Juan Pablo and Sebastián Montoya undertake this Saturday the marathon day of the 12 Hours of Sebring, together with the North American pilot Henry Hedman in an Oreca Gibson prototype of the LMP2 category.
(We recommend: Juan Pablo and Sebastián Montoya compete together for the first time! Interview).
The car is a well-known seat for Juan Pablo, who took it to class victory at Le Mans 2021 and already has quite a few test kilometers under his belt with the young Sebastián, who at 16 makes his debut in endurance racing separated from his father for 30 years, the same years that his veteran and famous father has been on the slopes.
Father and son compete together for the first time
Parent-child performances in the same car must be many, but with the Montoya’s level of celebrity there aren’t that many in history.
The most notable reference is the Andretti clan. Mario, the ’78 world champion, ran the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside his son Michael in 1983, third place, and sixth in 1988 when nephew and cousin John were added to the crew. His participations could have been three if it weren’t for the fact that in 1982 the car was excluded before the start due to a technical disagreement.
More recent is the case of the Magnussens, father Jan and son Kevin, currently in F1. Last year they ran the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a car similar to the one the Montoyas are driving tomorrow. They were unlucky because an accident relegated them to 17th place in the LMP2 category.
(Be sure to read: Sebastián Montoya: ‘I don’t like being second’, interview).
In duration tests, there are many traffic risks with faster or slower cars, accidents and weather that in Sebring add up to an uneven and very fatiguing floor. For Juan Pablo, it is an old stage in which he has raced many times but for Sebastián it will be a great opportunity to gain experience in another mode and driving times and it is likely that he will have two more starts with his father in the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen and at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in the course of the year.
This high-profile Colombian couple, who is going out to compete in the race, has another compatriot on the grid, ‘Gaby’ Chávez, in an LMP3 category car from the Andretti Autosport team, along with Jarett Andretti from the United States and Australian Josh Burdon.
The race starts this Saturday at 9.10 in the morning and will end 12 hours later, in the middle of the night section.
JOSE CLOPATOFSKY
DIRECTOR OF MOTOR MAGAZINE
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