Juan Pablo Montoya has largely ignored the wave of criticism that followed his controversial comments about Max Verstappen during and after the Miami Grand Prix weekend.
The former Formula 1 driver openly criticized Max Verstappen’s performance, focusing in particular on the Dutchman’s 360-degree spin following contact with Charles Leclerc during the race.
Montoya did not hold back when discussing the incident and the penalties he believes Formula 1 drivers should face for repeated mistakes.
“Park him. Add seven points to the license, eight points to the license. Whatever happens after that, you will still have to stop him for one race anyway,” Juan Pablo Montoya declared.
The Colombian former Grand Prix winner insisted that stronger punishment would immediately change the message sent throughout the paddock.
“I guarantee you the message would be different,” he added.
Montoya also addressed the backlash he received online from Max Verstappen supporters after making his comments public.
“They say they attacked me heavily because of the comments about Max. Honestly, I don’t even see them and I don’t really care that much anymore,” he explained.
According to Juan Pablo Montoya, the Miami Grand Prix exposed several driving mistakes from the Red Bull driver, despite the fact that Max Verstappen managed to avoid more serious consequences.
“Max spun on the first lap, and yes, he saved it. If you want to call it skill, fine, let’s call it skill,” Montoya said. “But he also made a mistake exiting the pits during the safety car.”
The former Williams and McLaren driver then went into greater detail regarding the incident at pit exit, emphasizing that it happened under safety car conditions rather than during full racing speed.
“It wasn’t even under green flag conditions, when you are pushing at the absolute limit,” Montoya continued. “No, it was under the safety car. He should have aimed toward the line, but instead he cut across it; he braked too early. I have the video.”
The comments quickly reignited debate among Formula 1 fans, particularly among Max Verstappen supporters — often referred to as the “Orange Army” — who strongly defended the reigning world champion against Montoya’s criticism.
However, Juan Pablo Montoya also used the opportunity to respond to another criticism frequently directed at him during Spanish-language broadcasts, where some viewers accuse him of interrupting too often while speaking.
“For the Spanish people listening to me and saying I’m rude because I interrupt: understand that I’m sitting in front of a computer with headphones and a microphone, so I hear the broadcast and speak at the same time,” he explained.
The Colombian even shared an anecdote from a recent airport encounter with a fan.
“One time at the airport someone told me: ‘You interrupt people a lot.’ And I replied: ‘And how the hell am I supposed to do it otherwise?’”
Montoya’s remarks once again underline how polarizing Max Verstappen remains within the Formula 1 world. While many consider the Red Bull driver one of the greatest talents of his generation, others believe his aggressive style and occasional mistakes deserve stricter scrutiny from the FIA.
The controversy surrounding the Miami Grand Prix therefore continues to fuel debate across the Formula 1 paddock and fanbase alike, especially as discussions around driving standards and steward consistency remain among the sport’s hottest topics.
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