Juan Pablo Montoya, the ex-Williams and McLaren driver, failed to make the most of his abilities, so says Helmut Marko.<\/p>\n
In issuing that blunt verdict, Marko recalled a past visit to his house from Montoya, after which Montoya was left with a one-hour walk back into central Graz. Burger menu talk had apparently not impressed Marko.<\/p>\n
Helmut Marko on Juan Pablo Montoya potential regret<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Montoya debuted in Formula 1 with Williams back in 2001. He won four grands prix with the team.<\/p>\n Linking up with McLaren from 2005, Montoya won a further three grands prix, taking his final career tally to seven.<\/p>\n Also a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, Montoya\u2019s talents were undeniable.<\/p>\n It is no surprise that, as an up and coming racer, he caught the attention of Marko.<\/p>\n Montoya competed with Marko\u2019s RSM Marko team in International Formula 3000 back in 1997. He took three race wins and finished runner-up in the championship.<\/p>\n \u201cMontoya was incredibly talented,\u201d Marko stated in a Die Zeit<\/a> interview.<\/p>\n \u201cHe came from Colombia and visited me in Graz.\u201d<\/p>\n The opening topic of conversation did not exactly impress Marko, however.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first thing he told me was that he was really pleased about the four burger joints in Graz. He\u2019d already read the menus.\u201d<\/p>\n Known for his straight talking, no nonsense approach, Montoya soon found that out about Marko.<\/p>\n Jokingly put to him that there was no appetite for a salad, then, Marko replied: \u201cNo. I live on a hill above the city; after dinner at my place \u2013 where we had salad \u2013 I didn\u2019t call a taxi and made him walk back into town for an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n On that note, Marko was asked to name his biggest driver disappointment.<\/p>\n More on Juan Pablo Montoya from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Juan Pablo Montoya tells Red Bull to stop Max Verstappen racing outside F1<\/a><\/p>\n Montoya questions Red Bull after GianPiero Lambiase McLaren bombshell<\/a><\/p>\n While he did not place that tag on Montoya, Marko did return to the Colombian racer, regretting that he never, to Marko\u2019s mind, realised his full potential.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are a few who come close,\u201d said Marko to the biggest driver disappointment question.<\/p>\n \u201cMontoya didn\u2019t make the most of his abilities. That was a great shame.\u201d<\/p>\n Montoya has previously said that it was \u201ctough\u201d under Marko\u2019s leadership<\/a>, but that the Austrian did make him a \u201cbetter driver\u201d, and also \u201ctook good care\u201d of him.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n