Montoya Reveals His Ferrari Dream

[Valve Bounce]

Check this out:http://www.f1newsonline.net/news/tpl...002-01-26-4611

Montoya has revealed he would love to drive for the legendary Ferrari team, but not until he has finished at Williams.

Earlier this month Ferrari were reported to be hunting down Montoya as a Schumacher replacement, although Ferrari abruptly denied all reports, Montoya thought it was a great rumour.

"One day Ferrari would be good. It's a bit of a myth. But it's not that I would leave Williams now and go to Ferrari." Montoya told the BBC. "Williams and BMW have a good few years together yet."

Montoya is reported to get a salary way bellow the mark for a driver of his class, a mere one and a half million dollars, but the Columbian is happy with what he is getting right now. "I’m happy with what I am getting at the moment."

The significant part is tHe last paragraph. Ralf is reportedly hte second highest paid driver in F1, and if JPM finishes ahead of him this year, Frank will be in a quandry, because he cannot afford to pay JPM more than what Ralf is getting. The only team that can offer a mega salary to JPM would be Ferrari, especially if they promise him the numero uno seat when MSch leaves, plus a mega salary hike then. I still suspect that JPM will go to Ferrari next year. Nothing wrong with going to Ferrari and learn a few tricks from MSch before the latter departs.

[Mr V]

the thing is that rafes salary must be performance related...and if jpm is outqualifying/ out racing and out scoring rafe then williams won't have to pay rafe as much to keep him (if they want to that is!) and any rise for jpm will not be as much as they give rafe.

[Nicholas]

All very well, but does Ferrari want him for the immediate future? I think the most important thing for Montoya is to get wins, and then money. Sounds obvious, but not all Williams drivers have seen it that way for some reason...

[Tristan]

To be honest, I think everyone on the grid has the same "dream".

Any sane person would want at least a CHANCE to drive a Ferrari, either they're simply not good enough to be signed (top teams like Macs and Ferraris only have the very top drivers, of course) or are reluctant to be second fiddle to Mr TGF, be it in contract form or being embarrassed on the track á la Rubinho.

[Raven]

I'm confident Williams can and will be able to pay JPM his worth. Ferrari are the richest team, but McLaren, Williams, BAR, Toyota, Jaguar & Renault could all afford MS and another 10 mil+ driver.

[Gt_R]

For a team that spent most of its money on engineering their cars, Williams is known to be unwilling to spent huge amount of money on a driver unless they are exteremly sure of his worth (not to mention a contract that allows WIlliams to terminate them hassle-free) as well as he is equally known to appreciate the greatest drivers.

Quote Raven : "Ferrari are the richest team, but McLaren, Williams, BAR, Toyota, Jaguar & Renault could all afford MS and another 10 mil+ driver."

Not true mate, found this very recently on Formula1.com:
=====================
Williams: Schumi would be great teacher for JPM 27 Jan 2002

Frank Williams has admitted that Michael Schumacher would be top of his wish list of drivers, and feels that he would be perfect to bring Juan Pablo Montoya's true potential out. However, he also revealed that "I couldn't afford him!"

...For the full story...clickhere

=====================

[senna12]

Frank probably meant he couldn't afford BOTH of them!

Juan has said that money is not the most important thing to him, and he could have made much more by staying in CART. Proving he is the best is more important.

But the fact remains he is grossly underpaid, especially compared to his teammate. If he beats Ralf this year, then I think Ralf and his salary would be sacrificed to keep him away from Ferrari, at least until MS's contract ends, in '04 I think?

Although I also feel Juan would enjoy the chance to race head to head in "equal" machinery at Ferrari with Michael. I'd love to see that!

[Raven]

Thanks for the article, I'm still sure Williams along with his partners could put up the cash for MS. It may just be that Frank wouldn't be willing to pay when another driver could get onto the same level through hard work dedication. At least that appears to be his insight into 'what makes MS so good'.

[Alan Jones]

I'm suprised Sir Frank has signed Ralf up for as long as he has.That being said, we should enjoy JPM at Willy for as long as we can because if his performance lives up to our expectations, he is sure to get some very lucrative offers from other teams.Seems like Frank will offer only so much, as history shows, then just jump out of the negotiations and bring someone cheaper in.Maybe juans talent will help Frank part with the hard earned to keep him and IMO this is just what he should do. JPM's focus and willingness to do the hard yards off the track as well as on will pay dividends for whoever is lucky enough to have him as their pilot.

[race aficionado]

What I find when I read one of Juan's interviews, is that I feel he is being honest and upfront about everything he is asked.

Would he like to race for Ferrari? Oh yes he would, and he answers in a way that he is not pulling low punches to attack Sr. Frank's attention. He just honestly answers a question that I'm sure all drivers have had in their minds, that of being able to be part of an organization that symbolizes F1 and happens to now have a great car and a great team.

Heck! even Frank when asked about his own dreams, he said that he would like Michael Schumacher in his team but he can't afford him. They both gave honest to goodness answers.

Juan likes what BMW is doing with Williams, he's getting totally involved with the designers, the engineers, the factory workers, the Team. He is following Sr. Franks helpfull advice and as he said in his interview:
"I tell my drivers to watch Michael, and learn from him. Juan will get better because of the openness of his mind. He knows he has to learn from everything around him, the whole F1 firmament. That means appreciating engineering, refining his driving technique. He has to improve everything, acquire knowledge. Grandiose words but they are real."
Talking about speaking in an upfront way, notice that Ralf wasn't mentioned by name in Franks comments.

[Damon]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is no way on gods earth that JPM would play number two to Schumacher, it just won't happen. JPM may well end up at Ferrari one day, but after Schumacher has gone.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Damon
I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is no way on gods earth that JPM would play number two to Schumacher, it just won't happen. JPM may well end up at Ferrari one day, but after Schumacher has gone.

if jpm went to ferrari, it wouldn't be as no 2 to tgf. i know alot of people on this forum think that rubens and eddie are 3rd rate drivers, i don't, it's just that they're not as good as tgf!

the only person in f1 who is as good (better in my opinion) as tgf is jpm.

tgf's job is made easier at ferrari by the fact that at the start of a gp, he is ahead of rubens on the grid, if jpm was at ferrari.....tgf would have to catch jpm before ferrari issue team orders.

[EERO]

Mr. V, I think Damon is right. As long ad TGF has #1 status for the Scuderia, no driver who believes that he could beat him in a fair fight will accept reduced odds. Schumacher may be brilliant for now and for the forseeable future, but once his star is in the decline-as it must-Ferrari will suffer the foly of having supported ONE driver to the exclusion of his teammates. JPM will NEVER be Schumacher's toady.

[Mania]

Juan is going to Ferrari in 2003....I can bet on it. Firstly, all these reports are no coincidence. Frank is known to be cheap when it comes to paying his drivers, and lets be honest here - everyone dreams about being a Ferrari driver not a Williams driver despite the respect and admiration Frank commands. Ferrari is just something else.

Frank can afford to give Montoya a decent pay raise but Ferrari can easily match that and go beyond. If Ferrari sign Montoya, they are likely to sign him to a long term deal and a hefty salary to go with that. Nobody would turn that down. Montoya is a smart cookie and he would understand that he would only be dealing with Michael for 2 seasons before Michael is likely to retire. During that time, he can learn a hell of a lot from the great one as well as settling in with the team itself.

He's Ferrari material and everyone knows it. It's just a matter of time before he signs.

Frank is smart enough to understand the reality of the situation as well which is why he has so many drivers under contract to choose from in 2003 as Ralf's partner.

Ralf wasnt signed to a long term deal for nothing. Ideally, Frank would like to have both Ralf and Juan signed to long term deals yet it is only Ralf who has managed to get a big contract and Juan is waiting despite a good first F1 season. Is that because Williams havent offered him an extention or is it because Montoya's managers are talking to Ferrari and that is the reason why Juan has not signed any contract extentions with Williams Bmw. Figure it out!

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Mania
Montoya is a smart cookie and he would understand that he would only be dealing with Michael for 2 seasons before Michael is likely to retire. During that time, he can learn a hell of a lot from the great one as well as settling in with the team itself.

jpm maybe a smart cookie, and could learn alot, but that ain't his style and he's not a lap dog either, if he went to ferrari while tgf was there, it wouldn't be as tgf's slave.

as for learning things, he went to cart with no experience of that form of racing and won the title in his rookie year, so i don't believe he's bothered about learning off others.

[Mania]

Well no one is saying he would Michael's slave. If he's quicker than Michael - then he's quicker than Michael. Simple as that. But thats not going to happen in 2003 - maybe in 2004 or perhaps in the latter half of 2003 he will be able to mix it with Michael. As for CART, theres a big difference in the two series which is why decent F1 drivers can go to CART and win races and the title whereas a decent CART driver is likely not to make the grade in F1. F1 is a different cup of tea. Montoya has a lot to learn as he himself has stated and so has Frank Williams. You learn from the best and thats what Michael is.

[Valve Bounce]

................then of course it is quite conceivable that JPM will beat MSch this year and win the WDC for Williams. That will alter all the parameters and arguments as to why Ferrari would want to sign JPM to become their lead driver simply by default next year. It could also bring forward MSch's retirement plan.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
................then of course it is quite conceivable that JPM will beat MSch this year and win the WDC for Williams. That will alter all the parameters and arguments as to why Ferrari would want to sign JPM to become their lead driver simply by default next year. It could also bring forward MSch's retirement plan.

i hope your right on all counts there VB!! although jpm WILL be wdc at some stage in his career (more than once imo) i hope he beats tgf to the wdc, otherwise we'll have all these (non jpm) people saying "o.k he's wdc.but he couldn't do it against tgf"

[Gt_R]

Quote V:"otherwise we'll have all these (non jpm) people saying "o.k he's wdc.but he couldn't do it against tgf"

Which means he would have to win it this year...or your nightmare would come true.

But i really don't think its neccessary. Simply because they are all great drivers. Even if JPM can beat Michael, he couldn't pit himself with Senna or Stewart...so whatever the case is, there would be arguments about his real worth just like how people would say MS wouldn't win with Senna or Stewart around... On the other hand, winning a WDC when one of the adknowledged greatest is around doesn't automatically makes the winner better. Eg. I don't consider Damon Hill better than Michael. I don't consider JV to be better than Michael. And i don't consider Mika to be better than Michael. And although JPM has yet to won a WDC, i actually believe that he is closest to Michael than JV and Hill ever got.

JPM is talented no doubt. But he's still new to F1 racing and has plenty to learn. every driver would learn and mature before reaching their peak. As from Stewart to Senna to Schumacher to Montoya, love them for their merits and the special qualities they possess. IMO they are all great to watch and great to love.

JPM to Ferrari...Oh yes, please do.

[Splatz the Cow]

Ferrari the richest? My God, no, no - did nobody tell you Raven about Toyota. They've enough money to buy FIAT who own Ferrari and get constipation from swallowing diamonds just because they're bored, all at the same time. Toyota are happy to seem like the poor underdog but they will be the new measuring stick for F1 performance in 5 or so years. Money is everything in F1.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Gt_R
Quote V:"otherwise we'll have all these (non jpm) people saying "o.k he's wdc.but he couldn't do it against tgf"

Which means he would have to win it this year...or your nightmare would come true.

Eg. I don't consider Damon Hill better than Michael. I don't consider JV to be better than Michael. And i don't consider Mika to be better than Michael. And although JPM has yet to won a WDC, i actually believe that he is closest to Michael than JV and Hill ever got.

JPM to Ferrari...Oh yes, please do.

why this year???.......tgf's got 3 seasons left hasn't he??

i agree also about jpm being closer to tgf aswell, i was a massive damon fan, but in the "DAVID vs GOLIATH" scheme of things.

and finally.jpm to ferrari? yes please, but only after winning at least 1 wdc with williams.

[race aficionado]

Originally posted by mr v


and finally.jpm to ferrari? yes please, but only after winning at least 1 wdc with williams.

That's my wish also and I would emphasize on the "at least" part.

That way, by MS, I mean tgf, being strapped to his red car for a couple of more years, we will get that rivalry that we're all dreaming of, téte a téte, mano a mano, JPM vs Schumi, blue vs red.

[drexel]

That story about Montoya joining Ferrari was rubbish. Not because it can't happen, but because it suggested that Michael would be team leader one year, and Montoya the next.

If you know one thing for sure about these two drivers... it's that neither will ever play No. 2.

And i still can't understand the logic in comments that drivers won't go to Ferrari because of the 'schumacher clause'

"No one will be wiling to drive alongside TGF "

"...are reluctant to be second fiddle to Mr TGF, be it in contract form "

"As long ad TGF has #1 status for the Scuderia, no driver who believes that he could beat him in a fair fight will accept reduced odds. "

If a driver refuses to go there...it's because he's scared of getting embarrased or they ain't offering enough money, plain and simple.
Teamorders can only go so far...there's a massive difference between beating Michael by a freak occurence twice a season, and beating him regularly and being told to move over every time.

The latter scenario hasn't happened and would never be accepted by Ferrari, their fans, or even Michael himself.

[Gt_R]

What's the point of beating somebody when he is on the decline?

For example, to bring it to extremes, Irvine was quicker than Lauda in Jaguar in the testing this year... we can't say that Irvine is better than Lauda can we?

The best is to have 2 drivers fighting while they are at their peak. Like Prost vs Senna. Like Michael vs Mika. Even if Michael is a driver i support, i have to admit that there would be a time when things start to go down...it will come to every driver.

If JPM won at Williams next year..it is almost impossible that he'd be made no.2 driver of the team. It is shallow to think that it will happen. Ferrari is aware that Michael is just a driver (a very good one) and that drivers come and go, but Ferrari will always stay. The future of the team is more important to Luca than the future of Michael.

A fair team order system would be employed. Ie when one is logically (not mathematically) out of the fight for WDC, or when one car is clearly in trouble, would team orders be applied. Even if JPM only recieve 40% of the support from the team, i believe that the support he get would be more than the supposedly 50% he get from Williams in magnitude terms.

Ferrari provides both drivers with equal machinery. And if JPM has what it takes, he would prove his point on the track. Only those who are insecured about JPM's abilities would worry about the level of team support as well as other excuses.

JPM has a rare opportunity to lead the drive in Ferrari. Something not presented to many drivers. Because of his talent, speed and his working attitude (which is detailed and devoted, very much similar to Michael) which is why i think he perfectly fits the mould of drivers that Ferrari want. Frm a tifosi's viewpoint, wish him the best and hope he come over to carry on the Ferrari-era that started from Michael.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Gt_R
What's the point of beating somebody when he is on the decline?

Ferrari provides both drivers with equal machinery. And if JPM has what it takes, he would prove his point on the track. Only those who are insecured about JPM's abilities would worry about the level of team support as well as other excuses.

who's suggesting that tgf's in decline?? i don't think that anybody on this forum would!

as for insecurities about jpm's abilities, i for 1 say, bring tgf on.

i personally think that ferrari would ensure fair play between the 2 drivers, the difference between jpm and rubens and eddie (not to put rb/ei down either) is that jpm is a proven race winner already, thats something the other didn't have before going to ferrari.