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Max Verstappen Avoids Race Ban by Just One Point Under New FIA Guidelines

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 9:44 AM ET

Max Verstappen came within a whisker of being sidelined from a Formula 1 race, newly released FIA guidelines have revealed. According to the updated penalty framework issued this week, the Dutchman would have received four penalty points if stewards had classified his collision with George Russell in Spain as “reckless” or “deliberate.”

Instead, the stewards at the Spanish Grand Prix opted for a more lenient interpretation, stating that Verstappen had “caused a collision” but with “no immediate and obvious sporting consequence.” As a result, only three points were added to his super license.

That decision proved critical. Under current FIA regulations, any driver who scores 12 penalty points within a 12-month period is handed a one-race suspension. Verstappen now sits at 11, only one point shy of the threshold.

The incident in question happened during the Spanish Grand Prix, where Verstappen collided with George Russell during a tight midfield battle.

While Russell was forced to take evasive action, both drivers were able to continue without major consequence, something the stewards cited in their final ruling.

However, had the clash been judged harder particularly under the newly clarified definitions of “reckless” and “deliberate” driving, the penalty could have tipped Verstappen over the limit.

According to the FIA penalty guidelines released today, Max Verstappen would have received an extra point on his superlicense and consequently a race ban had his collision with George Russell in Spain been seen as a "deliberate" or "reckless" act.

The stewards in Barcelona… pic.twitter.com/vrbemwyuGP
— Autosport (@autosport) June 26, 2025

The FIA’s updated guidelines aim to bring greater transparency and consistency to how infractions are judged. They now explicitly define tiers of severity and the associated super license penalties, offering clearer precedent for future incidents.

For Verstappen and Red Bull, the close call is a timely warning. One more point could trigger an automatic ban—something a championship contending team cannot afford.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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