Montoya Makes Bold Verstappen and Antonelli Prediction Ahead of Malaysia GP

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who now works as an expert for the championship’s official platforms and F1TV, believes that Malaysia’s return to the calendar could be good news for Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli.According to the Colombian, the layout of the Sepang circuit particularly suits drivers who are willing to take risks and push their cars to the limit. Montoya is very familiar with the Malaysian track, having finished second there twice during his time with Williams, in 2002 and 2004. “Sepang requires genuine aggression behind the wheel. That is why I believe this circuit could suit Max Verstappen extremely well. He knows how to extract the maximum from a car and is not afraid to attack. However, I also would not rule out a strong performance from Kimi Antonelli,” Montoya said.The Colombian also highlighted the challenging conditions drivers are likely to face due to the high temperatures. At the same time, he considers Sepang one of the most exciting circuits on the Formula 1 calendar. According to Montoya, drivers need a particular level of bravery to tackle its fast and technically demanding sections at high speed.Montoya admitted that during his own career, he often attempted to take some of the corners almost flat-out, although this did not always end successfully. Nevertheless, Sepang remains one of his favourite circuits.Malaysia’s return to the championship was officially confirmed at the end of July. The race, originally scheduled as the Bahrain Grand Prix, will take place at Sepang International Circuit on October 4. The last Formula 1 race in Malaysia was held in October 2017, with Max Verstappen taking victory.