Juan Pablo Montoya raises doubts over Verstappen’s aggressive racing style and questions whether Red Bull can maintain its dominance this season.
Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving style, particularly his forceful defensive moves, is once again under scrutiny.
Facing the threat of suspension early this season with eight penalty points on his license, Verstappen was penalized twice by the FIA in Mexico for reckless maneuvers while defending against Lando Norris in his McLaren F1.
Highlighting a sensitive issue, former Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya—who was no stranger to aggressive racing himself—claims Verstappen would rather crash than be overtaken, a mindset he believes must change.
“Max doesn’t like losing, and he’s the kind of guy who would rather crash than let you beat him,” Montoya stated.
“We saw it at the end of last year when he did things that shocked everyone. People were wondering: ‘Why did he do that?’”
“When he was battling Lewis and giving no quarter, everyone thought it was great. Finally, someone was standing up to Hamilton.”
“Now, the roles are reversed. And when the one who’s winning pushes the limits, people start questioning him. It’s a new dynamic.”
Verstappen Won’t Be a Threat to Hamilton or McLaren F1
Montoya isn’t optimistic about the Dutchman’s chances this season. He already sees the Red Bull driver out of the title fight, predicting Ferrari or McLaren F1 will be more competitive while Red Bull will soon feel the impact of Adrian Newey’s departure.
“Verstappen won’t be Lewis’s problem this year. I’d be surprised if Red Bull starts strong like in previous seasons,” Montoya added, reflecting on the results of winter testing, particularly the RB21’s underwhelming long runs.
“Adrian Newey recently stated that Red Bull’s issues aren’t as easy to fix as they might think.”
“It’s very complicated because when you’re convinced that what you’re doing is right and suddenly it no longer works, how far back do you need to go? At what point do you ask yourself: ‘Is what we’re doing now actually correct, or are we still getting it wrong?’”
“If you acknowledge that you’ve built the car incorrectly and realize your current approach is flawed, how confident can you be that your new direction is the right one?”
“At some point, you have to commit: ‘This is our path, we’re focusing our efforts here, and this is what we’re going to do.’”
“But if you start hesitating, stagnating, or even backtracking, you’ll never get out of the hole. And that hole can be very deep—that’s the real issue.”
McLaren F1 Best Positioned for the Title?
Montoya believes his former team, McLaren F1, could be in the best position for the championship.
“McLaren seems to have a clear understanding of how to translate its efforts into success. Right now, it’s the team that best identifies what it needs, communicates that vision effectively, and ensures everything works seamlessly.”
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Montoya: Verstappen Prefers Crashing Over Being Defeated Montoya: Verstappen Prefers Crashing Over Being Defeated Montoya: Verstappen Prefers Crashing Over Being Defeated
