Juan Pablo Montoya praises Ferrari’s courage: “Hamilton is happy again”
Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has praised Ferrari for the bold strategic decisions that helped secure victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, while also highlighting the remarkable turnaround in Lewis Hamilton’s confidence and form.
Hamilton’s resurgence
Three consecutive podium finishes, a historic first Ferrari victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, and second place in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship for the first time since 2021. Lewis Hamilton appears to have completed a remarkable sporting revival after enduring a difficult 2025 campaign.
Over the past month, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion has reminded everyone why he remains one of the sport’s greatest competitors, once again demonstrating his ability to lead a team and inspire it to challenge at the front of the grid.
Hamilton’s resurgence, together with Ferrari’s impressive rise in competitiveness, has also caught the attention of former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya. The Colombian was present in the paddock during both the Monaco and Spanish Grand Prix weekends, giving him the opportunity to speak with Lewis Hamilton during McLaren‘s celebration of its 1,000th Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, as well as with Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur following the team’s victory in Barcelona.
Speaking afterwards to BetVictor, Montoya pointed out that not only had Ferrari’s performances improved, but the entire atmosphere surrounding the Scuderia had changed dramatically.
“It was fantastic for Lewis Hamilton, for Formula 1, for Ferrari and for the championship,” Juan Pablo Montoya said while reflecting on the #44 driver’s sudden return to the front of the field. “He’s happy with the car and he looks much more comfortable. He was really strong in Canada, and in Barcelona everything came together perfectly. I spoke to him in Monaco and told him how much happier he looked. He replied, ‘Yes, I am.’ Then he went out and delivered another excellent performance in that race as well.”
Ferrari’s courage pays off
Juan Pablo Montoya also praised Ferrari for showing the courage to commit to an aggressive race strategy in Spain. While Mercedes opted for a conventional two-stop race, Ferrari chose a three-stop approach, allowing Lewis Hamilton to stay ahead of the Silver Arrows and ultimately secure victory.
“They believed in themselves with the strategy,” Juan Pablo Montoya explained. “Even if it had gone wrong, I would still have been proud of Ferrari for trying. They set a trap for Mercedes. They started on the soft tyres and committed to an aggressive three-stop strategy. I met Fred Vasseur after the race and told him, ‘You got everything right, and you weren’t afraid to try something different.’ Fred replied, ‘We always try new things!’ But I don’t think they had ever done it quite like this before.”
He concluded by adding: “Ferrari played its card, and it worked. They believed the only way to beat Mercedes was with a three-stop strategy. Once they committed to it, Mercedes simply reacted by covering Lewis Hamilton. They did exactly that, but they couldn’t match Ferrari strategically, and in the end they weren’t able to keep up.”
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