Max Verstappen on the Brink: Avoiding an F1 Race Ban

This weekend`s Austrian Grand Prix is a critical moment for F1 world champion Max Verstappen, as it is the last event where he remains on the verge of a potential race ban due to accumulated penalty points.

A recent controversial incident involving Verstappen and George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix not only impacted his title hopes but also resulted in the addition of three penalty points to his F1 super licence.

This sanction was particularly significant because it brought Verstappen`s total to 11 points over the last 12 months – just one point away from triggering an automatic one-race ban under Formula 1 regulations.

Points remain on a driver`s licence for one year before they expire. Verstappen will not lose any of his current points until June 30th, the Monday following this weekend`s Austrian Grand Prix. He managed to navigate the Canadian Grand Prix weekend without receiving further penalties, despite facing questions about the potential ban risk after qualifying second behind George Russell, who ultimately won the race.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner commented on the precarious situation after the Spanish race, stating, “You can never guarantee anything. He`s just got to keep his nose clean… then the first points come off at the end of June.”

Verstappen had a clean record regarding penalty points in the first eight races of the current season leading up to Spain, and he`s had even longer streaks in the past. Therefore, Red Bull has confidence in their four-time champion to manage the situation effectively. However, the accumulation of points over the past year leaves very little margin for error, even minor misjudgements during wheel-to-wheel racing in Spielberg.

Understanding F1`s Penalty Points System

Formula 1 introduced the penalty points system at the start of the 2014 season to deter drivers from regularly causing incidents on track. In addition to immediate sporting penalties like time penalties, grid drops, drive-throughs, or even disqualifications for rule breaches, stewards can also assign penalty points (one, two, or three) to a driver`s super licence.

A super licence is mandatory for all drivers participating in Grand Prix weekends, and it is on this licence that penalty points are recorded. The system functions similarly to point accumulation on standard driving licences for road traffic offences. Drivers are banned from a race if they reach the maximum limit of 12 points within a rolling 12-month period.

According to the Sporting Regulations: “If a driver accrues twelve (12) penalty points his licence will be suspended for the following Competition, following which twelve (12) points will be removed from the licence. Penalty points will remain on a driver`s Super Licence for a period of twelve (12) months after which they will be respectively removed on the twelve (12) month anniversary of their imposition.”

Verstappen`s 11 Penalty Points Breakdown

Here is how Verstappen has accumulated his current 11 points over the past year:

• June 30, 2024: 2 points – Causing a collision with Lando Norris during the Austrian GP.
• October 27, 2024: 2 points – Forcing Lando Norris off the track at the Mexico City GP.
• November 2, 2024: 1 point – Driving too fast under a Virtual Safety Car during the Sao Paulo Sprint.
• November 30, 2024: 1 point – Driving unnecessarily slowly and impeding George Russell during Qatar GP qualifying.
• December 8, 2024: 2 points – Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri during the Abu Dhabi GP.
• June 1, 2025: 3 points – Causing a collision with George Russell during the Spanish GP.

Verstappen`s initial two points from the Austrian incident with Norris will expire on their one-year anniversary, June 30th. However, the subsequent two points from Mexico City will not be removed until the end of October. This means that even if he avoids any ban-triggering points in Austria, Verstappen will remain on nine points for the following nine Grands Prix.

Types of Incidents Resulting in Single Penalty Points

Stewards can issue up to three penalty points for serious offences, down to one point for less severe incidents. The FIA recently released guidelines outlining recommended penalties for around 100 common infringements, although these are not binding regulations and stewards maintain independence.

As detailed above, Verstappen has received single penalty points twice in the past year: once for exceeding the speed limit under a Virtual Safety Car in the Sao Paulo Sprint, and another time in Qatar for unnecessarily slow driving that impeded George Russell during qualifying.

Incidentally, George Russell also received his current single point during the same Qatar weekend for failing to maintain the required 10 car-length distance behind the Safety Car.

Collisions with other cars can also result in a single penalty point, even outside of races. For example, Aston Martin`s Lance Stroll received one point at last month`s Monaco GP for colliding with Charles Leclerc`s Ferrari during Friday practice.

Esteban Ocon was also given one penalty point in Miami last year for an unsafe pit-lane release, where he pulled out of the Alpine garage and into the side of Leclerc before his laps to the Sprint grid.

Previous Instances of Reaching the 12-Point Limit

While several drivers have approached the 12-point threshold, Kevin Magnussen was the first driver to actually reach it last season, a decade after the system`s implementation. He accumulated 12 points following a collision with Pierre Gasly at the Italian Grand Prix.

As a consequence, the then-Haas driver was suspended and missed the following race in Azerbaijan, with Oliver Bearman substituting for him that weekend.

Before the formal penalty point system, Romain Grosjean was the last driver suspended from a Grand Prix. This occurred after he caused a significant multi-car collision at the start of the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix, following other incidents earlier in that season.

Notable drivers suspended in 1994 included Michael Schumacher (two races), Eddie Irvine (three), and Mika Hakkinen (one) for various rule violations. Nigel Mansell was also barred from the 1989 Spanish GP.

Red Bull`s Options if Verstappen is Banned

Red Bull remains optimistic that Verstappen will successfully “keep his nose clean” in Austria and avoid any immediate issues. However, if they unexpectedly required a one-off replacement, one of the drivers from their sister team, Racing Bulls – Isack Hadjar or Liam Lawson – would almost certainly be called upon to race alongside Yuki Tsunoda for that single weekend.

Such a scenario would, in turn, create a temporary vacancy at the junior team. Japan`s Ayumu Iwasa, 23, is Red Bull`s more experienced reserve driver, having participated in Friday practice sessions for both teams. Additionally, British 17-year-old F2 competitor Arvid Lindblad is now a viable option, as the FIA recently granted the team`s long-standing request for a super licence exemption for him, two months before his 18th birthday.

The upcoming Formula 1 season continues with the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.

F1 Drivers` Current Penalty Points