- Montoya slams Max Verstappen and Lando Norris for regulation “disrespect.”
- The former driver suggests fines or exits for stars mocking modern Formula 1.
- Verstappen & Norris remain vocal about safety concerns & “Mario Kart” racing.
Juan Pablo Montoya, a former Williams and McLaren driver from 2001 to 2006, recently called out Max Verstappen and Lando Norris for their opinions on the new regulations. He found their views disrespectful towards the sport, suggesting they should either quit or be fined for such takes.
In his overall F1 career, Montoya secured seven Grand Prix wins, with his first coming in Italy in 2001 with Williams. His final season was with McLaren, who did not intend to retain him, given his strained professional relationship with Ron Dennis and Martin Whitmarsh.
Montoya’s F1 run came to an end during the US Grand Prix following a lap-one incident involving him, Kimi Räikkönen, and Jenson Button. A few years later, he was offered a return to the sport with Toro Rosso, but he rejected it for NASCAR.
Montoya wants F1 to show the exit door to Verstappen and Norris
During a conversation with AS Colombia, Montoya stated that there should be stricter rules for drivers who disrespect the sport, referring to recent comments comparing modern-day F1 to Mario Kart.
He specifically targeted the two world champions, Norris and Verstappen, who have been highly critical of the new regulations, raising concerns about safety, increased reliance on electrical systems, and the sport losing its essence.
They can leave or get a fine
“At some point, Formula 1 needs to do what the sports world in the United States does: for people who don’t respect the sport, there’s the door. They can leave or get a fine, so they truly learn to respect what they’re doing. That’s what I would do,” Montoya said.
While he acknowledged that having opinions is acceptable, he believes mocking the sport crosses a line. “I’m not saying they have to like it, but mocking Formula 1 and comparing it to Mario Kart shouldn’t be accepted,” he added.
Max Verstappen is frustrated with the new regs
Since pre-season testing, the Dutchman has been critical of the new regulations, even describing them as “Formula E on steroids”. He has also complained about the cars becoming overly reliant on electric power management, compared to older cars that allowed drivers to go flat out.
He has clearly stated that he is not enjoying driving the new cars and feels the regulations do nothing to support the “longevity” of his career. Alongside Charles Leclerc, he also joined the criticism of F1 feeling like Mario Kart, even joking that he had swapped his simulator for a Nintendo Switch to prepare for races.
would feel the same even if he were winning
After retiring from the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen continued to criticise the regulations, calling them “fundamentally flawed”. He clarified that his views are not based on current performance issues but from a racing perspective, insisting he would feel the same even if he were winning.
The Dutchman said the sport, in its current form, feels like a “joke” to him. He suggested that if rules are being shaped purely for commercial appeal and fan engagement, it could damage the essence of racing. As he put it, “It will come and bite them back in the ass.”
Norris raised safety concerns and talked about unlearning old F1
The reigning world champion had earlier supported Fernando Alonso’s stance on the regulations, highlighting how they limit drivers’ ability to take risks through corners and focus heavily on battery management.
“You’re driving the power unit, you’re not driving the car to the same limit. It’s not like, ‘go and drive the car the quickest way possible.’ That’s not how it works,” he said.
He also noted that the sport now demands a completely different driving approach, requiring drivers to reset what they have learned in previous years. He believes the driver’s role hasn’t diminished but has significantly changed.
During the Australian Grand Prix, he raised concerns about safety for both drivers and fans, describing the current racing as “chaos” that could potentially lead to serious incidents. “Which is a shame because we are driving, and the ones just waiting for something to happen and to go quite horribly wrong, and that is not a nice position to be in, ” he explained.
He added that collisions could send cars flying into barriers, causing severe damage to drivers and those around them.
