GPDA chief Alex Wurz urges Max Verstappen to stay clean in Canada to avoid a costly Formula 1 ban at Red Bull’s home race.
The president of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, Alex Wurz, has urged Max Verstappen to remain vigilant in Canada to avoid a suspension for Red Bull’s home race in Austria.
Following a collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen picked up three additional penalty points on his super licence.
This brings his total to 11 over the past 12 months, meaning that a single additional point would sideline him.
Verstappen will see two points drop off his licence on June 30, just after the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Spielberg round is a significant event for Red Bull, as it is their home race, and Verstappen has won the Grand Prix there four times in the past.
However, should he run into trouble with the stewards this weekend in Montreal, Verstappen could be forced to miss Red Bull’s key event.
“I hadn’t even thought about it,” Wurz said. “So I just hope Montreal turns out to be a boring race because of Max!”
“No, seriously, I think he’s already thinking about it, but he’ll keep his elbows in if the situation calls for it, and if he has to bring them out, he’ll take responsibility for it.”
“Still, Max is a tough guy, smart enough to handle such a tricky situation.”
“We all need Max, and we want to see him in Spielberg!”
This weekend marks round ten of the season, with Circuit Gilles Villeneuve hosting the Canadian Grand Prix. McLaren has won seven of the last nine Grands Prix, but Wurz said the characteristics of the Montreal track make it difficult to predict the winner.
“Canada always lends itself to crazy races. They have their own kind of asphalt there. Sticky. Completely different from any other F1 circuit.”
“You have to be very careful with predictions because you never know how the tyres will behave on that surface.”
“In terms of the balance of power between the top four teams, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull Racing, there could be plenty of shake-ups.”
How Did Verstappen Accumulate His 11 Penalty Points?
June 30, 2024 – 2 points – Collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian GP
October 27, 2024 – 2 points – Forcing Norris off track at the Mexican GP
November 2, 2024 – 1 point – Speeding under virtual safety car during the São Paulo sprint
November 30, 2024 – 1 point – Excessively slow driving and impeding George Russell during Qatar GP qualifying
December 8, 2024 – 2 points – Collision with Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi GP
June 1, 2025 – 3 points – Collision with George Russell at the Spanish GP
The first two points, from his collision with Norris in Austria in 2024, will expire on June 30, but the next two, from the Mexico incident last year, won’t drop off until the end of October.
This means that Verstappen, even if he avoids any penalty-triggering incident in Canada and Austria, will still carry nine points for the following nine Grands Prix — a very dangerous total.
