Fansided

Juan Pablo Montoya interview: From IndyCar to IMSA

By Brittany Frederick

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JANUARY 27: Simon Pagenaud, L, of France, Dane Cameron, C, and Juan Pablo Montoya walk on the grid before the start of the Rolex 24 at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on January 27, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JANUARY 27: Simon Pagenaud, L, of France, Dane Cameron, C, and Juan Pablo Montoya walk on the grid before the start of the Rolex 24 at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on January 27, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Juan Pablo Montoya has gone from being one of IndyCar’s best drivers to launching the Acura Team Penske IMSA program and told FanSided about his move.

Juan Pablo Montoya was a staple of the Verizon IndyCar Series, winning two Indianapolis 500’s and almost clinching the 2015 IndyCar championship.

This season he’s taking on a new challenge: helping Team Penske launch their new sportscar program for the 2018 IMSA season.

Montoya will be back in familiar territory when Acura Team Penske races on the streets of Long Beach this weekend, and he connected with FanSided to talk about his shift into IMSA and why his IndyCar fans will want to watch him in sportscars.

FanSided: How has your transition been from IndyCar into IMSA racing?

Juan Pablo Montoya (JPM): It’s exciting. It’s very early for the program. We did a lot of testing, I thought we were really well prepared. It’s one of those deals of how it’s going to happen or what’s going to happen or what to do. But it’s been a lot of fun. I think working with Acura has been unbelievable, it’s been an amazing company, and honestly, I’m just having a blast.

FanSided: In IndyCar, you drove alone; in IMSA, you’re driving with a teammate. How much does having that extra person in the car change what Juan Pablo Montoya has to do?

JPM: It really doesn’t change that much … The difference is we race in Europe. I spend a lot of time traveling and moving around with him. Today in L.A., tomorrow I’m flying to Europe. I’m going all the way across the other side. I go home for breakfast, I spend an hour at home, change bags, take a shower and go.

FanSided: You have an excellent partner in IMSA veteran Dane Cameron, who’s a former class champion. What have you been able to learn from Dane so far?

JPM: I think we compliment each other really well. He’s a great driver and he’s a great person and like everything, you’re waiting to see what happens. You’re expecting great things and you just wait to see what’s going to happen every week. I take it week by week and I pray to do the best I can, and he’s also the same. In a way, it’s fun, because we share goals and we’re trying to achieve the same thing. If he wins, I win.

FanSided: You had a lot of great IndyCar memories on the streets of Long Beach. What are you looking forward to as you tackle the same venue in a different car?

More from F1

JPM: That’s a huge challenge. I think it’s really exciting, and we’re in a really good position because I’ve driven this track. I know the bumps, I know what’s important, what it’s supposed to feel like. But the biggest challenge is we haven’t driven the [IMSA] car on a street course, so we’re not 100 percent sure how it’s going to behave. If we’re going to be good, bad or evil.

FanSided: Speaking of Helio Castroneves, he’s also making the same transition into IMSA from IndyCar in the other Acura Team Penske car. How has it been having a teammate who’s going through the same thing you are?

JPM: It’s been fun. We help each other, we talk a lot to each other and we’re both very competitive guys — and we both want to win.

FanSided: Knowing your success in IndyCar, and the overall success of Team Penske, do you set high expectations for the 2018 IMSA season even though it’s a new team?

JPM: I never set big expectations, personally. I just see what comes.

FanSided: There will be a lot of IndyCar fans watching IMSA this weekend to root for you. What would you say to IndyCar audiences who haven’t seen a sportscar race before?

JPM: The biggest difference [in IMSA] is while you’re having your own race, you’re kind of in the middle of a traffic jam. You’re running with cars in different classes. It’s always an insane fight of speed and ability to make it through the traffic.

Next: Alexander Rossi on chasing his first IndyCar title

You can watch Juan Pablo Montoya in the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach this Saturday, April 14. For more IMSA coverage, follow the Motor Sports category at FanSided.