19 March 2026PlanetF1Driver Ratings

Montoya to Verstappen: 'There's the door' if you don't respect F1

Juan Pablo Montoya has told Max Verstappen and other critical F1 drivers to "leave" the sport if they cannot respect it, following Verstappen's comparison of the 2026 regulations to "Mario Kart." Montoya argues the complaints are politically motivated by Mercedes' early dominance and that drivers should accept the challenge or quit.

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has delivered a blunt message to Max Verstappen and other critics of the sport's new 2026 regulations: quit if you don't like it. His comments come after a wave of driver complaints, most notably from Verstappen who likened the energy-harvesting era to "Mario Kart" racing, sparking a debate about respect and competition within the paddock.

Why it matters:

Montoya's harsh stance highlights a growing cultural rift between the sport's commercial leadership and its star competitors. As F1 navigates a technically complex new era, public criticism from its biggest names risks undermining the product's credibility with fans. This clash pits drivers' concerns over racing purity and safety against the commercial imperative to present a unified, exciting sport.

The details:

The core of the controversy stems from the 2026 power unit regulations, which emphasize energy management and battery harvesting. Drivers have expressed frustration, feeling it overly dictates race strategy.
Verstappen's 'Mario Kart' Jibe: The reigning world champion has been the most vocal, joking he swapped his simulator for a Nintendo Switch to practice with "mushrooms" and "blue shells," a sentiment echoed by Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.
Official Pushback: F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali previously called out such criticism as "wrong,\