Michael Schumacher’s golden era was “hostile”🐲, according to his ex-rival Juan Pablo Montoya.

ꦐMontoya has compared the tetchy relationship that F1 drivers had in the 1990s and 2000s to today’s friendlier atmosph൩ere.

However, the chumminess between today’s generation was tested l𓄧ast season when Max Verstappen riled up Lando Norris and George Russell.

Montoya told the Beyond The Grid podcast: “Now, with social media, the teammates are best friend♈s! They go 𓄧for dinner, they play padel together!

“In my day, you would♎n’t talk to anybody. I spoke to Fernando Alonso, and I still🌠 do, and Rubens Barrichello. Felipe Massa sometimes, but that’s it."

'Hostile' atmosphere in F1 paddock

“It was𝔉 very hostile🙈. You didn’t talk to anybody," Montoya said.

“Chip Ganassi had one of the best lines ever. I was nice to somebody, I wasn’t cutthroat when Iꦛ raced him. He said to me: ‘If you want friends♏, bring them, you’re not here to make friends.’

“It’s true.

“Now, everybody talks and everybody is nice.

“But when you are nice𝓰, it’s hard to be an asshole. It’s hard to pull a move to drive a guy off the tr🌳ack, if you like the guy.

“If👍 it’s the guy you had dinner with last night? It’s harder to throw the car. It’s not as cutthroat.

“Now, the rules are not so extreme. In my time, you co𓆏uld drive them🌃 off the track!”

Montoya clashed no𝓡toriously with Schumach👍er, who ruled the roost at the time.

Colombian driver Montoya won seven F1 grands prix, and reprꦜesented Williams and McLaren.