Four-range Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen faces a possible suspension after incurring a penalty for a collision with George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who was considered responsible for the manoeuvre – which many perceived as an impatient and unnecessary act – was initially given a penalty of ten seconds after the race. This led to him being relegated from fifth to tenth place.
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In addition, “Mad Max” received three penalty points on its super license, a system introduced in 2014 to limit dangerous driving. He has now accumulated 11 penalty points over the last 12 months, and if he reaches 12, he will be banned from the next race.
Thus, Verstappen has zero margin for error in the next two races – in Canada on June 15 and Austria on June 29. A new violation will lead to automatic suspension.
Penalty points are removed one year after they were given, and Verstappen will have two points cancelled on June 30. This reduces the risk of exclusion, but the situation remains tense.
After the race, Verstappen refrained from commenting on the incident.
Russell: – It seemed deliberate
George Russell, who finished fourth, thought Verstappen’s action was premeditated:
“It seemed quite deliberate, to be honest. I’ve never seen anything like it in Formula 1 before. It’s a bit disappointing.
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Russell acknowledged Verstappen’s talent but criticised the manoeuvre:
“Max is undoubtedly one of the best drivers in the world, but such actions are completely unnecessary. It damages his reputation and sends the wrong signal to young fans who look up to him. I don’t know what he was thinking about – but it certainly won’t keep me awake at night, because I actually took advantage of the situation.
Only one driver suspended before
Since the penalty points system was introduced in 2014, only one driver has been banned for reaching 12 points: Kevin Magnussen (Haas), who had to sit out the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September 2024.
Now Verstappen is dangerously close to the limit – and the next race could be decisive in whether he avoids the same fate.
