JUAN PABLO MONTOYA will leave Formula One at the end of this season to race NASCAR Nextel Cup with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, replacing the departing CASEY MEARS, next year. JPM will race the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge, the first time a Formula One driver has made such a switch.
Sunday's surprise announcement concerned
Formula One's free agent JPM, who already knew he wouldn't be racing with McLaren next season. JPM's future had recently been the topic of discussion in Formula One garages. Montoya's deal with Ganassi is a multi-year contract. JPM will compete in the 2007 Cup season as a rookie. Last month, Mears was announced as moving to Hendrick Racing to drive the #25 Chevrolet.
"I am so happy to be entering the fastest growing racing league in the world. I've thought about this for quite some time but the opportunity had to be right," Montoya said, "I've known and worked with Chip for a number of years and this situation could not be better for me. I have a lot of confidence in my ability as a race car driver and in Chip and Felix as owners. I know the transition will not be easy but I can't wait to get behind the wheel."
JPM, Ganassi and NASCAR president, MIKE HELTON posed for photos and had a closed-door meeting Sunday morning at Chicagoland Speedway, site of Sunday's Cup race.
Ganassi said: "We had a very quick negotiation - if you can even call it that. It's nice to have somebody in your car". He admitted that negotiations began "just last week - as far as you know."
Montoya is just past the mid-point in his 2006
F1 season with
McLaren, with eight races remaining. His last will be the season's finale in Brazil on 22 October 2006. After that, he will be available to start running selected races in NASCAR, perhaps Busch and maybe Cup.
