Formula One: Black Flag Drapes Montoya's Rousing Revival in Disappointment

Juan Pablo Montoya's rollercoaster debut season with the McLaren-Mercedes team encountered another dramatic setback here when he was black-flagged and disqualified from the Canadian grand prix.

The Colombian was penalised for ignoring the red light prohibiting his departure from the pits after making a refuelling stop while the safety car had been deployed to slow the field following the crash involving Jenson Button's BAR-Honda, which hit the wall opposite the pits.

It was a bitter disappointment for Montoya on a day when his place in the team had finally seemed vindicated and he had outrun his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen from the start of the race.

Yet for all his personal anguish Montoya had earlier done a fine job in restoring the reputation which originally prompted Frank Williams to sign him for his formula one debut in 2001.

It is now just short of two years since a furious Montoya erupted from the cockpit of his Williams-BMW after the French grand prix at Magny-Cours and accused the team management of tactically favouring his team-mate Ralf Schumacher, who had pipped him to victory in a close fight.

Hard words were exchanged and Montoya flounced away to sign a McLaren contract starting in 2005, a move which not only ensured that he would play out his final 18 months with Williams in a mood of high tension but also ensured that the man he was scheduled to replace at McLaren, David Coulthard, felt equally uncomfortable working out his own notice.

McLaren's chief executive Martin Whitmarsh admits that he is impressed with Montoya's approach to his new job, even though he is hard pressed to conceal the team's embarrassment over the way in which their new driver was forced to miss the Bahrain and San Marino grands prix after injuring his shoulder in a fall while playing tennis.

"That episode is behind us," he said. "The basic thing you've got to remember is that Juan Pablo came to McLaren because he wanted to improve his performance as a driver.

"So far, he's shown a great willingness to follow our guidance. Despite all those who predicted that he wouldn't knuckle down to it, he's lost weight and he's now fitter than he's ever been. He's extremely focused and motivated and in the last few races we've noticed that both he and Kimi are starting to ask questions about each others' lap times and car set-ups, which seems to indicate that they're beginning to spark off each other.

"Of course, Kimi has raised his game considerably since the start of the year. But I'm impressed with Juan Pablo's commitment and his willingness to make the effort. We're confident that he can deliver on his promise."

Montoya originally arrived in formula one in 2001 when he replaced Jenson Button in the Williams squad. Button had pressed Ralf Schumacher pretty hard in the closing stages of the 2000 season, but it was not enough to keep his drive. The team was unquestionably impressed with Montoya, and Frank Williams was determined to have him on the payroll.

Privately Williams insiders reported that Montoya was a prissy prima donna surrounded by a squad of fawning supporters whose expenses to attend the races he paid for. "If you thought Nigel Mansell could be difficult to deal with, you hadn't seen anything compared with Montoya," said a senior engineer. "He was one hundred times more aggravation than Nigel ever was at his very worst."

McLaren remain confident that they can manage him to better effect, help the Colombian fully realise his potential and add to his modest tally of four grand prix victories, the last of which came in the final race of the 2004 season in Brazil.

Whether Montoya can muster sufficient sustained firepower to deal with Raikkonen is another matter altogether. Before yesterday the Finn seemed totally unconcerned about any such potential challenge. But, despite his victory in Montreal, it might be time for him to reconsider his opinion.