Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, faces a critical period in the 2025 season as he approaches the threshold for an automatic race ban. Following a controversial incident at the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen now holds 11 penalty points on his FIA super licence, just one point away from the 12-point limit that would result in a one-race suspension.
During the Spanish GP, Verstappen was penalized with a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with George Russell. More importantly, the stewards added three penalty points to his super licence. These additions brought his total to 11 points over the past 12 months.
Under Formula 1 sporting regulations, any driver who reaches 12 points within a 12-month period is automatically suspended for the next race. Penalty points remain valid for exactly one year from the date they are issued. Verstappen’s first set of penalty points, awarded for a collision with Lando Norris at the 2024 Austrian GP, will not expire until June 30, 2025. This means he must drive without incident through the upcoming races in Canada and Austria to avoid triggering a ban.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner addressed the situation after the Spanish GP, saying that Verstappen simply needs to stay clean until the end of June, when the first two points are due to expire.
Despite starting the 2025 season cleanly with no infractions through the first eight races, the recent penalty has placed Verstappen in a very delicate position. Even a minor incident in Montreal or Spielberg could force him to miss a race.
Here is a breakdown of Verstappen’s active penalty points:
June 30, 2024 – 2 points – Collision with Lando Norris (Austrian GP)
October 27, 2024 – 2 points – Forcing Lando Norris off track (Mexico GP)
November 2, 2024 – 1 point – Speeding under Virtual Safety Car (São Paulo Sprint)
November 30, 2024 – 1 point – Impeding George Russell during qualifying (Qatar GP)
December 8, 2024 – 2 points – Collision with Oscar Piastri (Abu Dhabi GP)
June 1, 2025 – 3 points – Collision with George Russell (Spanish GP)
The Formula 1 penalty point system, introduced in 2014, is designed to discourage repeated or dangerous on-track behavior. Stewards can issue between one and three penalty points per incident. If a driver accumulates 12 points within a rolling 12-month period, they are suspended from the following race. The points expire exactly 12 months after they are issued.
Even if Verstappen successfully navigates the next two races without further penalty, he will remain on nine points until late October, when his points from the 2024 Mexico GP begin to expire.
With the championship battle tightening and little margin for error, Verstappen’s focus and discipline over the coming weeks may play a decisive role in both his title defense and Red Bull’s season objectives.
