Red Bull face a tricky situation with Max Verstappen as he nears a race ban for collecting 12 penalty points within a one-year period.
The Dutchman received three penalty points for his part in a collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, where he seemed to drive into the side of the Mercedes.
Verstappen is known for being aggressive in wheel-to-wheel combat, but his Barcelona move was a step too far, and the stewards acknowledged that. Missing a race now would be a killer blow to his drivers’ championship hopes.
With Red Bull’s current form, hopes of a fifth consecutive crown were already on thin ice. He cannot afford to lose more points to McLaren and now has to be on his best behaviour.
After some poor development over the last year, Red Bull are discovering a ‘disadvantage’ of Verstappen, with his talents so strong that they are capable of hiding issues with the car.
With performance trending in the wrong direction ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations, the reigning champion could be tempted by a move elsewhere. However, Mercedes have to postpone a Verstappen move while their car company implements some cost-cutting measures.
READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer says Max Verstappen may now have created an F1 problem that could last decades
Red Bull ‘sources’ have taken a brave stance on possible Max Verstappen ban ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix
The upcoming Canadian Grand Prix is a tricky circuit for a variety of reasons, with a testing final chicane, variable weather and characteristics which can force drivers into mistakes.
Throw into the mix that any mistake could result in missing the next race, and Verstappen is in for a bit of a tricky time in Montreal.
Red Bull are desperate to bring a ‘new update’ to fix their tyre woes in race trim, helping them push for longer, but it won’t be of much use if their superstar driver isn’t in the car. They remain confident that he will avoid trouble at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
“Red Bull sources are convinced it’s a moot point and that Verstappen will keep his nose clean,” reports Daniel Moxon in the Pit Lane Chronicle. “But if he picks up just one penalty point over the next two races in Canada and Austria, then he will be banned for the following Grand Prix.
“If he does stay out of trouble, then he will get a little breathing space again as two points collected last June will expire after the Austria race, taking him back down to nine on his FIA licence.”
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When will Max Verstappen be able to race without worrying about a ban?
Verstappen must now spend the next two race weekends in Canada and Austria, worrying about a potential one-race ban.
The next penalty points to come off his record will be on June 30, the Monday after the race in Austria at the end of the month.
Eliminating two still leaves him on nine, where a serious infringement like with Russell in Spain could leave him in danger of getting three more points and a ban still.
The next load of points to come off won’t be until October 27 after that, meaning he will be hanging on nine for nearly four months.
Red Bull may ‘shift entirely’ to 2026 if the 27-year-old does get a ban. There may be far more benefit in focusing on the future than a title challenge, which seems destined to fail.
