This year, Max Verstappen has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the biased British reporting and the alleged ‘British preference’ among Formula 1 stewards. The four-time world champion feels he is being treated unfairly, simply because he has ‘the wrong passport’. Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya identifies with Verstappen’s criticism and is glad that a driver is finally speaking out about this.
“The problem is that 80 to 85 percent of the media in Formula 1 is British,” Verstappen previously told PA Media. “I feel that some of the things written about me are not fair.” The Dutchman refused to single out specific media outlets, although most Formula 1 fans can guess which – primarily British – platforms he is referring to. He further clarified his criticism by stating that he often laughs at the biased reports he comes across.
‘Stewards are not fair’
His frustration is not unique; former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who raced in the premier class between 2001 and 2006, identified with Verstappen’s criticism. “When he said he had the wrong passport, I could identify with that so much,” Montoya told Instant Casino this week. The Colombian also suggested that there is a degree of ‘cronyism’ among the stewards.
“If the FIA doesn’t like you, you almost always get a penalty, even if you are innocent,” he said. “You get a reputation. If you’ve already received a penalty, the facts are no longer looked at. Decisions are then often based on previous incidents.” Montoya concluded with a striking comparison. “It’s like you’ve stolen money and gone to jail for it,” he said. “When you get out and money disappears somewhere again, you get picked up again. The police just assume that you have something to do with it.
