George Russell has stated that it would be fair if Max Verstappen faces an F1 race ban should he collect enough penalty points to trigger it. Verstappen currently holds three penalty points following his contentious incident with Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix, where he also received a 10-second penalty. This penalty dropped Verstappen to 10th place in the race, negatively impacting his pursuit of a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship this season.
More critically, Verstappen is now only one penalty point away from an automatic suspension and must complete the upcoming Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix without further incident. Reflecting on Verstappen’s delicate situation, Russell said prior to the Canadian race,
“If he gets to 12 points it [a ban] wouldn’t be unjust.”
Russell Explains Purpose of Penalty Points System
Russell emphasized that the system of penalty points is designed to discourage reckless driving by forcing consequences on those who repeatedly break the rules. He remarked,
“At the end of the day, that’s why the penalty points are there. If you keep driving recklessly you will accumulate points, and get punished with a race ban. You’ve got it in your own hands and it doesn’t go without risk.”
Regarding the incident that led to Verstappen’s penalties, Russell described the move:
“He was trying to run me off the road. I don’t think he was trying to intentionally crash into me. He wanted to just sort of scare me a bit, but he just misjudged it. Again, it wasn’t going to scare me, it was just all a bit surprising.”
Russell added that he is not demanding an apology from Verstappen despite the clash, saying,
“I’m not looking for an apology. His actions cost him and they benefited me, so I should be almost thanking him.”
Obviously I’d be feeling very differently if it took me out of the race. But it is good to see that he took accountability. I was a bit surprised about that.
—George Russell, F1 Driver
Russell Shares Details of Casual Encounter with Verstappen After Barcelona Incident
Russell revealed that he briefly met Verstappen unexpectedly at an airport shortly after their collision on track. At the time, Russell was traveling to watch the French Open at Roland Garros. Reflecting on the meeting, he said,
“That was quite funny to be fair and I did have a giggle about that,”
describing Verstappen’s sarcastic gesture of offering him a tissue after their incident in Spain.
He explained,
“We bumped into each other at the airport on Sunday morning when I was going to Roland Garros.”
Russell recalled how Verstappen seemed focused on his newborn child rather than the prior clash:
“To be honest, I totally forgot about Barcelona because he was there with his newborn [baby], and we were at the security machine. He just had a quick chat and then he was busy folding the pram down to put it through the machine.”
Russell Reflects on Verstappen’s Aggressive Driving Style
When asked whether Verstappen might alter his typically aggressive approach to wheel-to-wheel racing, Russell suggested it depends on the championship stakes. He said,
“It depends on the circumstances, doesn’t it? When you are going for a championship, it’s slightly different.”
Russell believes Verstappen’s move was an attempt to assert dominance rather than to cause a crash:
“That’s why I believe he wasn’t intentionally trying to crash into me. He was just trying to get his elbows out and show who’s boss.”
But he got it wrong. Jos [Verstappen’s father] is the boss. I’m going to continue racing exactly the same way because at the end of the day that’s what I did last week and I benefited from it.
—George Russell, F1 Driver
Looking Ahead: The Pressure on Verstappen in Upcoming Races
With Verstappen dangerously close to triggering an automatic race suspension, his performance in the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix will be closely watched. Any further penalty points could lead to a ban, affecting his quest for a fifth consecutive title. Russell’s comments highlight the growing tension and frustration surrounding Verstappen’s driving conduct and the broader championship battle between Red Bull and Mercedes.
The consequences of Verstappen’s driving style could have significant implications for the championship outcome and the enforcement of racing regulations moving forward, as officials monitor whether penalties effectively control aggressive on-track behavior.
