Juan Pablo Montoya arrived in Formula 1 at the start of 2001 with an enormous reputation. In America he had won the CART championship and the Indy 500 within two years, and Frank Williams had already signed him in 1998, only to loan him out for another two years. When he finally came, he did in his third race what nobody did: in Brazil he passed Michael Schumacher round the outside and pulled away from him — until Jos Verstappen, a lap down, hit him from behind.
That is how the season went on. The FW23 was fast, certainly on the circuits where the BMW engine could make the difference: 880 hp from a V10 revving to 18,000 rpm, on the Michelins that returned that year. But it was also fragile. Ralf Schumacher won four races, Montoya retired eleven times — Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, Imola, Austria, Monaco, Canada, France, Hockenheim, Spa, Indianapolis. Often from a good position, three times from pole.
Monza was different, and not only for him. It was 16 September 2001, five days after the attacks in New York and Washington. Ferrari had painted the red noses black and removed all sponsor names from the cars. Michael Schumacher had called the drivers together and wanted an agreement: no overtaking in the first two chicanes, out of respect and out of fear. It did not happen; Flavio Briatore and others refused to go along with it. The day before, at the Lausitzring, Alex Zanardi had lost both legs in a CART race. Nobody felt like racing.
Montoya was on pole with 1:22.216 and led the first eight laps. On lap nine he got a blister on a rear tyre, came slowly out of the chicane and let Rubens Barrichello through. Ferrari opted for two pit stops, Williams for one. When Barrichello came in for the second time on lap 42, Montoya took the lead back and did not give it up again. After 53 laps and 1 hour, 16 minutes and 58 seconds he crossed the line first, 5 seconds ahead of Barrichello, with Ralf Schumacher third. The first Grand Prix victory for a Colombian. Four days later he turned 26.
The season ended with second place in Japan and sixth place in the championship, with 31 points. Williams finished third in the constructors' championship with 80 points, the first year with BMW that really counted. The following year would bring the FW24, and the one-two in Brazil with Ralf in front — that model, incidentally, is also in my display cabinet.
The model is the Monza car: number 6, in Compaq blue with white flanks, Allianz on the engine cover and Montoya's name on the cockpit rim. A Minichamps in 1:43, limited edition of 4,896 pieces, bought in 2020. The box says it exactly: 1st GP win, Monza, September 16th, 2001.