Max Verstappen and any other driver who is not happy with F1\u2019s new formula should either quit the sport or \u201clearn to respect\u201d the job, according to Juan Pablo Montoya.<\/p>\n
Four-time world champion Verstappen has been one of the more outspoken critics of Formula 1\u2019s new battery harvesting era.<\/p>\n
Montoya delivers a blunt message to Verstappen and fellow critics of F1\u2019s new era.<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n Formula 1 embarked on an all-new era this season as the sport not only adopted new technical regulations, but also a new engine formula. And it\u2019s the latter that\u2019s making headlines, but for the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n Energy management, battery harvesting and super clipping have become the buzzwords of 2026, and not everyone is happy about it.<\/p>\n Red Bull driver Verstappen<\/a> called it \u201cMario Kart\u201d racing, quipping: \u201cI swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch and, yeah, practicing a bit of Mario Kart<\/a>, actually!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, finding the mushrooms is going quite well. The blue shell is a bit more difficult, but I\u2019m working on it. The rockets are still not there. The rocket is coming!\u201d<\/p>\n His comment came days after Charles Leclerc told his race engineer Bryan Bozzo, \u201cThis is like the mushroom in Mario Kart\u201d as he raced to third place in Australia.<\/p>\n They are not alone in their Mario Kart assessment of F1\u2019s new formula, Lando Norris, Sergio Perez and Oliver Bearman also likening the new regulations to playing a video game.<\/p>\n Their comments did not go down well with F1 chief Stefano Domenicali, who called the drivers, especially Verstappen, out for his criticism.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIt\u2019s wrong, in general terms, to talk bad about our incredible world that is allowing all of us to grow in general terms. And that\u2019s the only thing that I will say is not right.\u201d<\/p>\n Max Verstappen\u2019s F1 criticism: Right or wrong?<\/p>\n Guenther Steiner slams Max Verstappen\u2019s F1 2026 criticism as \u2018toys out of the pram\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Max Verstappen \u2018in a horror show\u2019 as Wolff weighs in on \u2018horrendous\u2019 Red Bull RB22<\/a><\/p>\n However, the former Ferrari team principal isn\u2019t the only one who believes the drivers should keep their negative opinions to themselves.<\/p>\n In fact, former F1 driver Montoya reckons it\u2019s a case of shut up or quit.<\/p>\n \u201cAt some point, Formula 1 needs to do what the sports world in the United States does \u2013 the people who don\u2019t respect the sport, there\u2019s the door,\u201d Montoya said to AS Colombia.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can leave or get a fine, so they truly learn to respect what they\u2019re doing. That\u2019s what I would do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine for people to have an opinion,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019m not saying they have to like it, but mocking Formula 1 and comparing it to Mario Kart, that shouldn\u2019t be accepted by Formula 1.\u201d<\/p>\n As for those voicing safety concerns, a topic Carlos Sainz has extensively spoken about, the Colombian says there too there is a decision to be made: accept it or quit.<\/p>\n \u201cIf he\u2019s afraid, he can stay home and relax,\u201d he said. \u201cI like Carlos a lot, but it\u2019s like they\u2019re trying to get attention for everything.\u201d<\/p>\n He believes the main reason the drivers are complaining is because they\u2019re all losing to Mercedes.<\/p>\n Mercedes has nailed the new engine regulations, claiming the 1-2 in both the Australian and Chinese grands prix as well as the win in the Sprint. The team leads by 31 points ahead of Ferrari after two race weekends.<\/p>\n \u201c80 percent of the comments they make are political,\u201d Montoya insisted. \u201cWhy are the drivers complaining that recharging is bad? Because Mercedes can do it better than everyone else.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they take advantage away from Mercedes, everyone else will be closer. Carlos is complaining because the Williams isn\u2019t getting good starts. Why aren\u2019t Mercedes complaining?\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n