Montoya: I hope James wins Puskás Award

Juan Pablo Montoya has lived his life at an impressive pace, on and off the track, the 39-year-old Colombian racing driver having proven himself one of motorsport’s finest all-round competitors over the past two decades – distinguishing himself in the high-octane and elite worlds of Formula 1, CART and NASCAR.

 

Montoya not only still holds the F1 speed record, thanks to racking up 372.6 km/h at the Italian GP back in 2005, he is also the sole currently active driver to have won both the Monaco GP and the Indianapolis 500, two of motor-racing’s legendary ‘Triple Crown’. And though he has yet to complete the triple feat by claiming the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three wins in the 24 Hours of Daytona provide further proof of his immense driving ability.

Given his status as one of the highest-profile Colombian sportspeople around, FIFA.com was understandably keen to seek out Montoya’s views on the beautiful game, countryman James Rodriguez’s fine form and for him to look ahead to the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala.

FIFA.com: Juan Pablo, how big a football fan are you?

Juan Pablo Montoya: When I was a child we talked about nothing but motor-racing at home, so of course all my free time was taken up by motorsports [Editor’s note: his father was also a racing driver]. People’s passion for football is usually passed down from generation to generation and so I didn’t experience that. My own boy, on the other hand, loves Real Madrid and James. But the other reason I’m not a big footy fan is because I’m a terrible player! (Laughs)

That being the case, how did your son pick up a passion for football?

While I don’t play football myself I do follow nearly every Colombia match, particularly at major tournaments like the World Cup. In fact, the first big match I went to was Colombia against [West] Germany at Italy 1990. What’s more, when I used to be in Formula 1, my then girlfriend, who’s now my wife, lived in Madrid and is a football fan, so we’d go and watch Real.

Did you go and see Colombia at Brazil 2014?

My wife tried to convince me to go, but I was in Pennsylvania training for the Indianapolis 500 so I told her I couldn’t, that she’d have to go by herself. And so off she went, to watch the Colombia versus Côte d’Ivoire match.

What was your verdict on Los Cafeteros’ performance overall?

Very positive, but the [quarter-final] defeat to Brazil was really painful. My team-mate Helio Castroneves is Brazilian and we watched the game together, but the way he celebrated afterwards is still very hard to swallow! (Laughs) Worse still, I thought we might get our own back in a friendly played here in Miami but they beat us again!

What’s your view on the current state of Colombian football?

At international level it’s a very good period for us. Back home football’s always been the people’s game, the No1 sport, but we’ve never had so many good players spread all across the world. Colombia has been connected to things that are less than pleasant, so anything that can help turn that around is good for the country. Football and motor-racing are just two good ways to help change that image.

Can you draw any comparisons between football and motor-racing in a sporting sense?

The way I see it, they’re both team sports. Preparation is very important: what you do before a race in physical and mental terms is vital, such as the strategy you’re going to use, for example. It’s like before a match: footballers have a plan to follow when they go out and play and we do too. It’s true that when you’re driving you’re out there on your own, but then you stop in the pits and it comes down to teamwork once more.

The forthcoming FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala will see individual awards handed out the year’s finest performers. Do you think James has what it takes to one day challenge the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or?

James has the quality and the skill to push towards being the very best in the world. He’s been showing that in abundance, both for the national team and now for Real Madrid. Colombia’s in the grip of ‘James-mania’! (Laughs)

James’ goal against Uruguay at the World Cup is one of the three finalists for the FIFA Puskás Award for 2014’s best goal. Do you think he deserves the prize?

I’m Colombian, what do you think I’m going to say? (Laughs) I can’t answer impartially… It was a wonderful goal and let’s hope he wins the award. I won’t be able to follow the Gala live, but I’ll keep an eye out for whether he wins or not.

Is it possible to compare a stunning goal like that with a particularly memorable overtaking move?

Yes, quite! His goal came out of nowhere and was brilliantly executed. It’s just like that time, when I was in Formula 1, when I overtook Michael Schumacher on the inside of a bend at the Brazilian GP in 2001. They’re the kind of moments that fans of the sport remember.

Turning back to the Gala, the three players gunning for the Ballon d’Or are Messi, Ronaldo and Manuel Neuer. Given your driving style, which of the three are most similar to you and why?

What a difficult question! I think maybe Messi, he’s less showy and gets straight to the point, trying to win games. For me it doesn’t matter how you see yourself, it’s all about doing a good job. If you get results, then your profile will look after itself. That’s how Messi goes about things.

In your opinion, which of the three ought to win the award?

Don’t put me on the spot, please! All three of them have done plenty to deserve it and, as so much of it depends on the opinions of those who vote, it’s a difficult choice. I wouldn’t be able to pick just one…

At the Gala, professional footballers themselves have a key role in who wins the awards. Do you think something similar would work in motor-racing?

It’s very difficult, because everyone looks to back their own cause. In motor-racing, winning a race like the Monaco GP in Formula 1 or the Indianapolis 500 is like winning the World Cup, it’s a one-off. But in racing you compete all year round and, just like in football, there’s individual success and team success. If I don’t win the championship but my team does, that means just as much. From that, though, to one racer voting for another to win an award – I just can’t see it.

M.D