"I am 10,000 times happier than I ever was (in F1)": When Juan Pablo Montoya confessed his feelings on NASCAR switch from F1

Juan Pablo Montoya stunned the racing world when he announced that he was leaving Formula 1 for a NASCAR campaign in 2006. The Colombian, then just 30, had seven F1 wins under his belt, and many believed his future was in the European racing world.

But, Montoya later admitted that the real motivation for the switch wasn't about machinery or money, but about finding joy again. He said in an interview in 2007:

"In NASCAR, I am 10,000 times happier than I ever was (in F1)."

Before coming to NASCAR, Montoya had already built a resume that very few could match. His career began in IndyCar (CART), where he won the championship in his rookie year (1999) and followed it with a win at the Indianapolis 500 in 2000. His fearless drive and pace made him an instant star.

He then moved to Formula 1 in 2001. Driving for Williams, he claimed four Grand Prix wins and 30 podiums over four seasons, including the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix victory, a race that remains a career-defining moment for many drivers. He later joined McLaren in 2005, adding three more victories before an increasingly political and fractured paddock environment pushed him to the edge.

Juan Pablo Montoya after winning the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. Source: Getty

His exit was swift, to the dislike of his F1 rivals. In the middle of the 2006 F1 season, Montoya phoned Chip Ganassi, and a week later, he signed a deal to race stock cars. According to him, what separated NASCAR from F1 was the community.

"Actually, it's really cool. We always try to give back and it's something really nice about NASCAR... When we were in F1 and it was really hard because (for) people (its) is all about business there. Where here - not only the drivers - Kyle Petty came down and really helped us out and everything — but it's the whole NASCAR community. It's not only about the racing but the people, and I think that's a huge thing," he said about life in NASCAR.

It was the difference in approach that stood out to him. In F1, Montoya struggled with the behind-the-scenes politics, while in NASCAR, even as an outsider, he felt welcomed.

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From Monaco to Sonoma: Juan Pablo Montoya's cross-disciplinary legacy stands apart

Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, and team owner Chip Ganassi before the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis. Source: Imagn

Unlike other F1 veterans who tested the waters, Juan Pablo Montoya jumped into full-time Cup competition by 2007. But it was not before preparing himself for the highest tier of stock car racing. He began his NASCAR career in the ARCA Menards Series, then progressed through Xfinity and into the Cup Series.

The Colombian qualified on the front row in his first ARCA trial at Talladega and finished third. Montoya debuted in the 2006 Cup finale at Homestead. He would come back full-time in 2007 to drive the #42 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, and ran in Cup through 2013. He added a breakthrough Cup win at Sonoma later that season, and in 2009, made a legitimate run at the Cup Series title, finishing eighth in the Playoffs.

It was the best-ever result by a full-time foreign driver in NASCAR at the time. While Montoya would only win once more (Watkins Glen in 2010), he added 59 top-10s and 24 top-five finishes. His six full-time seasons with Ganassi brought mixed results, but the passion never waned. Even after parting ways with Ganassi, he made a full-time return to IndyCar with Team Penske in 2014.

While Montoya's F1 success (7 wins, 30 podiums) might outshine his NASCAR numbers. But F1 was a politically dense world where Montoya often bristled against team orders and internal favoritism. NASCAR, on the other hand, presented a clean slate to start over. Therefore, a decade later, when 23XI Racing offered him a return at Watkins Glen, Montoya didn't hesitate.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Juan Pablo Montoya before the 2024 Go Bowling at The Glen. Source: Imagn

Only a handful of drivers like Mario Andretti and Dan Gurney have won in F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR. And Juan Pablo Montoya is on that list.