Five times Max Verstappen lost his cool as he faces potential Formula 1 race ban

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Max Verstappen has been a notorious figure ever since he entered Formula 1 back in 2015, then aged just 17.

He hit the ground running, becoming the youngest driver to race in F1 and youngest driver to score World Championship points and the youngest Grand Prix winner at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. 

Following his win at just 18 years old, Martin Brundle predicted that Verstappen would be accused of ‘ruining F1’ because he was always winning, a prediction which has undoubtedly come to fruition. 

But the Dutchman’s career hasn’t been without criticism for his aggressive driving style and blunt attitude. Despite winning four consecutive World Championships with Red Bull, the 27-year-old has been involved in numerous controversies and as he faces the possibility of a race ban following a collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, it’s only right to look at five of his most infamous incidents from his ten-year career. 

2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Cast your minds back to 2018 in Baku when Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were Red Bull teammates.

The drivers were on lap 40 and battling for fourth position when Ricciardo’s car slammed into the back of Verstappen and ended both of their races prematurely.

The Australian was judged to have moved to overtake too late, however the incident originated in the two defensive moves made by the younger driver. 

While these moves were judged by the stewards to be ‘relatively minor’, both drivers were deemed to be at fault for the collision.

This incident ultimately culminated in Ricciardo’s exit to Renault and has lived long in the sport’s memory.

2018 Brazilian Grand Prix

At the iconic Interlagos, Verstappen was involved in another incident, this time with Frenchman Esteban Ocon. 

Verstappen was leading the race in São Paulo when the Force India driver attempted to unlap himself down the pit straight.

Ocon steadfastly remained on his line through the first and second turns, leading to contact and the two cars being propelled into the run-off area.

Verstappen was fuming. He had lost the win to Lewis Hamilton due to a backmarker and old European Formula 3 rival, who he’d berated as a ‘f****** idiot’ on the radio.

This led to an altercation between the two with Verstappen shoving the Normandy native repeatedly in the chest, despite the ten-second stop-go penalty Ocon had been punished with.

Verstappen is often nicknamed ‘Mad Max’, and this loss of temper forced him to complete two days of public service.

Ocon has since stated that he and Verstappen have always raced hard but that he has enjoyed it.

2021 British Grand Prix

During a feisty season fighting exhaustively against seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton for the World Championship, there were bound to be complications.

One such incident manifested at Silverstone.

Hamilton had a great exit coming out of Luffield and got a slipstream on his championship rival going into the electrically quick Copse corner.

Verstappen moved to the right to protect the inside and then moved to the left, giving the Brit a slight space down the inside again.

The Mercedes driver tried to seize this opening but Verstappen turned in and the right rear tyre of Hamilton’s Silver Arrows collided with Red Bull, sending The Dutch Lion careening into the barriers for a 51G impact.

Hamilton was found to be responsible for the crash, but labelled Verstappen ‘too aggressive’ while the 23-year-old returned the favour, calling the older driver ‘dangerous’ and his celebrations following the win ‘disrespectful’.

This dramatic crash served to ignite a fierce season of close combat between the two drivers, marking a historic season for the sport.

2021 Italian Grand Prix

Hamilton and Verstappen were embroiled in controversy again that year, this time at Monza.

The Temple of Speed played host to yet another collision between the two as Verstappen’s Red Bull lifted off a kerb and landed on top of Hamilton’s Mercedes with the inside of a rear wheel descending onto the helmet of the Stevenage driver through the protective halo.

The crash resulted from Verstappen’s disastrous pit stop, which prompted Mercedes to pit Hamilton earlier than planned. 

Hamilton exited the pits and went side by side with Verstappen through the Variante del Rettifilo before they made contact.

The 36-year-old criticised the Dutch driver for not pulling out of the move, which prompted the stewards to award the Red Bull prodigy a three-place grid penalty for the following race in Sochi.

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

The inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit was destined to make history, though perhaps not in the way that was expected.

Yet again, Hamilton and Verstappen collided.

Verstappen had twice gained positions illegally and was ordered to give the place back after forcing his title rival off the track at Turn One.

But the ‘Flying Dutchman’ did not do this straight away and instead braked on the run to the last corner, leading to Hamilton smashing into the rear of the Red Bull in an incident reminiscent of Baku 2018.

The position was eventually swapped back six laps later.

Both drivers placed the blame at the other, Verstappen claimed he did not understand why Hamilton did not pass and Hamilton argued he was unsure why Verstappen had braked. 

The Brit felt he had been ‘brake tested’ and that Verstappen’s racing style was ‘over the limit’.

In an investigation by the stewards, Verstappen was deemed at fault and held accountable by a ten second penalty and two penalty points on his licence.

The results of this race meant that Hamilton and Verstappen would go into the final race in Abu Dhabi level on points with Verstappen winning his first title under contentious circumstances.

Verstappen is currently third in the Drivers’ Championship on 137 points however Russell could close the gap if the world champion does receive a race ban.

While Verstappen may someday be hailed as a great of this adrenaline-pulsing sport, it won’t be without his fair share of critique.