Max Verstappen came within inches of a Formula 1 race ban in late June 2025, sitting on 11 active penalty points, just one shy of the 12-point limit that triggers an automatic one-race suspension under the FIA’s system. The near miss followed a collision with George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix, where Verstappen was hit with a ten-second time penalty and three additional points, placing his British Grand Prix appearance in serious doubt.
The timing worked in his favour. Two of his older penalty points expired on 30 June, pulling him back to nine and allowing him to race at Silverstone. Verstappen now holds the all-time record for the most penalty points accumulated by any Formula 1 driver since the system was introduced in 2014. Over the span of his career, the reigning four-time world champion has racked up 39 penalty points in total.
This is significant since bookmakers had to adjust their odds within hours following the stewards’ decision. Unlike traditional sports, where bets focus mainly on win/loss outcomes, many sites offer a wider variety of wagering options. Fans can bet on pole positions, fastest laps, safety car appearances, as well as live betting options, and bonuses. These sites cater to fans of the F1, the British Grand Prix, NASCAR and smaller betting market series like IndyCar and the World Rally Championship.
Now, betting odds in F1 can change very quickly. According to most of the top 10 betting sites in the UK, Verstappen’s odds to win the championship were about 4/1 early in the season, placing him as one of the top favourites. Now, at the end of June, his odds are 14/1 to win the championship, showing a clear market reaction to his penalty points risk. Since debuting in F1 in 2015 at just 17 years old, he’s been known for a bold and often unforgiving style. He has become a master of late-breaking, aggressive defence and track positioning that leaves little room for diplomacy. These are the qualities that have won him races and titles, but they’ve also repeatedly brought him to the attention of race stewards.
The FIA’s penalty points system is straightforward. Drivers receive points on their super licence for various infractions, ranging from causing avoidable collisions to ignoring flags or weaving during overtaking attempts. If a driver picks up 12 or more within a 12-month period, they are automatically suspended for one race. Since the system’s introduction, points have been issued regularly, though bans remain rare. Only one driver has actually served a race suspension because of this rule, and that is Kevin Magnussen in 2024.
That statistic shows how Verstappen’s position is out of the ordinary. Most drivers manage to avoid reaching double figures within a year. At the time Verstappen reached 11 points, others like Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso were carrying little to none. Even newer names, such as Liam Lawson, had fewer than half of Verstappen’s total. His teammate, Sergio Perez, comes the closest historically with 36 points over several seasons, followed by Sebastian Vettel with 24, and Romain Grosjean with 21. These totals, however, are spread out over longer careers and haven’t put those drivers in danger of a ban.
Verstappen’s recent incidents include more than just the Russell clash. He’s been involved in several run-ins over the past 11 months, including contact with Lando Norris and other instances of breaching on-track regulations. Each incident has chipped away at his buffer. It only takes a minor misjudgment, ignoring yellow flags, a late move under braking, or impeding during qualifying, to add a point or two. That makes every lap a risk, especially with the FIA’s close watch on repeat offenders.
Despite the attention, Verstappen has made it clear he doesn’t plan to change how he races. He said he will race as he always does after the Spanish Grand Prix. His stance is unapologetic and consistent with his past. Mistakes, he argues, are part of the sport. What matters is learning from them, not watering down his competitive edge. His team principal, Christian Horner, has supported that view, although he admitted Verstappen will need to be careful now that the margin for error has thinned.
There’s no doubt Verstappen remains one of the sport’s biggest talents. His results speak for themselves. However, the record he now holds is one that carries weight. It reflects not just his success but the cost that sometimes comes with his approach. With nine active points still hanging over him and more than half the season remaining, he’ll need to stay on the right side of the stewards. One misstep, intentional or not, could see him forced to sit out a race weekend, which would be a major disruption for both his own campaign and Red Bull’s championship strategy.
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