In a series of strong comments against Max Verstappen, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya called for a race ban to be levied against the Dutchman.
Verstappen has been a vocal critic of the new F1 cars, calling them out for lacking power and for boring racing.
He has not changed his tone despite tweaks to the regulations, and he has even hinted at walking away from the sport.
Montoya made an appearance on the BBC’s Chequered Flag, where he called out drivers who have negative opinions on the regulation and voiced them.
Apr 30, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (3) looks on from the paddock area at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
In the former driver’s eyes, any pilot of an F1 car has the responsibility to be an ambassador for the sport rather than an objective critic.
“You’ve got to respect the sport,” Montoya said on the podcast.
“For me, what the drivers were doing… I’m OK you not liking the regulations, but the way you were speaking about what you’re living off and your own sport, you should be… there should be consequences for that.”
Montoya was asked what the consequences should look like, and he did not hold back, believing they should be an outright suspension and missing a race.
“Park him,” Montoya further explained. “Yeah, add seven points to the license, eight points to the license… Whatever you do after, you’re gonna be parked.
“And I guarantee you, all the messages would be different. I’m not saying ‘don’t be outspoken’, but don’t come and call an F1 car a Mario Kart.”
Why does Montoya have an issue with Verstappen?
The Spanish driver has a longstanding rift with Helmut Marko, a close member of Verstappen’s team and the person who brought the four-time champion into the sport.
Marko has claimed that Montoya “didn’t make the most of his abilities.” During his career, Montoya won seven races out of 94 starts for Williams and McLaren.
Likely, the threat of missing a race would not stop Verstappen, who is known for speaking his mind at all times and being as blunt as possible.
Verstappen will continue to complain about the rules until at least 2027, when the sport can bring along more radical changes.
Until then, it will be small tweaks that can ideally provide more power to the cars and unlock on-track battles.
