Juan Pablo Montoya’s criticisms of Max Verstappen continue to resonate after the Miami Formula 1 GP. Despite the negative reaction from fans, the former driver of the category stated that he does not intend to back down from the statements made about the performance of the Red Bull Racing driver during the race.
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During the weekend in Miami, Montoya described Verstappen’s impressive control after a solo 360-degree spin in the middle of the grid, right after the start, as ‘pure luck’, with the Dutchman managing to avoid a collision and continuing in the race. In addition, the Colombian also criticized recent actions of the four-time world champion and even defended a harsher FIA penalty.
“Suspend him. Put seven points on the super license. Whatever they do after that, he will be stopped. I guarantee the whole message would be different,” Montoya said earlier. The statement caused a strong reaction among Verstappen fans, but the former driver assured that he is not concerned about the criticism received on social media.
In his podcast MontoyAS, the Colombian reinforced his view on the incident in Miami: “You say people attacked me strongly for the comments about Max. Honestly, I don’t even see that and I don’t care that much,” he said. According to him, despite the Red Bull Racing driver’s recovery after the spin, the mistake happened and cannot be ignored.
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Montoya also mentioned the five-second penalty received by Verstappen during the race for crossing the pit exit line under the safety car. For the former driver, the infraction was unnecessary, especially during a neutralization moment: “It wasn’t even a green flag, when you need to give everything. It was safety car. He should have gone to the line, but cut before. I have the footage of that,” he said.
Besides the controversy involving Verstappen, Montoya took the opportunity to respond to criticism about his behavior as a commentator. Some fans complained that the Colombian often interrupts others during broadcasts and debates. According to him, the work dynamic requires quick responses and there is no intention to seem rude.
“I have a computer in front and a headset with a microphone, so I listen to the broadcast while speaking at the same time. I can’t warn that I want to say something,” he explained. Montoya also recalled a conversation with a fan at an airport about the subject and responded in a humorous tone: “But how should I do that?”, he finished laughing.
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