F3: ‘People race you harder’

Speaking on the latest episode of the Feeder Series Podcast, soon-to-be F3 driver Sebastián Montoya explained how this family dynamic does not play on his head too much.

“It’s funny because it helps me in a way,” he said. “At the end of the day, he’s my coach as well. And when we are at the track, he’s not really my dad. He’s just my coach, and he’s the one that is there to help me improve my driving and be a better driver at the end of the day. So I look at that as like a plus side.”

“A negative side also is that people always look at you as the son of Juan Pablo Montoya. Especially when you’re racing in a new championship or something and they hear the last name, you don’t really hear the positive things about that sometimes,” the younger Montoya recalled.

“When I was racing in the US sports cars with my dad, they were usually telling drivers, ‘Okay, Montoya’s behind’. Which one now?

“It was really funny because I’m not sure if it was because of previous history, but I was trying to pass a couple cars, and every time I would just get next to them, they’d turn into me and hit me and I would be like, ‘It’s my first race!’ I’m sorry if I did something to you, but I’m okay – trust me, I’m chill.

“Honestly, it has its good sides, its bad sides, but even if I didn’t have the last name, I think there would still be negatives because people always talk about you and everything,” he continued. “Some people race you harder. Some people are a bit more aggressive. Sometimes, they go a little bit too far.”

“My dad is probably the biggest supporter I have, and he’s helped me so much. He’s already made it – like he’s won F1, he’s won in IndyCar, he’s won in NASCAR and he’s won in WEC. Honestly, just to have him there and to guide me, I think it’s really good.”