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Helmut Marko Warns of ‘Disastrous’ Consequences if Verstappen Misses Austrian Grand Prix Due to Suspension
Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko has issued a strong warning about the risk facing Max Verstappen, calling it potentially “catastrophic” if the reigning world champion is suspended and unable to compete in the team’s home race, the Austrian Grand Prix.
Following the recent Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen was handed three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence for a collision with George Russell, bringing his current total to 11 — just one shy of the 12-point threshold that results in an automatic one-race ban. Under FIA regulations, if Verstappen receives another penalty point during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, he would be forced to sit out the following race — which, crucially, takes place at the Red Bull Ring.
In his latest Speedweek column, Marko stressed the seriousness of the situation, describing a potential suspension for the Austrian Grand Prix as “a catastrophe.” He also emphasized the importance of Verstappen maintaining discipline throughout the weekend in Montreal.
“Max must avoid any further infractions over the next two race weekends,” Marko said. “We will remind him not to do anything impulsive. It would be a disaster if he were forced to miss our home race, but we believe he’ll manage without incident. It’s not as if Max makes mistakes in every race.”
There is some relief on the horizon: two of Verstappen’s penalty points are set to expire the day after the Austrian Grand Prix, which would lower his total to nine. However, the next set of points will not drop off until October, meaning he will continue to race under threat of suspension for the foreseeable future.
Marko also defended Verstappen’s actions in Spain, suggesting a series of frustrating and unpunished incidents contributed to the flashpoint with Russell.
“You have to consider the entire context,” Marko explained. “He was given the hard tyres at the start, which he didn’t agree with. Then he was nearly forced off track on the first lap. Leclerc hit him at around 300 km/h — a very dangerous move that went unnoticed. That created a tense atmosphere, and then came the contact with Russell. Max knows the rules well and believed he didn’t need to surrender the position, but he was told to do so anyway.”
Marko also noted that Verstappen and Russell have a known rivalry, which added to the pressure. “Russell isn’t exactly Max’s favorite person on the grid,” he added.
Although Verstappen was penalized with a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from fifth to tenth place, it is the three penalty points that now place his race participation at serious risk.
As the Formula 1 season reaches a critical stage, Red Bull and Verstappen must approach the Canadian Grand Prix with caution. A clean race is now essential if the team is to avoid the major setback of missing their lead driver at their most high-profile venue — the Austrian Grand Prix.
An error-free weekend in Montreal could be the key to preserving Red Bull’s home race hopes and keeping Verstappen’s title campaign on track.
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