Christian Horner admits F1 meeting over looming Max Verstappen penalty

Max Verstappen

Christian Horner admits F1 meeting over looming Max Verstappen penalty

Max Verstappen is one penalty point away from a F1 race ban

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 19 June 2025 08:14

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Christian Horner has admitted to meeting with F1 race control during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend over Max Verstappen’s looming race ban.

The four-time world champion is one penalty point away from receiving a ban, which means if he steps out of line at the Austrian GP he would be forced to miss Silverstone.

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Verstappen’s Red Bull team are alert to this possibility, particularly in regards to tactics from rival drivers that may try and force a penalty out of the Dutchman, a matter Horner has referred to race control in a meeting.

“It is inevitable that certain games are going to be played,” Horner said to the media at the Canadian GP.

"So that's something we discussed with race control after the drivers briefing. We wanted them to take that into account because it was clear that this kind of thing could happen. But Max Verstappen had a spotless weekend [in Canada] and a good race."

Could Verstappen receive a F1 race ban?

Verstappen was unhappy with race ban questioning in Canada

Verstappen edged closer to a F1 race ban after he was ruled to have crashed purposefully into George Russell at the Spanish GP, and was slammed with three penalty points to his FIA Super Licence.

Both Russell and Verstappen found themselves on the front row of the grid together at the subsequent race in Montreal, with the rivals managing to get through the first corner unscathed on lap one.

The champion escaped further incident at the Canadian GP, and finished second behind Russell, who enjoyed his first race victory of the season.

However, Verstappen issued a frustrated response to constant questioning about his potential race ban in Montreal, where he branded the media ‘childish’.

"I don't need to hear it again. You were speaking about it on Thursday,” he said to the media after qualifying on Saturday.

"It's such a waste of time. It's very childish. So, that's why I also don't want to say too much because it's really annoying, this world that we live in."