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Max Verstappen has had little reason to be happy so far this season.
Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire/dpa
The next time he breaks the rules, Max Verstappen could face a severe penalty. However, the defending champion sees no reason to change his driving style at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen will not change his uncompromising driving style at the Canadian Grand Prix despite the threat of a race ban. "Why should I? I came here to race - and I will always drive hard," said the Red Bull star from the Netherlands in the paddock in Montreal: "It's hard for me to avoid any duels now. I will just drive the way I always do. I trust myself."
After an intentional frustration collision with Mercedes driver George Russell in the previous race in Spain, the four-time champion not only received a painful penalty, which threw him back from a possible podium finish to tenth place in the final phase. The 27-year-old also received three penalty points in the offenders' register. He already has a total of eleven, and another one in Montreal would result in a ban for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix.
A penalty at the Grand Prix in Spielberg could also have severe consequences, before the first penalty points are deleted afterwards. Verstappen will not concern himself with this any further. If he has to take a break, so be it. That is a topic for the media. "I don't even think about it. I'll just drive the way I always do," said the championship third-placed driver.
The four-time champion is already 49 points behind leader Oscar Piastri in the McLaren ahead of the World Championship race in Montreal on Sunday (20:00). Verstappen has won in Canada in each of the past three years.
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13.06.2025, 09:19
