Former grand prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya has rubbished the idea that technical failures in Formula One can be the result of a conspiracy, saying there is always a chance modern cars break down.
Mechanical problems, especially engine failures, have grown scarce in recent years, with reliability improving to near-perfect levels.
However, the 2016 season featured several high-profile issues, starting with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes power unit failure while leading the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The retirement derailed the Briton’s hopes of a fourth title and gave fresh momentum to the conspiracy theories that had been bubbling up from previous engine-related hiccups for Hamilton.
Looking back at his 2005 season with McLaren for the Woking outfit’s website, Montoya explains that reliability issues have always been part of motorsports.
“I had a lot of problems [in '05], but that’s racing,” said the 41-year-old. “Nowadays when somebody breaks down, it’s ‘Oh my God, it’s a conspiracy!’ What people don’t understand is how much goes into one of these cars now.
“With simulations they can do a better job and it’s going to break less, but there’s still a chance. Everything is pushed so far.”
“I’m a big believer in as long as we win together and lose together, it’s all good. Lose together, and you win, it doesn’t work. it’s got to go both ways, some days it’s going to be me, some days it’s going to be the car, and it’s got to be treated the same way.”
Montoya’s spell at McLaren - as well as his F1 career - ended in acrimony with the seven-time grand prix winner walking out halfway through the 2006 season.
The Colombian went on to compete in the US, where he became a race winner in NASCAR before making a strong return to IndyCar capped with a second career victory at the Indy 500 in 2015.
“Looking back on my F1 career I can say that I ran for McLaren and Williams, [using] Mercedes and BMW [engines], won races for them. In my mind I wasn’t going to have an opportunity to win a World Championship.
“I’d won all the races I wanted to win [...] I have no regrets that I’m aware of.”
INTERVIEW: Stoffel Vandoorne: The long wait is over
TECHNICAL: Under the skin of the Force India VJM09
FEATURE: Nico Rosberg in numbers
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Lewis Hamilton: Australian GP – Albert Park Lewis Hamilton’s very first Grand Prix weekend…
One driver has a hugely famous name, the other is a special Grand Prix winner,…
As the Ferrari factory in Maranello glows in festive crimson, a sense of anticipation hums…
Lando Norris had just done the hardest thing in motorsport – winning the Formula 1…
A veteran of 41 Grands Prix starts, Howden Ganley - seen here above hitting a…
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc may not have ended the season with a silver trophy in hand,…