Montoya's lousy attitude

Mania · 10 Jun 2002, 02:17 (Ref:309139)

From BBC Sport:

Montoya was furious after his retirement and stormed away from the Canadian Grand Prix circuit without talking to the media.

And he directed a stream of obscenities at the Williams media officer when she was trying to get a quote for the team's press release.

Thats pretty low. To swear at the media officer when the poor thing was just trying to do her job.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/engli...00/2035459.stm

freud · 10 Jun 2002, 02:42 (Ref:309145)

I can understand that JPM was a bit angry... afterall he gave 110% & drove the wheels off that thing.

f1manoz · 10 Jun 2002, 02:43 (Ref:309147)

This is not the first time a driver has gone off at someone and won't be the last.

Some people will take any oppurtunity to blast a driver sometimes.

Valve Bounce · 10 Jun 2002, 02:51 (Ref:309151)

I suppose he was extremely upset about the whole situation and let his Latin temperament get the better of him. Sometimes people of Spanish origin tend to be rather hot headed, and when a person has a mix of Spanish and Portuguese, it could be even worse.

However, I hope he has the sense to apologise to the lady later when he calms down.

Valve[img]http://www.**************************/smilies/bouncy.gif[/img]

freud · 10 Jun 2002, 02:59 (Ref:309153)

Like most South americans, JPM is an 'intense' guy. He plays hard. I would compare the situation to the issue of 'sledging' by the Australian cricket team. Personally I would say that the whole issue is mindless. Its a sport and what's called 'sledging' is historically part of the sport. To ban 'sledging' just doesnt make sense as it makes sport turn into a 'sissy' game... sorry if that offends anyone.

BTW.. I am a big fan of Australian cricket team.

senna12 · 10 Jun 2002, 03:08 (Ref:309156)

Well, since he could have won, I can understand him being upset, as Michael gets further and further away as the season progresses, plus Ralf was behind him, so he was in for the best possible outcome.
I'm sure the press officer will get an apology.

DavidStHubbins · 10 Jun 2002, 05:48 (Ref:309193)

He's a spoilt brat, Hakkinen and Schumacher never did that.

I bet he overstressed the engine! Go back to indycar. Schuey would have beaten him anyway, thats what he was miffed about.

f1manoz · 10 Jun 2002, 05:50 (Ref:309195)

Geez, here we go again.......

And as for TGF never doing that, obviously you haven't been watching F1 for too long.....

Valve Bounce · 10 Jun 2002, 06:25 (Ref:309216)

With automatic gearboxes and computerised engine mapping, it is impossible to overstress an engine during a race. I guess different drivers react differently to blown engines under such conditions. Mika ran into the bushes and weeped, the Rodrigues brothers cried like babes in the pits, and so on. I think that JPM must have felt that Williams/BMW let him down again, especially when he was in a position to win the race. Swearing at the Williams lady press officer is not good manners, and I hope when he cools down, he will go back to her and apologise.

I remembr Alesi was so infuriated after his engine blew up that he jumped into his Ferrari sports car and drove like a maniac back to Monaco. It was only after he arrived there that he realised that it was somebody else's car. As I said before, the Latin temperament thing is something hot, and I think Alesi has a lot of that too.

Valve[img]http://www.**************************/smilies/bouncy.gif[/img]

f1manoz · 10 Jun 2002, 06:39 (Ref:309221)

JPM will apologise. Having seen another possible grand prix win evaporate through no fault of your own would make anyone unhappy.

But JPM gets on well with the team and when he apologises, I'm sure they'll understand.

**Adam43** · 10 Jun 2002, 07:13 (Ref:309229)

I don't understand this report.

He got out the car and spent most of the time waving to the croud as he walked back to his pits. Then he was on the pit wall talking to the team for quite some time. I would't say he was thrilled with having just retired, but he seemed to be taking it very well, with his usual "oh well" attitude that he has.

To then shout at the Williams PR officier seems unlikely.

As for not talking to the press. Maybe there was a chance of an earlier plane and he took it! Fair enough.

The press. Tut.

Dino IV · 10 Jun 2002, 07:36 (Ref:309240)

Indeed, you're absolutely right Mania ... we'd rather had Montoya walk calmly along all the journalist stating that it was 'unfortunate', but 'that's motoracing' and he was 'very thankful to the team for such an competitive car' and hoped 'they would do better in the next GP'. "Thank you Juan, back to the studio."

Where's that puke-smilie when you need it?? One of the major complaints about the F1-circus is that it's not only a dull exercise on-track but also bleach PR-standard bla-bla off-track. The entertainment value of these press-conferences and quotes is absolutely zero as one can imagine before-hand for the rest of the season and seasons to come what the GP-winner, what the guy with the collision, what the guy with the engine failure and what the guy with the slow pit-stop is going to say.

And whenever there's someone who reacts as a genuine human being because of the storm of emotions which is raging through his mind, then this person is acting way out of line, a disgrace to the sport and other PC-bull. I for one, feel nothing for the

-brats being trained from kart to F1 to fit in the above PR-harness and would much rather see them act genuinly.

Ofcourse he achieves nothing by bullying the PR-womand and he will apologise because he is no bully himself. But perhaps this PR-woman and the team now will understand there's a limit to where you can treat the drivers as gimme-a-safe-quote-puppets and that there's a time when you should leave them alone and respect their emotions.

f1manoz · 10 Jun 2002, 07:37 (Ref:309242)

*applause for Dino*

Suzy · 10 Jun 2002, 07:50 (Ref:309250)

Perhaps it is worth noting that the job of a PR officer also involves the occasional being-on-the-receiving-end-of-a-driver's-outburst. Folks: I used to work as a PA to a senior publisher and I was always on the receiving end of the outbursts when things went wrong and I had to ask him about it! The difference between my ex-boss and JPM is that JPM will apologise whereas "sorry" never entered the vocabulary of my ex-boss!

Mr V · 10 Jun 2002, 08:36 (Ref:309280)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mania
From BBC Sport:

Montoya was furious after his retirement and stormed away from the Canadian Grand Prix circuit without talking to the media.

And he directed a stream of obscenities at the Williams media officer when she was trying to get a quote for the team's press release.

whilst i don't think it was fair to shout/swear at the press officer (although we all do things we regret later!) i can understand his disappointment! as for storming off without talking to the media, maybe this is something he learnt from Rafe, this is exactly what Rafe did after qualifying on saturday!

Damon · 10 Jun 2002, 08:58 (Ref:309313)

It is clear that the schu fans around here are looking for any way possible to slam JPM as it becomes more and more difficult to spout on about his on track performance. He was going to be disappointed and this thing happens all the time. If nothing else it shows he has genuine passion for what he's doing.

BTW...anyone remember spa 98 when schu went charging of down the pits to "have words" with DC after he'd just driven into the back of him. It took about 6 mechanics to refrane him.

Valve Bounce · 10 Jun 2002, 08:58 (Ref:309314)

I agree with Dino. Also, why would anyone want to talk to the media under these circumstances. It was best to leave the guy alone. Let's look at it this way: what sensible question could anyone ask JPM after his engine just blew up when he was fully aware that he could race up to MSch, pass him, and win the race. What on earth could anyone possibly ask him that wasn't stupid??

Valve[img]http://www.**************************/smilies/bouncy.gif[/img]

Mr V · 10 Jun 2002, 09:03 (Ref:309322)

Quote:

Originally posted by Damon
It is clear that the schu fans around here are looking for any way possible to slam JPM

Damon, i wouldn't say that too loudly, Mania (who "owns" this topic) is a Rafe supporter!

f1manoz · 10 Jun 2002, 09:05 (Ref:309327)

IMO, there should be no interviewer with 100 metres of a driver after he's just retired, particularly under the circumstances like JPM where he'd just lost a great oppurtunity at taking a win.

There are times when drivers should just be left alone, but thanks to the big PR machine F1 has become.........

Alan Jones · 10 Jun 2002, 09:15 (Ref:309340)

This is true, and then they really ask such intelligent questions like, " how do you feel ? " after just crashing out of a race or rolling it etc etc
How the hell do you reckon they feel ??????????/

Sheesh!!
FWIW, I wouldn'twant to talk to anyone after something like that either. These guys need a chance to cool off, gather their thoughts and emotions before having to face the world media. As for the poor PR girl, hopefully she will forgive the Monster when she gets to sell him as a WDC for Team Willy.

downforce · 10 Jun 2002, 09:16 (Ref:309342)

Damn!! did u see the attention Jacques was getting for parking his BAR???

Damon · 10 Jun 2002, 09:24 (Ref:309346)

Quote:

Originally posted by mr v

Damon, i wouldn't say that too loudly, Mania (who "owns" this topic) is a Rafe supporter!

Well that explains it even more

EvilPumpkin · 10 Jun 2002, 10:15 (Ref:309384)

I am with Adam on this one - this report is very weird. We were watching on Sky and the pit cam followed him all the way back to the pits, looking disappointed but taking the time to wave to the crowd and not being at all rude to the cameramen following him - and then going over to the Williams crew and having a chat and even a bit of a laugh with them.

I would be highly sceptical of this report. If he did refuse to talk to the press then they obviously decided that they had to write something

And he directed a stream of obscenities at the Williams media officer when she was trying to get a quote for the team's press release.

Fairly out of context statement - does anyone have a report on when and how this was done? And what his relationship has been in the past with said media officer? If I had suffered this kind of disappointment in my job and a colleague asked me for a comment (ok not that the press are interested in anything I do - but just for the sake of argument!

) it would probably "tell them to

off and leave me alone for an hour - this is NOT a

good time. Press - shower of

vultures!"

Technically, that could be reported as a stream of obscenities directed at the person asking - but in the context of the conversation, the people in question and the relationship between them, it's not the same thing!

*shrug*

calais · 10 Jun 2002, 10:25 (Ref:309389)

i remember when halfie was stuck on the grid at spa last year that he sceamed obceneties at williams personell through his radio.

charming!!!!!!

BBKing · 10 Jun 2002, 11:46 (Ref:309468)

I would like to hear what he said. It must be something he has said before. Something along the lines of "the ****ing engine blew up "....LOL

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Signs you are a Lousy Commentator - Melbourne '02	Liz	Formula One	27	11 May 2002 14:06
Lousy Coverage from Laguna Seca	Liz	Sportscar & GT Racing	4	10 Sep 2001 01:17
What a lousy week!	Redneck	Tributes Forum	6	12 Jul 2000 00:42