Montoya takes swipe at Hamilton over Red Bull claim

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has questioned Lewis Hamilton's proposal to curb Red Bull's dominance by restricting development on the following year's car.

Seven-time World Champion Hamilton called on the FIA to mandate a start time when teams can begin development on the following season's car, amid fears that Red Bull is already focused on 2024.

Hamilton and his Mercedes team enjoyed its own period of dominance between 2014 and 2020, when the Silver Arrows won all available titles, including six Drivers' triumphs for the Briton.

Speaking to MyBettingSites, former Williams and McLaren driver Montoya said: "It's funny because Lewis keeps coming out and saying 'it's unfair, it's unfair'.

"He's already predicting that Max is going to win next year, but you look back at his period of dominance – 'was it you, was it the car?'

"We were all happy for you when you dominated."

Montoya: Budget cap has been good for F1

While Red Bull has dominated this season - winning every race so far - behind, the picture seems to change race by race as different teams perform better at different circuits and under different conditions.

"What is very intriguing is that you now go on race weekends and you don't know who'll be fighting who," added Montoya.

"It used to be really predictable – you had Mercedes, then Red Bull and then you had Ferrari and then everybody else. Now, you have the Red Bull and everybody else.

"You look from 3rd to 12th, you have no idea what's going to happen. You even look at the Williams and they're qualifying 10th or 12th. They're there.

"So I think the rules have been really good for the sport. They have closed the gap. I think the budget caps, in a way, have really worked.

"Red Bull made a really massive step in their car and they really know what they're doing and they figured it out better than anybody else.

"But everybody else seems to be in this bubble and that makes for great motorsport. It's giving people things to talk about."