F1 should fire or fine Max Verstappen for critical comments: 'There is the door'

F1 News & Gossip

F1 should fire or fine Max Verstappen for critical comments: 'There is the door'

Verstappen has been scolded for his forthright criticism of F1

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 17 March 2026 14:57

Max Verstappen has been told, in no uncertain terms, to leave the sport if he doesn't like the new era of F1 cars.

The 2026 cars and new regulations have been verbally ransacked by Verstappen in the past two weeks. His most recent attack came after the Chinese Grand Prix, which saw him compare the new cars to 'Mario Kart' and claimed the new approach for 2026 prohibited 'real racing'.

His comments have garnered support from some, while others — which unsurprisingly includes Mercedes chief Toto Wolff — have argued Verstappen's gripes with F1 are instead a consequence of the RB22's gremlins.

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The Dutchman left Sunday's grand prix without scoring a single point, having suffered a terrible race start, where he dropped down to the back of the field, before being forced to retire on lap 45 with an ERS issue.

Verstappen told 'the door is open'

One F1 pundit has reached the end of their tether with Verstappen's complaints and has called for the sport to take action as the Dutchman continues to vocalise his critique.

Speaking to AS Colombia, Juan Pablo Montoya said: "Formula 1 should do what the sporting world in the United States does: for people who don’t respect the sport, the door is open.

"They can leave or be fined, so that they really learn to respect what they’re doing. I would do that.

"It’s fine for people to have an opinion. I’m not saying they have to like it, but for them to mock Formula 1 and compare it to Mario Kart...That shouldn’t be accepted by Formula 1."

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen 2026 regulations Juan Pablo Montoya