Former F1 driver recalls when Helmut Marko fed him salad and made him run for an hour: "It was his way of pushing me forward"

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya claims working under Helmut Marko's leadership made him a better driver, despite the Austrian being a stern taskmaster.

Marko has a reputation for being harsh to his drivers, effectively making them better.

The Colombian raced for Marko's team, RSM Marko, in Formula 3000 back in 1997 and managed to finish P2 in the championship. The Austrian scout often yelled at the young driver and once made him eat only vegetables after having invited the Colombian for lunch.

Following the lunch, the Red Bull senior made the former F1 driver run back to Marko's office - which took him over an hour. Speaking about his experiences with Helmut Marko, Montoya told Motorsport.com:

“It was tough at the time, but in the end he made me a better driver. I remember one time he invited me to have lunch at his house. I was served a salad, but I didn’t eat vegetables in those days."

"He then made me run back to his office. It was more than an hour of running. At the time I was very angry with him, but looking back I realise it was his way of pushing me forward.”

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Former F1 driver believes Andretti won't be successful in joining the sport as a separate team

Former McLaren F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya claims Michael Andretti's bid to become the sport's 11th team will not be successful. The Colombian racing legend believes the American team should try and purchase a pre-existing team instead of joining as an entirely new entity.

The Andretti name has faced sufficient resistance from other teams on its way to becoming the 11th team on the grid. The team started the new year off with a coalition with the Cadillac brand from American giants General Motors, who hope to enter the single-seater racing class together.

While Andretti faces opposition from the sport and the FIA, he and his team are adamant that they have met every requirement the body mandates. Former Williams and McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya, however, believes the team should take an Audi-like approach and buy a pre-existing team instead of entering on their own.

Speaking to the French wing of Motorsport, the Colombian F1 legend said:

"I would love to see them on the grid, but that’s not going to happen. Unless they can buy someone else out. I don’t see an extra team coming in. It’s a shame, but it’s difficult to convince everyone."

"If they’re so determined to get into F1, they could probably buy a structure like Alpine. Personally, if it’s about having an extra seat, I think it’s very unlikely. I believe it should be more like what Audi did."

It is still unclear whether we will see the Andretti name in F1 in 2026.