The FIA has officially responded to growing pressure following Max Verstappen’s controversial collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, as the Red Bull star now teeters on the brink of an extremely rare one-race suspension.

Verstappen, who received a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points for his role in the incident, saw his third-place finish demoted to 10th — his worst-ever result at the Spanish Grand Prix. But the situation may not end there.

Russell, visibly upset after the race, publicly questioned the FIA’s response and suggested Verstappen’s actions warranted a disqualification. “It felt very deliberate… it felt strange,” the Mercedes driver stated. “We’re taught from a young age to race clean, and that didn’t feel like racing to me.”

In light of Russell’s statement and what he described as “additional evidence” submitted post-race, the FIA addressed concerns over their initial ruling. In a statement, the governing body explained:

“While the incident was reviewed in-race and penalized accordingly, we have since received further documentation from the Mercedes team. The FIA reaffirms that the penalty applied was proportionate to the information available at the time. However, we continue to assess any new evidence submitted under the established protocols.”

More troubling for Verstappen is the accumulation of penalty points. With three added from the Spanish GP, his tally now sits at 11 — just one shy of the 12-point threshold that triggers an automatic one-race ban. This rule, introduced in 2014, has only resulted in a single race suspension once before: Romain Grosjean in 2012 after a first-lap crash in Belgium.

Now, Verstappen is under pressure to avoid any infractions at the upcoming Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix. Even a minor incident resulting in a single point could see him miss a crucial race weekend.

The FIA further commented on this looming possibility:

“The penalty point system exists to encourage consistent adherence to racing standards. Should any driver accumulate 12 points within a 12-month period, a race ban will be enforced without exception.”

Verstappen, defiant after the race, appeared unbothered by the fallout, even mocking Russell’s frustration by saying, “Well, I’ll bring some tissues next time.”

But with championship leader Oscar Piastri continuing to pull ahead, Verstappen can ill afford to sit out any race — especially with the title fight tightening and history reminding us that just one race missed can decide a season.