Michael Schumacher’s golden era was “hostile”, according to ✱his ex-rival Juan P♒ablo Montoya.

Montoya has com🍬pared the tetchy relationship that F1 drivers had in the 1990s and 2000s to today’s friendlier atmosphere.

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

Montoya told the Beyond The Grid p💙odcast: “Now, with social media, the teammates are best friends! They go for dinner, they play padel t🔯ogether!

“In my day, you wouldn൩’t talk to anybody. I spoke to Fernando Alonso, and I st꧙ill do, and Rubens Barrichello. Felipe Massa sometimes, but that’s it."

'Hostile' atmosphere in F1 paddock

“It was very hostile. You didn’t talk to anybody," M🧸ont﷽oya said.

“Chip Ganassi had one of the best lines ever. I wꦬas nice to somebody, I wasn’t cutthroat when I 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 nice, it’s hard to be an asshole. It’s hard to pull a move to drive a guy off the track, if you like the guy.

“If it’s the guy youও 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 could driv💙e them off the track!”

Montoya clashed notoriously with Schumacher, who ruled the roost at🌜 the time.

Colombian driver Montoya won seven F1 grands prix, a🦂nd represented Williams and McLaren🅠.