Juan Pablo Montoya has sparked fresh debate in the Formula 1 2026 regulations row by calling for Max Verstappen to be hit with penalty points on his FIA super licence, a move that could edge the four-time world champion towards a race ban if the sport’s governing body decided to escalate matters. The outspoken former Williams and McLaren driver said the Dutchman’s repeated criticism of the new rule set has crossed a line, arguing that drivers should be allowed to disagree with the sport — but not, in his view, undermine it with what he sees as disrespectful language.
Montoya’s comments add a new layer to an already heated paddock conversation about the direction of Formula 1 from 2026, when sweeping technical changes are expected to reshape the grid. Verstappen has been one of the loudest critics of those plans, repeatedly arguing that the cars will become more difficult to race and that the power-unit and energy-management demands risk taking too much of the sport’s focus away from wheel-to-wheel action. Montoya, however, believes there should be consequences for the tone of that criticism.
Speaking on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Montoya made clear that his issue was not with Verstappen having an opinion, but with how he expressed it. He said drivers are entitled to dislike the regulations, but insisted they should still show respect for the machinery and the sport that pays their wages and defines their careers. As he put it, there should be “consequences” when a driver speaks about Formula 1 in a way that, in his view, crosses into contempt.
The Colombian even suggested a dramatic sanction: seven or eight penalty points on Verstappen’s licence. That would not, by itself, trigger an immediate ban, but it would place the Red Bull star uncomfortably close to the 12-point threshold that brings an automatic one-race suspension. Montoya’s point was blunt — if the paddock wants drivers to moderate their messaging, then the FIA should make them feel the risk.
Under current FIA rules, Verstappen already carries three penalty points from his clash with George Russell at last year’s Spanish Grand Prix. That means any significant addition would quickly become a serious conversation, especially given how tightly drivers monitor their licence status across the season. For a racer operating at the sharp end of the championship, even the suggestion of a ban is enough to cause a stir.
The Formula 1 2026 regulations row and Verstappen’s blunt language
Verstappen’s criticism of the Formula 1 2026 regulations has been anything but subtle. Since pre-season testing in February, he has been highly vocal about the direction of the new rules, describing them as “anti-racing” and even likening the package to “Formula E on steroids”. That comparison was always going to raise eyebrows, and it did exactly that across the paddock.
At the Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen again stood by his view despite changes the FIA introduced in April. He argued the regulations still force drivers into an uncomfortable compromise, where they must slow down in order to produce better lap time, and where the balance between performance and energy deployment remains too artificial. In his words, the rules remain “punishing”.
One of Verstappen’s most memorable lines has been his comparison of the new cars to “Mario Kart”, a phrase that landed heavily in a sport proud of its engineering seriousness and competitive edge. His criticism has centred on the energy-management systems that will, in his view, place too much emphasis on battery usage and strategy rather than natural racing instinct. That has clearly irritated some in the sport, including Montoya.
Montoya said he has no problem with drivers speaking their minds. In fact, he openly acknowledged that Formula 1 would be duller if everyone sounded the same. But he drew a line between honest feedback and what he sees as damaging messaging about the sport’s product. For him, calling a Formula 1 car a Mario Kart machine is not constructive criticism — it is an insult to the competition.
He also suggested that driver comments are not always entirely personal. In his view, there is often a second layer to what fans hear publicly: the influence of team politics. Montoya said drivers may express views they genuinely hold, but they may also be encouraged by their teams to push certain messages because those views align with strategic or technical interests.
That is a familiar feature of Formula 1, where every word can carry commercial and political weight. Teams lobby hard behind the scenes, manufacturers protect their future interests, and drivers are often the public face of far larger agendas. Montoya’s point was that this does not excuse extreme language, but it does help explain why criticism of rule changes can become so pointed so quickly.
Verstappen, for his part, has repeatedly insisted that his objections are not simply a reaction to Red Bull’s performance fluctuations. He has pointed out that he first voiced concerns about the 2026 regulations back in 2023, when Red Bull were still dominant and he was winning comfortably. That detail matters, because it undercuts the easy argument that his stance is merely the frustration of a champion unhappy with change.
There is also the current competitive picture to consider. After four rounds, Verstappen sits seventh in the drivers’ championship on 26 points, following an improved showing from the Milton Keynes-based squad at the Miami International Autodrome, where he finished fifth. Red Bull’s package has clearly taken steps forward, but the Dutchman’s broader concerns about the future of the formula remain unchanged.
From a South African motorsport audience perspective, the debate will feel very familiar: where should the line be between blunt honesty and public discipline? In Formula 1, as we know, perception matters almost as much as pace. The biggest stars are expected to sell the sport as much as they race in it, and when a champion repeatedly dismisses a coming rules era in such sharp terms, the fallout is inevitable.
Montoya’s proposed punishment is unlikely to become official policy any time soon, but it has succeeded in doing what F1 always does best — turning opinion into controversy. Whether Verstappen’s words are seen as refreshingly honest or unnecessarily dismissive will depend on where one sits in the sport. But as things stand, the Formula 1 2026 regulations debate is no longer just about technical design. It is now about respect, messaging and how far a driver can go before the sport decides enough is enough.