F1 legend insists he destroyed 'unreal' Schumacher mentally

Montoya in the paddock at Monza — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 legend insists he destroyed 'unreal' Schumacher mentally

An F1 legend has revealed how they 'destroyed' Schumacher mentally.

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 14 April 2024 20:00

Juan Pablo Montoya claimed he ‘destroyed’ Schumacher mentally when they raced against each other in F1.

The Colombian driver competed between 2001 and 2006, when he amassed seven race wins.

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He came closest to a world title in 2003, only three points behind championship leader Michael Schumacher in the final two races of the season.

The two also had a dramatic incident in Imola in 2004, which led to Montoya hitting out at the German driver calling him ‘either blind or stupid’.

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher

Montoya makes Schumacher claim

Montoya partnered Schumacher at Williams from 2001-2004, beating him in three out of their four seasons together.

He described Ralf Schumacher as his toughest teammate, despite going up against world champion Kimi Raikkonen at McLaren in 2006.

On the Beyond the Grid Podcast, Montoya discussed how he managed to beat Schumacher, and how driver relationships have changed since he competed in F1.

“Honestly, Ralf was so, so good. His speed – oh my god he was so quick. He played with me for so long, it was so annoying,” he said.

Montoya's former teammate Ralf Schumacher

“He was so hard, he was so hard and like the things he could do with the car in one lap pace, he was unreal.

“It was really unreal and it was so annoying and so frustrating to not be able to match him at the beginning. You know what’s the problem – I destroyed him mentally. We never really talked.

“So nowadays, with social media and everything, the team-mates are best friends and they go for dinner together and they play padel together. In my time, you didn’t talk to anybody. It was very hostile [the paddock], you didn’t talk to anybody.

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes F1 Michael Schumacher Imola Juan Pablo Montoya