At only 18 years of age and with the accelerator at full throttle, Sebastián Montoya is heading towards two goals: racing in the Grand Prix of Miami and be world champion Formula 1.
For now, the young driver has just finished his participation in the F3 Championship organized by the International Automobile Federation. F3 is two steps before the top category, F1.
Born in Miami, son of the famous former Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya, Sebastián virtually went around the world in 2023 in an activity that he has practiced since he was eight years old, when he began officially competing in karting.
“I came in 15th place this season,” commented Sebastián in a teleconference from Barcelona. “I raced in different places, such as Bahrain, Australia, Spain, England, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Belgium and Monaco, among other places.”
From November 16 to 19, he closed the year with his debut at the 70th Macau Grand Prix for the FIA World Cup.
“It was a difficult race, very competitive, all the drivers were very fast,” commented Sebastián. “I had contact with the wall during the race and I couldn’t improve my time. In the end it wasn’t so bad for us because I was able to recover five positions.”
Sebastián feels that being the son of a personality like Juan Pablo Montoya is a great advantage. The Colombian won seven races in F1, and also won the 24 Hours of Daytona three times and the Indianapolis 500 twice.
“My father and I formed Team Montoya,” Sebastián expressed with enormous pride. “He tries to be with me at the races most of the time. And when that happens everything is cooler because we can share the experience.”
His father is his mentor, frequently giving him advice and detailing everything he has to work on to achieve his goals.
”He always tells me to enjoy it as much as I can. This is a sport that requires enormous sacrifice. You have to work hard to be the best. Sometimes it is very frustrating. Despite this, motorsport offers a feeling that I wouldn’t change for the world.”
The great challenge is not only to master a car that develops a speed of 300 kilometers per hour and the dangers of competition against rivals who also fight with the same fervor for victory.
“Obviously motorsport is a very physical and mental sport,” defined Sebastian. “That’s why I go to the gym a lot, I eat a good diet to recover my muscles and have enough energy. And you have to maintain a balance with the mental part. There I am learning. “You have to stay calm and control your emotions.”
Just as in horse racing, where the weight of the rider is essential, it happens in motorsports. There is so much parity between the teams that the smallest detail makes the difference between victory and defeat.
“I always try to get into the car with a weight of 66 kilos, including the uniform and helmet,” revealed Sebastián. “This implies that I must maintain great discipline in that sense and carefully select my diet and rest time.”
Sebastián started in F3 at the age of 17, earlier than his father, who competed for the first time in that division at the age of 21.
“My goal is to be F1 world champion, winning any race and racing on the Hard Rock Stadium road course in Miami would be a dream,” commented the young driver. “For now I am focused on the present to be able to reach the future well.”
2023 has been a very interesting year for Sebastián. In addition to racing, last May he graduated from high school and is currently in the decision-making stage to choose a career that can be parallel to motorsports or, better, in support of his passion for nuts.
Meanwhile, Sebastián makes his way into the business and investment world. In 2022, along with his father, he became a global ambassador for Unicorn Hunters, a business series that connects entrepreneurs seeking capital with investors around the world.
Also, they joined Unicoin, an asset-backed cryptocurrency launched by Unicorn Hunters.
“I love the role of being an ambassador for a project that combines business,” said Sebastián. “It is something quite new where young entrepreneurs and older people can participate, because it is a link for all generations.”
