Juan Pablo criticises team-mate Ralf


By Andrew Hooper
October 16 2002

 

 

 
Juan Pablo criticises Ralf
 
In a recent interview for the British publication Motoring News BMW WilliamsF1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has commented on his relationship with WilliamsF1 team-mate Ralf Schumacher. Juan Pablo feels that Ralf changes his style of driving when it comes to racing with Juan Pablo, and this is an aspect of their relationship that he can not understand.

Juan Pablo MontoyaJuan Pablo would use several examples of Ralf's driving to make his point. At the United States Grand Prix Ralf would challenge Juan Pablo's late braking move which would see him spin and hit the back of the Colombians FW24. Juan Pablo believes that this incident cost the team a podium finish.

In the article Juan Pablo said: "Sometimes you see harder racing from Ralf with me than with anybody else. You don't see Ralf changing lines to block Michael [Schumacher] down the straight, do you?

"The only guy he changes his racing against to be harder is me, and that shouldn't be. If you are racing hard with me then you should race hard with everybody. It is not like I am nice to everybody except Ralf."

Montoya also discussed the use of team orders. He felt that the WilliamsF1 team does little to help its own cause by sticking to its stance against team orders. It has always been the case that WilliamsF1 prefer to see their drivers race and will only use team orders if their is no alternative.

Juan Pablo said: "For the fans it is better, and that is probably what Frank [Williams] and Patrick [Head] want, they want to see some racing.

"But from a team perspective we are actually worse off than Ferrari. At the Nürburgring if I hadn't moved out of the way [Ralf] would have taken me off.

"At Monza he went straight and got a penalty and when he was going to let me by the way he wanted to, it was his fault that Rubens [Barrichello] went by."

Whether Juan Pablo will endear himself to not only Ralf Schumacher with his comments is questionable. Some may see it as simply another round in the war of words between himself and Ralf.

 
 
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