As Max Verstappen moves dangerously close to a one-race ban, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko is calling for the “let them race” mentality to shine through.

Under the terms of their FIA Super Licence, an F1 driver will be hit with a one-race ban if they reach the dreaded tally of 12 points, as Kevin Magnussen found out in F1 2024, becoming the first driver to receive that punishment as he was forced to sit out the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

‘Let them race’ call as Max Verstappen edges towards ban

And Verstappen must be careful going into F1 2025 to ensure he does not become the second driver to experience that penalty, his tally at eight with none of those to drop off until June, Verstappen picking up two penalty points for his collision with Lando Norris while battling for the 2024 Austrian GP lead.

From there, Verstappen had two more added for forcing Norris off the track in Mexico, one was added for failing to stick to the Virtual Safety Car delta time in Brazil, another for driving too slowly in Qatar GP qualifying, with the final two incurred for his collision with Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi GP start.

And so, Red Bull senior advisor Marko was asked on the Inside Line F1 podcast if Verstappen needs to clean up his driving and pick his battles better in F1 2025 to avoid more penalty points.

He replied: “I mean, penalty points is a different story, but as far as I remember, there was one crash in Austria, but he survived, Lando didn’t, and I think that was tough racing.

“Like everybody in the old days [said], ‘let them race’.

“That was one incident, and the other one was in the last race in Abu Dhabi. He had a very good start. [Carlos] Sainz didn’t have a good start, so it enabled him to, and there was a chance. I think Piastri wasn’t looking to the side. I think he was looking forward. That’s a racing accident in the first corner, that can happen.

“But otherwise, Max is Max, and that’s part of his charisma, part of his personality. If there is a chance, he takes it and that he is a hard driver, a tough driver, that’s also part of his image, and I don’t think he has to change.

“And penalty points, that’s also, he is a character. He has his own opinion and also expresses his own opinion.”

More on the FIA Super Licence

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👉 FIA Super Licence explained: How drivers can reach the magic 40-point mark to race in F1

And Verstappen certainly has not been shy to do that, having clashed with governing body the FIA at various stages in F1 2024, the most glaring example being over his community service punishment for swearing in a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Verstappen had used the term “f**ked” in reference to his Red Bull RB20 to pick up that punishment.

Grassroots motorsport work in Rwanda – where the FIA prize giving gala was held and where Formula 1 may race in the future – was what Verstappen’s community service entailed, though it did not close the book on his FIA frustrations for the year.

In a Viaplay interview, he re-opened this spat with the FIA.

He said: “That’s something I don’t like about F1. Of course, I understand that you can’t swear in a press conference, but it was an expression that came out very quickly.

“We all grew up like that, people sat there too. And some people say: ‘My five-year-old grandson is watching this too.’

“When I was five years old, I was also sitting among adults and swearing.

“You want to behave harshly like a child towards others. That’s part of it.

“Of course, you have to watch your language, but to be punished like a little kid makes me wonder: what are we doing in this sport?”

What Verstappen was doing anyway in F1 2024 was securing his fourth World Championship title in as many seasons, matching the achievement of Sebastian Vettel who pulled off that feat with Red Bull from 2010-13.

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