09/05/2006
NEWS STORY
In all honesty, unless he makes a major leap forward during the coming months, the only way Juan Pablo Montoya will be wearing the overalls of a leading F1 team in 2007 is if he purchases them on Ebay.
Despite some occasional flashes of brilliance, the Colombian hasn't exactly covered himself in glory, certainly not on a regular basis.
Therefore, one has to admire the Colombian's cheek when he suggests that Michael Schumacher should retire at the end of the current season.
Speaking in the wake of the German's wins at Imola and the Nurburgring, Montoya told Gazzetta dello Sport: "In my opinion these successes should convince him to retire. He should quit while he is at the top. He would be crazy to carry on after another title."
Although sections of the media, and indeed some paddock insiders have been suggesting that the seven-time champion should quit, their calls have all but faded away following the back-to-back victories. The German is not only still as capable of winning as ever, he is hungry for wins, and as his post-race antics clearly demonstrate, he still enjoys winning.
If Montoya believes that his own hopes for the future depend on Michael retiring, then, sadly, the Colombian is in for a nasty shock.