Verstappen criticizes Montoya during meeting between Wolff and Jos.

      Max Verstappen has responded angrily to Juan Pablo Montoya amidst a chaotic weekend of speculation regarding the Formula 1 silly season in Montreal. Montoya, who has become a more vocal pundit, recently suggested that Verstappen should be banned for his continual criticism of Formula 1’s controversial 2026 regulations. However, Verstappen told De Telegraaf that he has little tolerance for the former Williams and McLaren driver.

      "I don’t know what his issue is," Verstappen stated. "I also have very little patience for someone like him who talks so much nonsense." He expressed confusion over why people like Montoya are compensated by Formula One Management. "Surely you wouldn’t want someone like that in the paddock who spouts so much rubbish," he remarked.

      Verstappen accused Montoya of trying to stay relevant by being provocative. "I think it’s a case of ‘I say something different from everyone else, so I remain relevant,’" he said. "It doesn’t affect me much. It’s his problem."

      The Dutch driver also emphasized that he quickly distances himself from those he no longer trusts. "When I’m finished with someone, I’m truly finished," Verstappen explained. "If someone is just there talking nonsense and has negative motives, I'm done with them swiftly."

      Although Verstappen previously hinted at the possibility of leaving Formula 1 if the regulations continued to decline, the recent decision to shift back towards more combustion-engine power starting in 2027 seems to have alleviated some of his concerns. "The fact that it will improve next year helps me to accept it a bit more now," he admitted.

      Still, Verstappen insisted he never seriously thought about taking a break from racing. "No, not a sabbatical," he said. "That's not who I am. If I stop, I stop completely." For now, Verstappen claims to feel relaxed about his future. "Ideally, I’d like to stay with Red Bull for the rest of my life," he stated. "But I don’t have to make that decision today or tomorrow."

      These comments coincided with an unusual public conversation between Verstappen’s father, Jos, and Toto Wolff outside the Mercedes paddock area in Montreal, which led to speculation across the paddock right before Kimi Antonelli’s media session. Nevertheless, Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies downplayed any notions of negotiations or mind games. "It’s completely normal for them to have a conversation with Toto," the Frenchman noted. "Max was racing in a Mercedes last week, a GT3."

      Mekies also dismissed any claims that Verstappen could follow former race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to McLaren. "Max is telling us he’s happy at Red Bull," he asserted. "He is central to the project."

      In the meantime, another peculiar incident in the paddock briefly revived rumors regarding former Red Bull sporting director and recently departed Audi chief Jonathan Wheatley. Canadian GP organizers mistakenly displayed Wheatley’s name on Aston Martin parking signs at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, even though he was not in attendance. "We are aware of the printing error that occurred yesterday," organizers stated. "The issue has been resolved immediately."