Montoya ignores McLaren speculation
Juan Pablo Montoya insists uncertainty over McLaren’s driver line-up for next season will not derail the team’s bid to return to the front in this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Montoya and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen reach the end of their McLaren contracts this year and know at least one of them will have to leave after the team signed Fernando Alonso for 2007.
Raikkonen has been linked with Ferrari and Renault while Montoya’s options are less clear-cut, with Red Bull and Renault possible destinations.
Despite that uncertainty, Montoya is adamant his focus is on improving McLaren’s lot after a disappointing start to the season left them winless and down in third in the championship.
He said: “The situation in the team is really quite good at the moment. We are all focused on doing the job we have to do, trying to make the car better.
“Within the team it’s very good. I’m focusing and I’ve been doing a lot of work the last few weeks. The test in Paul Ricard went really well and I think we’re finding our feet a little bit.
“Yes, we know we need to improve in a lot of areas still, but the direction is good and the spirit is good. That is the most important thing.”
Time is running out for decisions to be made on their respective futures, but Montoya claims neither he nor Raikkonen know what 2007 holds.
He added: “What’s happening next year? I don’t know, probably Kimi doesn’t know, probably nobody knows at the moment.”
Montoya’s stock will rise considerably if he can return to winning ways in Monaco this weekend, a venue synonymous with McLaren success.
The Woking-based team have won 13 times in the principality, while Montoya has one victory in the bag from his time at Williams, in 2003.
The Colombian knows how to conquer the twisty, concrete-lined streets – but he also knows a swift end to his hopes could be just around the corner on the calendar’s most unforgiving circuit.
He said: “It’s a great circuit and it’s got history. It’s Monaco, the atmosphere and it’s a challenge.
"With its tradition, it’s probably the nicest race you can win.
“The build-up throughout the weekend is very important and if you have the pace it’s easier to lose the race than win it.”
Even though Monaco is often described as an anachronism in today’s safety-conscious age, Montoya, a veteran of high-speed oval racing, has no time for worrying about accidents.
“You make a mistake and you hit the wall and that is it,” he said. “Get out of the car and deal with it.”
