yvdp
22-09-2001, 13:51
"Juan Pablo Montoya is looking to break some record of his own. Not content to let his rival Michael Schumacher take all the plaudits, the Colombian, following his recent triumph in Italy is looking to become the first driver to win races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on both the 2.5-mile oval and 2.606-mile Grand Prix course.
The former BMW Williams tester went to the US in 1999 to compete in the CART series which he won in his first year. He repeated that feat in 2000 along the way taking the famed Indianapolis 500 race at his first attempt having led the race for 167 out of the 200 laps.
Montoya is aware that there is a record to be made but remains realistic about his chances of taking a second victory in succession. Despite his brilliant show of form this season and two second places prior to his maiden victory, circumstance and reliability have prevented him from winning more races. A win he acknowledged is not a foregone conclusion despite the track's suitability to the power range of the BMW engine.
"First off, I have to win it," he said "It would be something really special. I won Indy my rookie year, and to get to win the U.S. Grand Prix in my rookie year would be just fantastic. But from saying it to doing it is a long way."
Montoya has previous experience of the circuit when he drove round it during its construction in 1999 and 2000 before his participation in that year's Indy 500.
"I think the circuit is pretty good," he added. "I know the circuit quite well in that perspective. It's a circuit where we should be very strong because I think power does count, and we've got plenty of that."
But even though BMW Williams will have given him access to last year's US Grand Prix data, such is the speed of advancement in formula1 technology, Montoya thinks that it will be of only limited use.
"Every year the car is different," he concluded. "You've got something new in the car, so you really can't go out and say, 'Yes, I learned the set-up,' because my driving style is different. But the team has a lot of data from the previous year, so we'll see how it applies.
"I think we'll be quite competitive. It will take a bit of time to really get there and work with it, but from what I've seen so far I would say we're looking quite strong."
The last formula1 driver to win the Indianapolis 500 before Montoya was Jacques Villeneuve in 1995. He also went on to drive for Williams taking the World Championship in 1997."
Zou ni slecht zijn hé.
The former BMW Williams tester went to the US in 1999 to compete in the CART series which he won in his first year. He repeated that feat in 2000 along the way taking the famed Indianapolis 500 race at his first attempt having led the race for 167 out of the 200 laps.
Montoya is aware that there is a record to be made but remains realistic about his chances of taking a second victory in succession. Despite his brilliant show of form this season and two second places prior to his maiden victory, circumstance and reliability have prevented him from winning more races. A win he acknowledged is not a foregone conclusion despite the track's suitability to the power range of the BMW engine.
"First off, I have to win it," he said "It would be something really special. I won Indy my rookie year, and to get to win the U.S. Grand Prix in my rookie year would be just fantastic. But from saying it to doing it is a long way."
Montoya has previous experience of the circuit when he drove round it during its construction in 1999 and 2000 before his participation in that year's Indy 500.
"I think the circuit is pretty good," he added. "I know the circuit quite well in that perspective. It's a circuit where we should be very strong because I think power does count, and we've got plenty of that."
But even though BMW Williams will have given him access to last year's US Grand Prix data, such is the speed of advancement in formula1 technology, Montoya thinks that it will be of only limited use.
"Every year the car is different," he concluded. "You've got something new in the car, so you really can't go out and say, 'Yes, I learned the set-up,' because my driving style is different. But the team has a lot of data from the previous year, so we'll see how it applies.
"I think we'll be quite competitive. It will take a bit of time to really get there and work with it, but from what I've seen so far I would say we're looking quite strong."
The last formula1 driver to win the Indianapolis 500 before Montoya was Jacques Villeneuve in 1995. He also went on to drive for Williams taking the World Championship in 1997."
Zou ni slecht zijn hé.