Former Williams and McLaren racer Juan Pablo Montoya has been firm in his view of swear-gate involving Max Verstappen and the FIA.
Juan Pablo Montoya criticized the FIA, calling their actions “petty” and suggesting F1 might push for Max Verstappen to be left alone. After Verstappen used a curse word during a press conference in Azerbaijan, he faced community service and backlash, prompting Lewis Hamilton to call it a “joke” and urge a boycott. FIA president Ben Sulayem aims to reduce swearing in radio messages, but Montoya believes the FIA’s response was excessive and that they may need to reconsider. Montoya suggested a compromise involving involving community service for Max, and emphasized the need for consistent standards in handling such incidents in F1. Despite the controversy, Montoya felt that the focus on Verstappen’s language was influenced by his outspoken nature, questioning the fairness of singling out certain drivers while allowing others to express emotions freely on radio transmissions.
