Aussie humour angers Montoya

[Mike Rotch]

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya stalked out of a pre-Australian Grand Prix news conference on Wednesday after it was hijacked by a satirical television sports show.

The fiery Formula One driver, a title favourite for BMW-powered Williams in the championship starting on Sunday, was not amused by the intervention by 'reporters' from the Channel Seven programme.

Bemused by one tongue-twisting question and another nonsensical one, the Williams driver sat open-mouthed as the same interrogator then stood up to answer a mobile phone call in a stage whisper.

When a second then stood up to answer his telephone in identical fashion after the first had left the room, the Williams driver's patience ran out.

"Either he stops or I walk off," Montoya warned.

The threat became real when the 'reporter' continued talking, asking the driver as a parting shot whether he might be free to play a round of golf with his mother.

Montoya, winner of two races last year, refused to be cajoled back into the room at Sandown International Raceway in southern Melbourne and drove off with his entourage after a brief altercation.

The Colombian, who joins Williams' rivals McLaren at the end of the season, was to have been the star guest at a day organised by team sponsor Allianz.

His schedule included driving a celebrity around the track after spending the afternoon with important clients of the insurance company. But that did not happen.

DAY RUINED

"I guess Juan didn't appreciate the Australian sense of humour," said Allianz Australia chief general manager Greg Fisher. "We had a lot of important corporate clients and basically it has ruined the day for them.

"It's part of reality TV I guess these days but Juan didn't appreciate the sense of humour and understandably rather than making any embarrassing comment he decided to end the press conference."

Before the interruption, the 28-year-old had given his thoughts on the season ahead and his chances of winning a title that he almost won last year.

"When it's your time, it's your time and it wasn't meant to be," he said of finishing third overall in 2003 after a three-way tussle for the championship with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

Montoya said the 'million dollar question' to be answered was the performance of his radical-looking new Williams after thousands of miles in testing to sort out reliability.

"I think that Ferrari are going to be strong again, like every year," said the Colombian of a team chasing their sixth successive constructors' crown while Schumacher goes for a record seventh drivers' title.

"Their reliability has always been very impressive, especially Michael's car, and I think that they will be as reliable as us.

"Our car is a big step forward from next year," he added.

"I think that if they are quicker than us in the first race it doesn't mean they are going to win the championship. I think if we win the first race it doesn't mean that's it.

"It's a long season, we have two more races than before and consistency in scoring points is going to be one of the keys."

(c) Reuters 2004

As if we needed proof he is a sour-puss.

 

[Blake]

Our car is a big step forward from next year

Ummm, a big step forward FROM NEXT year???

And dont knock little Juan, he's a good driver.

 

[Carl.]

And dont knock little Juan, he's a good driver.

...I'll second that

if you want funny media guys, these one had Bernie on the phone believe he was talking to Canada's prime minister this summer, when Canada GP was to be removed because of tobbaco advertising ban... funny crap!(even funnier if you can understand what they say in nonsense french bits...)

5th mp3 link on this page (look for Bernie)

They also got Bill gates, Anold, letterman...

 

[ExigeEvan]

I don't blame him for walking out. If these guys want to mess about, he should be able to mess them about. If that means others suffer so be it, let them sort out the culprits.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

The drivers have little in the way of free time, and most of them loathe the PR work they have to do. I think that if they get the feeling they're having the piss taken, they've every right to exit. He should have perhaps remained at the event while they ejected the intruders though.

 

[darklegion_ca]

It just proves he's a god damn ***** and a cry baby.

 

[Carl.]

at least his character is far more entertaining than Kimi's...

I remember an interview where he almost said anything but "Yes" and "No".... 30 words from him at most

 

[Race Idiot]

Originally posted by jpmontoya
at least his character is far more entertaining than Kimi's...

I remember an interview where he almost said anything but "Yes" and "No".... 30 words from him at most

I know it's a bit unfair on Kimmi, but i've dubbed him Mr Mumbles. I'm not particulalrly fussed what they do off track (well to a certain extent).

And KM, can you make one entire post without using a cussword?

 

[millencolin]

GET A SENSE OF HUMOUR JUAN........


i know the australian sense of humour is a little different, but he should of picked up that it was a joke. he should stop being so serious

 

[TsLeng]

Haha, do that with kimi and I bet he'll have no reaction at all

 

[Carl.]

Montoya's explaination here....

FIA Press Conference - Button and Montoya

who said he doesn't have a sense of humour?

 

[wdb]

I've seen these guys mucking around plenty of times before, but often they do it (tricks, stuffing around etc) to Australian sports people or keep it brief if they're gonna have a jab at internationals.

Shame Montoya is such a seedy and morose character. I can understand him leaving the press conference, but his other commitments should have been met. I know they have to do a lot of PR work but frankly, that's one of the reasons they get paid millions and millions of dollars every year.

I was at a Jaguar PR event in Sydney on Tuesday (with hundreds of other people). Mark Webber and young Christian Klein were in remarkably good temper despite having to be up super early for interviews, a display (inc. an awesome smoky donut from Webber - before stalling), press conference, and coping with all the media whores who come to these events to get as many autographs, photos, pieces of merchandise and anything else free that they can. Everyone wants a piece.

Takes strength of character to do the job these guys do... shame Montoya's cracked.

 

[Glut]

Prolly still annoyed that his car looks like a walrus.

 

[Axe_Gaijin]

Heck, if it were me I'd knock the "reporter's" theeth out...