Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has suggested that Max Verstappen should reconsider racing at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, warning that the risks involved may be too great for both the driver and Red Bull Racing.
Verstappen is preparing to take part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours in May and recently made his third appearance at the famous German circuit during the 24h Qualifiers weekend. The reigning world champion competed in both the NLS4 and NLS5 rounds as part of his growing interest in GT and endurance racing outside Formula 1.
However, the weekend was overshadowed by tragedy after driver Juha Miettinen lost his life during Saturday’s NLS4 race following a serious crash on the Nordschleife. The incident once again highlighted the extreme danger of one of motorsport’s most challenging and unforgiving tracks.
Speaking on his MontoyAS podcast, Montoya said the accident should serve as a major warning sign for Red Bull and team boss Christian Horner. He believes the team should seriously rethink allowing Verstappen to continue racing at such a high-risk venue while he remains the centerpiece of their Formula 1 project.
According to Montoya, Red Bull may be reluctant to stop Verstappen simply because they fear upsetting their star driver. He suggested that the team is in a difficult position, knowing how valuable Verstappen is to their championship ambitions.
Montoya explained that from Red Bull’s perspective, even a minor accident could create huge problems. A broken arm, a broken leg, or any injury serious enough to affect Verstappen’s F1 campaign could be disastrous for the team, especially given how heavily they rely on him for success.
He argued that the investment Red Bull has made in Verstappen should be enough reason for the team to step in and limit these extra racing activities. In his view, they should be able to tell him that while they support his passion for racing, certain risks are simply too great to ignore.
Montoya made it clear that he is not against drivers enjoying motorsport outside Formula 1. He reflected on his own career, saying he was often invited to test rally cars and participate in special events, but many of those opportunities were restricted because teams wanted to protect their main asset.
With Verstappen’s Nürburgring 24 Hours challenge approaching, the debate over balancing personal freedom and team responsibility continues to grow. While the Dutch star remains eager to race, Montoya believes Red Bull must decide whether the thrill is truly worth the risk.