Offtrack Grinning - 2010/09
by Ernie Masche
COLOMBIAN‑BORN Juan Pablo Montoya has raced against some of the greatest drivers in motorsports around the world. From seven‑time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher to four‑time NASCAR Champions Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, Juan has cut his teeth against the best.
Early racing career
Juan has driven high‑performance machines in Formula 1 (F1), CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams), NASCAR, and Formula 3000 (F3000). He began karting as a child under the guidance of his father, Pablo, and moved up the ladder quickly.
- 1997: Rookie season in F3000 — won Rookie of the Year and finished second in the points.
- 1998: Won four events and captured the F3000 Championship.
- 1999: After a driver swap between Formula 1 owner Frank Williams and CART owner Chip Ganassi, Juan competed on the CART circuit, winning seven races and the CART Championship.
- 2000: Crossed to the Indy Racing League and won the Indianapolis 500, leading a record 167 of 200 laps.
- 2001–2006: Returned to Williams in Formula 1 (then powered by BMW). Although he never won an F1 World Championship, he established himself as a fast qualifier and top competitor — tallying seven victories, 13 pole positions, and 30 podiums during his European F1 years.
RC aviation passion
In 2002, during his European F1 years, Juan’s wife, Connie, gave him a trainer for Christmas — a Hobbico Avistar 40. The gift sparked a new passion.
“My wife gave me a trainer for Christmas and I’ve still got it,” he said. He taught himself to fly by practicing with the airplane and a simulator, then added more aircraft to his collection, including a 36% Extra 330.
In 2006 Juan’s father gave him a turbine that sat virtually unused for three years while Juan was racing in Europe. After returning from his F1 career, Juan rekindled his desire to fly RC, obtained a turbine waiver from the AMA, and now flies every chance he gets.
He keeps a substantial “hangar” at his Miami home:
- 12 airplanes
- 3 jets
- 5 helicopters
He prefers aerobatic aircraft but has grown increasingly interested in jets and helicopters. When Juan finishes a day at the track, he often returns to his motorcoach to sharpen his skills on an RC flight simulator or to pilot one of his small airplanes or helicopters in the parking lot. He also visits local hobby shops and flies with friends at nearby fields when he’s home in Miami. His son, Sebastian, sometimes accompanies him to the field.
Advice for new RC pilots
Juan has shared his experience with friends learning to fly RC and offers practical advice:
- Get a flight simulator and practice.
- Start with a trainer model and have someone show you the basics.
- Learn to line the aircraft up with the runway.
“Get a trainer and with a little help you can fly solo on your first day,” he said. “Learn to line it up with the runway and you’re pretty much golden.” He also reminds fellow pilots that each model is different and requires different techniques, so “be prepared.”
Ernie Masche [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
