Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán, better known as Juan Pablo Montoya, was born in Bogota, Colombia on September 20, 1975. He is a professional race car driver, having competed in Formula One (F1), National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and now IndyCar.
So just how rich is Juan Pablo Montoya? He has an estimated net worth of $35 million. Aside from his race car winnings, Montoya has made his fortune from his endorsement and royalties on merchandise.
Juan Pablo Montoya Net Worth $35 Million
Even at an early age, Montoya was already immersed in the world of racecar driving. His father Pablo, an architect and motorsport fan, taught him carting techniques. From 1981, he won four years straight at the Colombian National Carting Race and went on to win Colombian Formula Renault races in 1992. He then moved to Europe and joined the Formula 300 team, garnering four wins, seven pole positions, and nine podium finishes in twelve races during the 1998 F300 season. He made the move to CART in the US where he won the CART championship at the age of 24, the youngest in CART history, and was also named Rookie of the Year. He also competed at the Indianapolis 500 and won in his first attempt, becoming the first ever Colombian to bag the championship.
In 2001, he began racing under Formula One, but his wins had been sporadic which were partly due to oversteering and engine issues. However, he made a huge win when he was declared champion at the 2003 Grand Prix Monaco, with two victories and a third-place finish. After being criticized for his lack of fitness, he began a fitness regime in 2005 which ended when he injured his shoulder after the Malaysian Grand Prix. He retired from F1 with seven victories and 30 podium finishes in 94 starts and went on to sign under NASCAR. In his first year, he won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in the GRAND-AM Sports Car Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). This made him the second person, after Mario Andretti, to take home all three Indianapolis 500, Formula One, and NASCAR cup race championships. He then became a two-time winner in the 2008 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2009, he became the first foreign born racer to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, finishing in eight-place in the series endings. He retired from NASCAR in 2013, where he remains the only foreign-born driver to win multiple races in NASCAR’s premiere series. Later that year, it was announced that Montoya would be returning to IndyCar where he is currently competing. He once again claimed victory at the 2015 Indianapolis 500 after his win in 2000. Apart from his racecar driving career, he owns a business and a distribution company in Miami. His net worth is still growing.
Montoya married fellow Colombian and former model, Connie Freydell, in their native land back in 2002. They are currently living in Miami with three children, Sebastian, Paulina, and Manuela. As part of his duties as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, he and his wife started the Formula Shine Foundation in 2003 which provides opportunities for children, from poverty and violent-stricken neighborhoods in Colombia, through sports. This non-profit organization currently supports over 5,000 children in five cities.
