Jos Verstappen has called Martin Brundle an 'idiot' on social media, escalating a feud between the Verstappen family and Formula 1 pundits. The attack came after Brundle, a former F1 driver and respected Sky Sports analyst, commented on the impact Max Verstappen and his father Jos have had on senior staff changes at Red Bull Racing.
Brundle's comments spark outrage
During a live Sky Sports broadcast at the British Grand Prix, Brundle said: 'They wanted to torpedo the management of Red Bull, didn't they? Team Verstappen did that very well indeed. To start with, Christian Horner, and it just carried on from there with Adrian Newey, Dr Helmut Marko and Jonathan Wheatley. Now we know Paul Monaghan is leaving. I think they did a bit too good a job of wanting to move some people out of the way there at Red Bull, did Team Verstappen.'
Brundle referenced the departure of Christian Horner as team principal and CEO a year ago, following months of Jos Verstappen publicly calling for his removal. He also noted the exits of design guru Adrian Newey, motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, and most recently chief engineer Paul Monaghan, who has joined Cadillac.
Jos Verstappen hits back on Instagram
The comments were shared on social media, prompting a response on Instagram from Jos Verstappen's account: 'Another idiot who thinks he knows what it's like.' This is the latest in a series of public criticisms by the Verstappens against pundits. Jos recently called out former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher for 'bringing the wrong information' about a lowball offer from Mercedes to Max Verstappen's camp.
Juan Pablo Montoya has also been criticised by both Max and Jos after suggesting drivers who mock F1 should face harsh penalties. Montoya said he would give penalty points to those comparing the sport to 'Mario Kart', including Verstappen. Max responded by questioning why Montoya still receives invites to races from Formula One Management.
Montoya responds to Verstappen criticism
In an interview with the Pit Lane Torque podcast, Montoya said: 'I don't have anything against Max. I said I think the driver should get penalised. And I think if you go to any other sport and you bad-mouth a league or whatever, you're in trouble. If you're a Max fan, you're going to say, 'Well, Max put Montoya in his place with that'. And if you f***ing listen to it, I couldn't really give two f***s about Max. I love Max, I think he's an amazing driver. I don't sugar-coat things, I tell it how it is. I don't have anything against anybody on the grid. I really don't.'
The ongoing war of words highlights the tension between the Verstappen camp and media figures, as the F1 paddock remains divided over the influence of the reigning world champion's family on Red Bull's internal dynamics.
