Juan Pablo Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya (born September 20, 1975) is a Colombian Formula One motor racing driver. He was born in Bogotá where his father, Pablo, worked as an architect — inspired by renowned Colombian architect Rafael Acosta — and raced karts in his free time. Montoya resides in the principality of Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Miami, Florida. He is married to Connie (née Freydell), a native of Medellín, Colombia, with whom he has a child, Sebastian.

Early career

Montoya began racing karts in 1981 at the young age of six, and by age nine he won the Children's National Kart Championship. In 1986, he won the junior division of the National Championship. For the next three years, he won many local and national titles in the Kart Komet Division. Montoya capped off his spectacular karting career by winning the Kart Junior Championships in 1990 and 1991.

Related Topics:
1981 - 1986 - 1990 - 1991

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Montoya moved to the Copa Formula Renault Series in 1992. The same year, he also participated in a U.S. series operated by Skip Barber. 1993 saw Montoya switch to the Swift GTI Championship, a series he dominated by winning seven of eight races. The following year, 1994, was a very busy year for the 19-year-old Colombian, as it saw him race in three separate series: the Sudam 125 Karting, USA Barber Saab, and Formula N in Mexico (a series in which he won the title). As his success continued year after year, Montoya came to be known for his uncanny ability to win pole positions (as well as races), in some cases taking 80% of a season's poles.

Related Topics:
Renault - 1992 - U.S. - Skip Barber - 1993 - 1994 - Mexico - Pole position - Season's

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For the next three years, Montoya raced in various divisions, continually progressing upward. He raced in the 1995 British Formula Vauxhall Championship, and he won the 1996 British Formula 3 crown, as well as taking part in events in Zandvoort, Netherlands and at Silverstone. In 1997, while driving in the Formula 3000 series, Montoya's manager, David Sears, brought Montoya to the attention of the Williams F1 team, which signed him to a multi-year testing contract.

Related Topics:
1995 - British - Vauxhall - 1996 - Formula 3 - Zandvoort - Netherlands - Silverstone - 1997 - Formula 3000 - David Sears - Williams F1 - Year

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Entry into F1

The championships continued to roll in, as Montoya won the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship. The next year, Williams sent Montoya to America to compete in the 1999 CART tournament, where he won the championship in his rookie season. He won seven races that year, secured seven pole positions, and at the age of 24, was the youngest driver ever to win the series. The following year, his team, Chip Ganassi Racing, struggled because they made the switch to Toyota engines, and he finished a disappointing ninth in the Championship — despite these struggles, he still won an amazing seven pole positions. He also claimed victory in the 2000 Indianapolis 500, the only year he participated in the event. He became the first driver (since Graham Hill in 1966) to win at Indy on his first attempt.

Related Topics:
FIA - Formula 3000 - 1999 - CART - Rookie - Toyota - 2000 - Indianapolis 500 - Graham Hill - 1966 - Indy

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