Montoya will settle for third best

Williams star Juan Pablo Montoya has almost conceded that Ferrari number two Rubens Barrichello will take the runner up spot in the drivers' championship and is focusing on securing third spot instead

Aug 20, 2002, 3:27 PM

The Colombian is now five points behind the Brazilian following Barrichello's win in Hungary, and with Ferrari putting its efforts into securing a drivers' championship one-two, Montoya's instead fighting team-mate Ralf Schumacher and McLaren's David Coulthard for third place.

"I want to improve constantly," Montoya told the BMW website. "If I should reach second place in the world championship, it would be fantastic, but if should end up third, it would also be nice."

Montoya had a frustrating race at the Hungaroring and admits that he never got to grips with the set-up of his car at the high downforce track.

"This was no BMW-Williams circuit. I never managed to knock the understeering out of the car, no matter what changes I made."

Montoya currently lies fourth in the drivers' standings on 40 points. Ralf also has 40, but is ahead courtesy of his win in Malaysia. Coulthard in fifth on 34.