McLaren confirms Montoya for 2005

[DarkPhenix]

Stuttgart, Nov 17, 2003 - West McLaren Mercedes is pleased to announce that Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya (2 will join the team for the 2005 Formula One season. Juan Pablo Montoya won the International Formula 3000 Championship in 1998 and became the youngest ever CART Champion in 1999 and in the following year he took victory in the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race in his first attempt. He graduated to Formula One in 2001, has claimed three Formula One victories, 11 pole positions and finished third in this years’ World Championship.

The West McLaren Mercedes team will confirm the full 2005 driver line-up at a later date but the team’s 2004 Championship challenge will be lead by David Coulthard and Kimi Räikkonen.

“We want to win races and World Championships, and in order to do so we have to plan for the future whilst applying every effort in the short term,” commented Ron Dennis, CEO and Chairman, TAG McLaren Group. “The opportunity to sign a talent like Juan Pablo was too good to miss, and there is already a considerable amount of anticipation within our team about 2005. Juan Pablo has achieved a considerable amount of success in his career and we are certain that he will add to this with West McLaren Mercedes. We are certainly looking forward to seeing what he can do in one of our cars and I believe that it’s a prospect that can’t fail to excite Formula One fans around the world. However until that happens we will be focusing all efforts on our 2004 Championship challenge.”

“Juan Pablo has become well established in International motor racing within a short time and will fit well into our team,” said Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “We have been convinced of Juan Pablo’s great talent since he drove a Mercedes-Benz C-Class touring car in the ITC round at Silverstone in 1996.”

“I am thrilled to be joining West McLaren Mercedes,” said Juan Pablo Montoya. “The team is consistently a strong World Championship contender and has a fantastic heritage. It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to the first time I will be able to drive one of their cars. To join them is an amazing challenge and experience which I plan to fully enjoy. However, my short term aim is to concentrate 100 percent on winning the 2004 World Championship.”

I have 2 questions...

1) Who is going to be the mystery partner in 2005 alongside Juan Pablo Montoya?

2) Who is going to take Montoya's seat at Williams in 2005?

[motorsportnerd]

This is old news. Kimi Raikkonen will be Montoya's team mate at McLaren next year. Coulthard is leaving -either to Toyota, Jaguar or possibily Williams.
Williams will have two new drivers. Mark Webber is the teams preferred new driver. Fisichella is a good tip for Williams second driver.
Suggest you look at www.f1-live.com or other sites for latest info.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by DarkPhenix

Stuttgart, Nov 17, 2003

old news

I have 2 questions...

1) Who is going to be the mystery partner in 2005 alongside Juan Pablo Montoya?

2) Who is going to take Montoya's seat at Williams in 2005?

1 - No mystery, Raikonen, Coutlhard has no seat at the moment.

2 - Still not decided, Williams seem to be waiting to see how the dust settles Ralfs move to Toyota seems to be moving from on to off and back on a daily basis !! Webber seems certain but not finalised. I guess Renault are discussing money terms Fissichela is talked about.

Are Williams playing a waiting game because of the variablity of driver achievments this year or playing a contract-price-reduction card or just unsure ? Don't know

[cp01ae]

Yeah, old news. Box-head is probably gonna end up without a drive next season.

[cuntukimushroom]

one question is this cool or what??????

[Matra et Alpine]

This weeks Motorsport News has articel with DC saying he is hoping for Williams and willing to take a results-based salary package.

So according to "Muttering Nudes", it's between Villeneuve, Coulthard, Webber and Fisichella. Technical Director Sam Michael was reported as saying Webber "is still oru favourite"

[Homem de Gelo]

Old...


I like Montoya, but he's not who I'd like to see partnered with Raikkonen. He doesn't seem to have the necessary car deloping abilities to make champion cars and at the same time I fear that his relationship with Raikkonen will end in turmoil. Still, it will be a great partnership because we can expect to see to very fast teammates with huge egos battling against themselves to find supremacy in the team. It should be the most exciting driver pairing since Alesi and Berger, but Montoya and Raikkonen are better than both of them.

[NAZCA C2]

I've been a big Montoya fan since he was in CART but I don't think he will be a good fit for the Mclaren team. Montoya better stop knocking people off the track when he comes to Mclaren. DC is a good solid driver, I hope he has good results wherever he goes after Mclaren get rid of him.

[werty]

Originally Posted by cuntukimushroom

one question is this cool or what??????

hmmm...i'd have to say its......or what!

[cuntukimushroom]

oh oh well

[Cotterik]

First pic of Montoya testing for Mclaren ( he hasnt even got his new helmet yet ) :

[dydzi]

did you heard that wurz was going to test new mclaren too, but he is too tall and could not get into the car

[Homem de Gelo]

True that, I feel sorry for him.