Juan Pablo Montoya says Max Verstappen should get penalty points for his comments about F1 rules

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Juan Pablo Montoya has once again called for Max Verstappen to be punished for his scathing complaints about the 2026 F1 regulations.

Earlier in the season, Verstappen compared F1 to ‘Mario Kart’, suggesting that the new boost and overtake modes had made the racing artificial. He has also called the new version of the sport ‘Formula E on steroids’.

There were several minor changes to the regulations ahead of last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. Verstappen saw them as a small step in the right direction, but he still has fundamental problems with the current formula.

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Juan Pablo Montoya reiterates that Max Verstappen must ‘respect’ F1

Montoya has previously called for Verstappen to be fined for showing what he sees as a lack of ‘respect’ to F1. On the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast after the Miami Grand Prix, he suggested a sporting penalty may be more appropriate.

He thinks Verstappen should receive up to eight penalty points the next time he speaks about the sport in such terms. That would put him up to 11 overall, just one short of a race ban.

Montoya says this would force Verstappen to change his tone, even if he respects the Dutchman’s right to his own opinion.

“You’ve got to respect the sport,” he said. “I’m okay with you not liking the regulations, but the way you are speaking about what you’re living off and your own sport, there should be consequences.

“Park him. Add seven points to the licence, eight points to the licence. Whatever you do afterwards, you’re going to be parked.

“I guarantee you all the messages would be different. I’m not saying, ‘Don’t you say you don’t like the regulations, because if you don’t like it, you have the right to an opinion.’

“It’s okay to be outspoken. I’m not saying, ‘Don’t be outspoken.’ But don’t call an F1 car ‘Mario Kart’.”

Damon Hill says drivers like Max Verstappen keep F1 ‘interesting’

Montoya’s colleague, Damon Hill, defended Verstappen, suggesting that fans appreciated his honesty.

F1 bosses hoped that drivers would give the new rules time before casting a judgement, but several were extremely critical in the opening weeks of the season.

“Drivers have always been rebels in a way, people like James Hunt and Niki Lauda,” said Hill. “That’s why it was interesting. They were not people you could contain in a normal situation.

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“Drivers have got enormous influence because of social media. That’s why they’re worried about them saying negative things, but then you can always say, ‘Well, if you were winning, you wouldn’t be saying that.’

“I think the fans like the fact that drivers are outspoken. That’s the catch that we’ve got. There is a relationship between the fans and their driver, and they like to hear them be outspoken.”

After the Japanese GP in late March, Verstappen said he was considering retirement at the end of the season, although his demeanour seemed more positive in Miami.