Red Bull in 'dangerous position' with Max Verstappen facing ban, says former McLaren boss
Updated . First published at
Former McLaren and Lotus boss Eric Boullier has warned that Red Bull will find itself in a "dangerous position" if Max Verstappen is forced to sit out a race this season.
Red Bull has been solely reliant on Verstappen this year as the team's dominant force and their main points scorer.
Following Verstappen's crash with Mercedes' George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix, the FIA stewards added three penalty points to the Dutchman's super licence.
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Max Verstappen answers questions in the media pen after a controversial incident in the Spanish Grand Prix. Kym Illman via Getty Images
This brings Verstappen to 11 penalty points amassed in a 12-month period after four on-track collisions.
With a maximum of 12 points needed before disciplinary action is undertaken, just one more point would see Verstappen's super licence suspended for the following grand prix, effectively triggering a one-race ban.
Points remain on a driver's super licence for 12 months before they are removed.
Unfortunately for Red Bull, Verstappen will not lose any points until after the Austrian Grand Prix. This means the four-time reigning champion needs to get through the next two grands prix — Canada and Austria — without incident to avoid a ban.
As a result of Verstappen's situation, Red Bull's race strategy will likely be influenced at the upcoming grand prix.
While Verstappen has delivered strong results this season, including two race wins and four podium finishes, his rotated teammates, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, have struggled.
Having scored 137 of Red Bull's 144 championship points this season, the team's championship aspirations rest firmly on Verstappen's shoulders.
Because of this, Boullier believes Red Bull would be deprived if Verstappen were to miss a race through suspension or even illness.
"Obviously, [Verstappen] is quite rough and tough when he is in the car, but this is what he has to be, and it is a privilege to know him personally. He is actually a very nice person, but he is a fierce competitor," he told RacingNews365.
"What he can do with the car is amazing, because what he can extract from his car, his teammates cannot, and whoever you put with him as a teammate, you say: 'Oh, he's at the back', so he is clearly holding the team.
"But it is quite a dangerous position as well. And I don't wish to see anything bad, but if one of the McLaren drivers were ill, the other one could step up.
"If Max is ill, what is going to happen to Red Bull?"
Red Bull team prncipal Christian Horner, driver Max Verstappen and team consultant Helmut Marko talk. Getty
After nine races, McLaren leads the constructors' championship with 362 points, from Ferrari (165) and Mercedes (159).
Then comes Red Bull, whose pairing of Verstappen and Sergio Perez fought to the wire with McLaren for last year's constructors' championship.
In Barcelona, Verstappen was penalised for "undoubtedly" causing a collision after he drove into Russell, having just been instructed by his team to concede fourth place to the Mercedes driver.
The stewards' verdict on the incident stated that Verstappen, who was clearly reluctant to give up the position, significantly slowed down, seemingly allowing Russell to overtake. However, as Russell moved ahead, Verstappen then suddenly accelerated and collided with Russell's wheels.
Many, including Russell, have suggested that the move was deliberate.
Verstappen has developed a reputation for causing incidents and controversial moments throughout his career.
