A few weeks after provoking a strong reaction from Max Verstappen by publicly criticizing his positions on F1 regulations, Juan Pablo Montoya wanted to calm things down.
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The former Williams and McLaren driver recently sparked controversy by suggesting, during the BBC Chequered Flag podcast, that drivers who regularly criticize Formula 1 should be penalized.
Montoya, who is a television consultant like many of his former colleagues such as his former teammate Ralf Schumacher (photo above), even went as far as proposing that penalty points be added to the Super Licence of the drivers concerned.
Like a misunderstanding…
When journalists asked him if this idea also concerned Verstappen, the Colombian answered without hesitation in the affirmative. Comments that obviously did not please the four-time world champion.
Interviewed by the Dutch daily De Telegraaf, Verstappen responded firmly: “I don’t know what his problem is. I care very little about someone who talks so much nonsense. I don’t understand why people like him are paid by the Formula 1 management when he sometimes works for them.”
The controversy resurfaced during the Canadian Grand Prix when Martin Brundle mentioned the matter with Montoya during his traditional walk on the starting grid. Brundle reportedly said to him: “I saw you managed to annoy Max.”
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A general criticism, not just Verstappen
Later, interviewed by a sports betting site, Montoya sought to downplay the incident: “No, there is no drama between Max and me. If it really made him angry, then he probably has bigger problems in his life.”
According to Montoya, their relationship remains perfectly cordial despite their differences of opinion: “ We have already talked several times on the circuits and, honestly, we get along quite well. We don’t talk often, but we always greet each other. I also say hello to his father, Jos.”
The Colombian insists that his comments were not exclusively aimed at the Red Bull Racing driver.
According to him, it was a broader reflection on the image of sports competitions: “I simply said that drivers who constantly disparage Formula 1 should receive penalty points or be suspended from a race, as could happen in other sports. When I was asked if this also concerned Max, I answered yes. Then, journalists went to ask him what he thought of me, so naturally he reacted.”
Despite the media tensions and sharp exchanges, Montoya assures that there is no real conflict with Verstappen. A situation that mainly illustrates the current sensitivity around debates concerning the new Formula 1 regulations, a subject on which the Dutch world champion continues to regularly express his unfiltered opinion.
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