Max Verstappen‘s controversial clash with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix has left Formula 1’s four-time world champion on the brink of a race ban.
The Dutchman made contact with Mercedes driver Russell at Turn 5 in the closing stages of the 66-lap event having been told by his Red Bull team to cede position following a Turn 1 altercation two laps prior, even though Verstappen – correctly, as backed by the stewards report afterwards – believed he was not obliged to as the Briton had slid into his RB21.
Three penalty points for the collision, which Verstappen later conceded “shouldn’t have happened” as pundits and fans alike questioned whether it was a deliberate act, means he now has 11 penalty points on his super license.
Twelve across any rolling 12 month period results in a one-race suspension and, with the next two points falling off that tally at the end of the month, Verstappen faces a nervous two-race stint to ensure he doesn’t miss out on racing.
So how has he got here?
Max Verstappen’s penalty point breakdown
Austrian Grand Prix – June 30 2024
- Two points: Verstappen deemed to have caused a collision with Lando Norris’ McLaren when battling into Turn 3
Mexican Grand Prix – October 27 2024
- Two points: Two separate incidents on the same lap where Verstappen was adjudged to have forced Norris off track twice – the second incident of which earning criticism from peers and pundits.
Sao Paulo Grand Prix – November 1 2024
- One point: Verstappen handed a point for driving below the minimum Virtual Safety Car delta during the sprint race.
Qatar Grand Prix – November 30 2024
- One point: Verstappen is given another point, this time for driving unnecessarily slowly dring a cooldown lap during qualifying in Lusail.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – December 8 2024
- Two points: Verstappen picks up a further two points after causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the first corner of last year’s season finale.
Spanish Grand Prix – June 1 2025
- Three points: Verstappen is given three points for causing the controversial collision at Turn 5 with Russell.
Will Verstappen avoid a race ban?
Verstappen must complete the upcoming Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix without picking up a single penalty point to avoid being banned for a race.
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If he transgresses in Canada then he will miss Red Bull‘s home race at Austria’s Spielberg venue, while any issues there will mean he sits out the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Even if Verstappen does avoid any issues there, only two points will drop off his license between June 30 and October 27, meaning he will have only a three-point buffer to take him through the Belgian, Hungarian, Dutch, Italian, Azerbaijan, Singapore, United States and Mexican Grands Prix – eight rounds in total and two of which [Belgium and the US GPs] hosting sprint weekends.
It means the Red Bull driver has to be careful for the majority of the rest of the season.
Other F1 drivers to be given a race ban
Only two drivers have been given a race ban since the turn of the century and just one of those has come as a result of the penalty points system.
Kevin Magnussen was forced to sit out at the Azerbaijan GP last year after a somewhat dubious call by the stewards after contact with Pierre Gasly‘s Alpine.
That – added to three points for a collision with Alex Albon in Saudi Arabia [while pulling off an extremely defensive drive to help then-team-mate Nico Hulkenberg], another collision in China, this time with Yuki Tsunoda, enough track limit transgressions to earn three points when racing Lewis Hamilton in the Miami sprint and another two points on the Sunday in Florida for hiting Logan Sargeant – saw the ban enforced.
Romain Grosjean was banned in 2012 for his part in the first corner melee at the Belgian GP that year, where he swerved towards Hamilton before the pair collided, hitting Fernando Alonso and two Saubers [Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez] into La Source.
The Frenchman sat out of the Italian Grand Prix.
