Juan Pablo Montoya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan Pablo Montoya
Montoya at the 2021 Indianapolis 500
Born	Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (1975-09-20) 20 September 1975 (age 49) Bogotá, Colombia
Spouse(s)	Connie Freydell ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	3, including Sebastián
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Colombian
Active years	2001–2006
Teams	Williams, McLaren
Entries	95 (94 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	7
Podiums	30
Career points	307
Pole positions	13
Fastest laps	12
First entry	2001 Australian Grand Prix
First win	2001 Italian Grand Prix
Last win	2005 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last entry	2006 United States Grand Prix
IndyCar Series career
57 races run over 6 years
Best finish	2nd (2015)
First race	2000 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	2022 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win	2000 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last win	2016 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Wins Podiums Poles 5 13 3
Champ Car career
40 races run over 2 years
Team(s)	Chip Ganassi Racing
Best finish	1st (1999)
First race	1999 Grand Prix of Miami (Homestead)
Last race	2000 Marlboro 500 (Fontana)
First win	1999 Long Beach Grand Prix (Long Beach)
Last win	2000 Motorola 300 (Gateway)
Wins Podiums Poles 10 13 14
NASCAR Cup Series career
256 races run over 10 years
2024 position	43rd
Best finish	8th (2009)
First race	2006 Ford 400 (Homestead)
Last race	2024 Go Bowling at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
First win	2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
Last win	2010 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles 2 59 9
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
23 races run over 3 years
Best finish	36th (2007)
First race	2006 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis)
Last race	2008 Ford 300 (Homestead)
First win	2007 Telcel-Motorola 200 (Mexico City)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 3 0
Racing licence	FIA Platinum
Championship titles
2019 2017 1998	IMSA SportsCar Race of Champions International F3000
Awards
2007 2000 1999	NASCAR Rookie of the Year Indy 500 Rookie of the Year CART Rookie of the Year

Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (born 20 September 1975) is a famous Colombian racing driver. He competed in many top racing series around the world. These include Formula One, IndyCar, and the NASCAR Cup Series.

Montoya won seven Formula One Grands Prix races. He also won the CART Championship Series in 1999. He is a two-time winner of the famous Indianapolis 500 race. In endurance racing, he won the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2019. He also won the 24 Hours of Daytona three times.

Early Life and First Races

Juan Pablo Montoya was born in Bogotá, Colombia, on September 20, 1975. His father, Pablo, was an architect who loved go-karting. Juan Pablo was the oldest of four children.

He started kart racing at age five. His father taught him to drive and helped him train. To pay for his son's racing, his father sometimes used their house as collateral. Juan Pablo also worked as a delivery boy for his father. He learned about racing and car mechanics from him.

Montoya won the Colombian Children's National Karting Championship in 1984. He won more local and national titles in the following years. He also raced in the World Karting Junior Championship.

Moving to Car Racing

In 1992, Montoya started racing cars. He went to the Skip Barber Racing School in the United States. He then raced in the Copa Formula Renault in Colombia, winning four races. In 1993, he won the Nationale Tournement Swift GTI Championship, winning seven races.

His father decided Juan Pablo needed to race outside Colombia. So, in 1994, Montoya joined the Barber Pro Series in America. He won two races and finished third overall. He also raced in Mexico, winning three races in the Formula N series.

In 1995, Montoya moved to Europe to race. He joined Paul Stewart Racing's Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship team. He won three races and finished third in the championship. He also won the 6 Hours of Bogotá endurance race.

In 1996, he moved to the British Formula 3 Championship. He won two races and finished fifth in the championship. He also won his second 6 Hours of Bogotá.

International Formula 3000 Success

In 1997, Montoya joined the International Formula 3000 Championship. This series was a stepping stone to Formula One. He won three races and finished second in the championship. He was the best rookie driver that year. He also won the 6 Hours of Bogotá for the third time.

In November 1997, Williams Grand Prix Engineering invited him to test for their F1 team. He became their test driver in 1998. He drove many miles and learned about F1 cars. In 1998, he joined Super Nova Racing for the International F3000 Championship. He won four races and the championship title.

CART and First Indianapolis 500 Win

In 1999, Montoya started racing in the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series. He joined Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR). He won his first CART race, the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He became the first rookie to win three races in a row.

Montoya won seven races in his first CART season. He tied for points with another driver, Dario Franchitti. But Montoya won the championship because he had more wins. He became CART's youngest champion and the Rookie of the Year.

In 2000, Montoya's car had some problems. But he still won three races. That year, he also raced in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. He started second and led most of the race. He became the first rookie to win the Indianapolis 500 since 1966.

Formula One Career

Racing for Williams (2001–2004)

Montoya joined the Williams team in 2001. His car was powerful but sometimes broke down. He also had some accidents early on. After a talk with team owner Frank Williams, his driving improved.

He led the Brazilian Grand Prix but had to retire after a crash. He got his first podium finish in Spain, coming in second. Montoya took his first pole position in Germany. He won his first F1 race in Italy, leading 29 laps. He finished sixth in the championship that year.

Montoya after qualifying on pole position for the 2002 Canadian Grand Prix

In 2002, Montoya stayed with Williams. His car was fast in qualifying but slower in races. He scored points in the first six races. He took pole position in five races in a row. He finished third in the championship with 50 points.

Montoya driving for the Williams team at the 2003 British Grand Prix

Montoya signed a new contract with Williams until the end of 2004. In 2003, his car became much faster. He won the famous 2003 Monaco Grand Prix. He then had seven podium finishes in a row. He won his second race of 2003 in Germany. This put him second in the championship. He finished third in the championship with 82 points.

Montoya driving in the 2004 United States Grand Prix

In 2004, Montoya's car was not as good. It lacked downforce, which made it hard to drive fast in corners. He scored points in most races. He won the last race of the season in Brazil. He finished fifth in the championship with 58 points.

Racing for McLaren (2005–2006)

Montoya driving for the McLaren team in the 2005 British Grand Prix

Montoya joined McLaren for the 2005 season. He worked hard to lose weight and get fitter. He missed two races due to a shoulder injury. When he returned, he started to perform better.

He won the British Grand Prix. He also got podium finishes in Germany and Turkey. Montoya won the Italian Grand Prix from pole position. He then won his third race of 2005 in Brazil. He finished fourth in the championship with 60 points.

Montoya racing in the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix

Montoya stayed with McLaren for 2006. However, his relationship with the team became difficult. He struggled with the car's handling. He scored points in five of the first nine races. He finished third in San Marino and second in Monaco. After a crash in the United States Grand Prix, he left F1. He finished eighth in the championship with 26 points.

NASCAR Career

Montoya wanted to race in America again. He didn't like the politics in F1. In June 2006, he talked about moving to NASCAR. He signed a contract with Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) to race in 2007. He was released from his McLaren contract early.

Montoya after being hit by Ryan Newman in his Nextel Cup Series debut at the season-ending 2006 Ford 400.

He made his stock car debut in a developmental series race. He then raced in the NASCAR Busch Series. He made his main Nextel Cup Series debut in November 2006. His car caught fire after a crash.

First Full NASCAR Seasons (2007–2009)

Montoya started his first full NASCAR season in 2007. He had to learn how to drive the heavier stock cars. He got his first top-five finish in March.

Montoya in practice for the 2007 Samsung 500, where he took his second career top-ten finish

He won his first Cup Series race in June 2007 at Sonoma. He became the first foreign-born winner in the series since 1974. He also finished second at the Brickyard 400. He ended the season 20th in points and won the NASCAR Rookie of the Year award.

In 2007, he also raced in the Busch Series to gain experience. He won his first NASCAR race in Mexico City. This made him the first foreign-born NASCAR winner since 2001.

Montoya's No. 42 Dodge Charger before the 2008 Pep Boys Auto 500

In 2008, Montoya continued with CGR. The team's performance dropped. He struggled to get top finishes. His best result was second place at Talladega. He finished 25th in the championship.

Montoya driving in the 2009 TUMS Fast Relief 500

For 2009, CGR merged with another team to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (EGR). Montoya drove a Chevrolet. He didn't win any races but was more consistent. He had ten top-ten finishes. He qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He finished a career-high eighth in the points standings.

Later NASCAR Years (2010–2014)

Montoya continued with EGR in 2010. He had eight top-ten finishes and two pole positions. He won his second (and final) Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. He finished 17th in the standings.

Montoya racing in the 2011 Good Sam RV Insurance 500

In 2011, his performance was not as strong. He had eight top-ten finishes but no wins. He finished 21st in the championship.

Montoya driving in the 2012 Samsung Mobile 500

He stayed with EGR for 2012. In the Daytona 500, his car crashed into a jet dryer and caught fire. He only had two top-ten finishes that season. He finished 22nd in the standings.

Montoya racing in the 2013 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Montoya raced for EGR again in 2013. He had mechanical problems and crashes early in the season. His best finish was second place at Dover. He finished 21st in his final full-time Cup Series season.

In 2014, he made two one-off appearances for Team Penske in the Sprint Cup Series.

Return to NASCAR (2024)

After a ten-year break from NASCAR, Montoya returned for one race in 2024. He competed at Watkins Glen for 23XI Racing. He finished 32nd in the race.

IndyCar Series Return

Racing for Team Penske (2014–2016)

In August 2013, Montoya learned his NASCAR contract would not be renewed. He joined Team Penske for the 2014 IndyCar Series. He lost weight and trained hard to get ready for open-wheel racing again.

Montoya driving for Team Penske in the 2014 Indianapolis 500

He performed well on oval tracks. He won the Pocono IndyCar 500, his first IndyCar win in almost 14 years. He finished fourth overall in the championship.

Montoya ended the 2015 IndyCar Series tied on points with Scott Dixon after finishing sixth at the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma but lost the title on countback.

He continued with Penske in 2015. He won the season-opening race in St. Petersburg. His biggest highlight was winning the Indianapolis 500 for the second time. He battled Will Power and Scott Dixon for the win. He finished the season tied on points for the championship but lost on a tie-breaker.

For 2016, he raced for Penske again. He won the first race of the season in St. Petersburg. He finished eighth in the drivers' standings.

Later IndyCar Appearances (2017–2022)

In 2016, Penske told him he might not race full-time in IndyCar. Montoya raced in the 2017 Indianapolis 500 for Penske, finishing sixth.

He was chosen to test new IndyCar parts for Chevrolet in 2018. He missed the Indianapolis 500 that year.

Montoya returned to IndyCar for two races in 2021 with Arrow McLaren SP. He finished ninth in the Indianapolis 500. He also raced in two IndyCar races in 2022, finishing 11th in the Indianapolis 500.

Sports Car Racing

Montoya won the 24 Hours of Daytona for the second time in 2008

Montoya started racing in endurance sports car races in 2007. He won the 2007 24 Hours of Daytona with Chip Ganassi Racing. He won the race again in 2008. In 2009, he finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona, losing by a very small margin. He won the 24 Hours of Daytona for a third time in 2013.

The United Autosports-fielded Ligier JS P217-Gibson car Montoya shared with Hugo de Sadeleer and Will Owen at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 2017, he raced in the Petit Le Mans, preparing for the 2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship. He officially joined Penske's IMSA team in 2017. He finished fifth in the Prototype Drivers' Championship in 2018. In June 2018, he made his debut at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race, finishing third in his class.

Montoya returned to Penske for the 2019 season. He won his first IMSA race at Mid-Ohio. He then won two more races. He and his teammate Dane Cameron won the DPi Drivers' Championship.

In 2020, he continued with Penske. He finished sixth in the DPi Drivers' Championship. He also raced in the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 2021, Montoya joined Meyer Shank Racing as an endurance driver. He also raced in the 2021 WEC season. He won his class in the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 2022, he raced in the IMSA SportsCar Championship with his son, Sebastián. He finished fourth in the LMP2 Drivers' Championship. In 2023, he raced in the European Le Mans Series with his son.

Race of Champions

Montoya has competed in the Race of Champions twice. He won the individual event in 2017 by beating Tom Kristensen in the final. In 2018, he was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Driving Style

Montoya has always had an aggressive driving style. This sometimes led to crashes in NASCAR. Some experts noted that he relied a lot on his reflexes and natural talent. As he got older, he learned to be more patient and strategic in his races.

Other Activities and Awards

Montoya has been an ambassador for watch brands and the Miami Grand Prix. In 2001, he became a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. He helped raise money for children affected by conflict in Colombia.

In 2003, he and his wife, Connie Freydell, started the Fundación Formula Sonrisas (Formula Smiles Foundation). This charity helps educate children in Colombia through sports.

Montoya married Connie Freydell in 2002. They have three children, and his son Sebastián is also a racing driver. Juan Pablo enjoys building and flying radio-controlled aircraft. He also appeared as a racing driver in the 2001 movie Driven.

He has received many awards, including:

• The Order of Boyacá in 1999.
• Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year in 2000.
• International Driver of the Year at the Autosport Awards in 2001 and 2003.
• Colombian Athlete of the Year in 2001.
• The Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year in 2002.
• Inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Champions in 2011.
• Inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2018.

A karting track in Tocancipá, Colombia, is named the Kartódromo Juan Pablo Montoya after him.

Images for kids

• 

  Montoya at the 2021 Indianapolis 500

See also

In Spanish: Juan Pablo Montoya para niños