, racing in Cart, go to Nascar or retire from racing. One night I called Chip to say hello. The conversation in English is something like that. He says: "What else..." I said "What else, Ganassi. What are you doing?". Then he says: "Oh Montoya, what are you doing?". And I answered to him: "Not much. "What are you doing?". And he said to me... "I'm, looking for a driver..." and I said: "I'm looking for a drive...". And there it started everything. We made a deal and ready!"

Juan Pablo Montoya's new career will start together with the start of the new NASCAR season on February 9.