Canadian GP: Is Max Verstappen Change His Racing Approach to Avoid a Potential Ban?

Defending Formula One world champion Max Verstappen is not planning to alter his racing approach, despite the risk of being barred from a Grand Prix if he accumulates more penalty points from the FIA this month.

The Red Bull star currently has 11 penalty points, having received three following a collision with Mercedes’ George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago. However, Verstappen emphasized that his racing strategy will remain unchanged for the upcoming Canadian GP and Austrian GP, after which two of these points will be removed, providing him with some relief as the season progresses.

“Why should I?” he responded when questioned about changing his racing style.
“I mean, I can’t just back down from everything. I’m going to race as I always do. I trust myself,” asserted the Dutch driver.

Immediately after the race, Verstappen expressed regret to the team during the debrief, having fallen to P10 in Barcelona, which cost him crucial championship points. He later took to social media to explain that a challenging situation led him to switch to hard tyres for the final stint and his interactions with Charles Leclerc and Russell frustrated him, culminating in the incident with the latter.

“Everyone makes mistakes in life. Everyone learns from them, and we just move forward,” he commented.

“Is it fair? Is it fair that I’m on 11 (penalty) points? I don’t know. But life isn’t always fair. If you look at it that way, I won’t stress about it,” he added.

“I come here to race, and I will always race hard, race how I believe I should race, and then we move on to the next race.”

Currently, Verstappen holds the third position in the drivers’ championship, trailing leader Oscar Piastri by 49 points. Piastri has amassed 186 points, compared to the 27-year-old’s 137. Lando Norris, Piastri’s teammate, is in second place with 176 points.

Verstappen has claimed victory in the Canadian GP for three consecutive years, winning in 2024 after starting second on the grid. However, he acknowledged that securing the top step of the podium may be out of reach this weekend due to the dominance of the McLaren cars, whose two drivers have collaborated to win seven out of the nine races held in 2025.

“I think if we can contend for a podium, battling with Ferrari and Mercedes, that would already be a significant accomplishment,” Verstappen noted.

“Last year, Mercedes was quite strong here. If you compare their performance from last year to now, they might be even more competitive. So, it will be challenging enough to aim for a podium.”