McLaren has run out of excuses for why the Woking based team has not won a championship since 1999.
That is the claim of Juan Pablo Montoya, who won three races in a silver single seater until he switched to the NASCAR scene last year.
“McLaren is under a lot of pressure now,” the Colombian told the Spanish magazine Grand Prix, “because the drivers are new, the image is new; they have to get results.”
Referring to Fernando Alonso, Montoya continued: “With a world champion who has beaten Schumacher (in the team), they have run out of excuses.”
The 31-year-old fell out famously with McLaren’s boss, but Montoya thinks Spaniard Alonso “will get on well” with Ron Dennis.
“The million dollar question is how the car and the engine will go,” Montoya said.
Despite McLaren’s fine form on the winter tracks, he thinks the Mercedes-powered team will be beaten by Ferrari and his old teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
But he said: “(Felipe) Massa might have a very good start (to 2007).”
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com