Max Verstappen Gains Three Penalty Points After Spanish GP Collision, Faces Potential Race Ban

Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One world champion, is on the verge of a race ban after receiving three penalty points for a collision with Mercedes' George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, bringing him to 11 points on his superlicence—just one point shy of the 12-point threshold that triggers a suspension. The incident occurred after Verstappen was instructed by Red Bull to relinquish his position but instead collided with Russell, resulting in a 10-second time penalty that dropped him from fifth to tenth place. Verstappen also avoided further penalties for a minor collision with Charles Leclerc during a safety car restart at the same race, with stewards concluding that neither driver was predominantly at fault. The penalty points Verstappen has accumulated will begin to expire on June 30, but he must avoid further infractions at the upcoming Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix to prevent a potential ban. This situation has rekindled debates regarding aggression and sportsmanship in Formula One, with critics like former world champion Nico Rosberg condemning Verstappen's conduct as unacceptable. Verstappen risks becoming the first reigning world champion to face a race ban if he incurs any additional penalty points soon.