Indianapolis, Sept 26: Juan Pablo Montoya heads into the US Grand Prix on Sunday with a chance to stay in contention for the F1 title. Juan Pablo Montoya has never finished on the podium in a United States Grand Prix and unless Michael Schumacher has a failure this weekend, he's going to have to repeat his visit to Victory Lane at the Indy 500 three years ago to stay in serious title contention.
"I'll be honest with you, I think we've done pretty good this year. They probably did a lot better job than us in the beginning of the year but probably over the last seven or eight races we were as equal or better than them. When you think about it we're doing pretty good. Anything can happen," Montoya told reporters. Montoya sat among NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) drivers in a press conference organized by sponsor Castrol. Schumacher leads Montoya by three points and McLaren's Raikkonen by seven with just the Japanese Grand Prix remaining after Indianapolis.

The German, who could clinch a record sixth title this weekend if results go his way, has won the last three Japanese Grand Prixs and is considered the favourite if the championship remains on a knife-edge going to Suzuka.


In addition to his Drivers' Championship charge, Montoya will have to be careful not to jeopardise Williams' four-point lead in the Constructors' table. However, now would be a fine time to score the team's first win on American soil since Keke Rosberg won in Detroit in 1985.



Montoya caused a bit of a commotion among the drivers of the American series and NASCAR commentator Larry McReynolds, who was moderating the news conference when he observed that Formula One drivers were younger because the cars were more demanding and in need of a driver with sharp reflexes.


"NASCAR is the only place you can be 45 or something like that when you think about it. F1 probably the oldest driver is 30 something, 35, 36 is the oldest driver in Formula 1. NASCAR, when your 35,or 36 your not old enough to join really," Montoya explained.


Two drivers can hope to become the first to win the Indianapolis 500 and the Formula One Grand Prix at the Motor Speedway -- Montoya and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve. The Colombian won the Indy 500 in 2000 and Villeneuve in 1995.


Only four Formula One drivers have won both events -- Britons Jim Clark and Graham Hill, Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi and American Mario Andretti. But in their days the U.S. Grand Prix was not run at Indianapolis.


Bureau Report