Montoya says Verstappen should be punished if he keeps slamming F1

Max Verstappen’s Miami weekend didn’t end the way he hoped — a long stint on hard tires, likely waiting for rain that never came, cost him dearly. But even so, the Dutch star noticeably toned down his criticism of Formula 1 afterward. As he put it, his Red Bull finally felt better to drive: “The rules are the same, but at least my car works better and it’s less stressful to drive.”

Still, not everyone is convinced the issue is settled. Some believe that if Verstappen ramps up his harsh comments again, F1 should step in and punish him.

Montoya calls for penalties

That’s the stance of former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who argued on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast that the sport can’t allow its biggest stars to publicly tear it down.

“You have to respect the sport,” Montoya said. “I get that they don’t like the rules, but the way they were talking about their livelihood and their sport… there should be consequences.”

When asked what kind of consequences he meant, Montoya didn’t hesitate: “Sanction him.”

Would that include suspending Verstappen for a race? “Yes,” Montoya replied. “Seven more points on the license, eight… whatever you do, he’ll get penalized, and I guarantee the message would be completely different. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be direct, but don’t call an F1 car a Mario Kart.”

Domenicali urges caution — but not punishment

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali recently addressed Verstappen’s comments as well. He said he “understands” Max’s frustrations but reminded him that his words carry weight:

“He knows his opinion has influence, and he must respect that because some people may misinterpret it. And that’s something we cannot allow.”

However, Domenicali did not suggest any penalties, distancing himself from Montoya’s hardline stance.

Verstappen has been punished before

If F1 ever did adopt Montoya’s approach, it wouldn’t be the first time Verstappen faced disciplinary action for his language. He was sanctioned by the FIA during the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix after saying in a press conference that “the car was f***ed,” just days after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem urged drivers to watch their language.

The punishment? Community service in Rwanda, which Verstappen completed.

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