Eric Boullier, the former boss of McLaren and Lotus, has issued a caution regarding Red Bull Racing’s reliance on Max Verstappen. He believes that if Verstappen were to miss a race this season, it could place the team in a “dangerous position.” This year, Verstappen has been the team’s primary performer and point scorer.
Recently, after a collision with Mercedes driver George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen received three penalty points on his super licence, bringing his total to 11 within a year due to several on-track incidents. Should he accumulate just one more point, he would face disciplinary action that could lead to a suspension for the next race, severely impacting Red Bull’s championship chances.
Verstappen’s current predicament is significant, as he will not lose any penalty points until after the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. This means he must steer clear of any further incidents in the forthcoming races in Canada and Austria to avoid suspension. With Verstappen’s impressive performances this season, including two race wins and four podium finishes, Red Bull’s success heavily rests on his shoulders, making his potential absence particularly concerning.
Boullier highlighted how vital Verstappen is to Red Bull, asserting that the team would struggle immensely if they were without their star driver, unlike teams with more evenly matched driver pairings who could flexibly adjust. He commended Verstappen’s capabilities, noting how he consistently achieves results that his teammates cannot.
As Red Bull stands in fourth place in the constructors’ standings, trailing McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes, the internal pressure mounts as they navigate the season. Verstappen’s controversial run-in with Russell was described as “undoubtedly” causing the collision; many observers, including Russell, speculated that Verstappen’s actions were deliberate as he accelerated after slowing down to yield position.
This scrutiny of Verstappen’s driving style and his history with on-track incidents continues to follow him, casting a shadow over his otherwise stellar career. The team’s immediate future and their championship aspirations may hinge significantly on his ability to remain incident-free in the upcoming races.