Max Verstappen has officially confirmed he will race at the Austrian Grand Prix, despite facing immense pressure and a potential one-race suspension if he picks up just one more penalty point.
The Dutchman currently sits on 11 penalty points, and one more this weekend at Red Bull’s home circuit would trigger a ban from the British Grand Prix, a pivotal moment in the 2025 championship fight.
“I know what’s at stake this weekend, and I’ve made my decision — I’m racing,” Verstappen said in a press conference on Thursday. “It’s my job to stay sharp and clean. There’s no room for mistakes, especially at a track like this.”
Verstappen’s message came after Red Bull team principal Christian Horner sent a direct and public warning to his star driver, reminding him of the high stakes at the Red Bull Ring.
“We obviously need to make sure we get through that weekend,” Horner told RacingNews365. “Then I think following that race, the first of the points starts to drop off.”
Should Verstappen get through the Austrian GP without incident, his points tally will reduce to nine by the Mexican Grand Prix in October — a critical buffer that gives the reigning champion some breathing space.
However, the Red Bull Ring’s tight third and fourth corners are notorious for collisions, and Verstappen has a history of drama at the venue. Last year, he crashed with Lando Norris, ending any hope of victory.
Horner also admitted that Red Bull may not be the outright favorite this weekend, given the current performance curve of the RB21.
“I think Austria, probably our weakness at the moment is in the medium-speed corners,” Horner explained. “If it’s hot, I would expect McLaren to again be stronger.”
Despite the potential storm clouds, Verstappen sounded calm and focused.
“There’s always pressure in Formula 1, but I trust myself and my team,” Verstappen said. “The Red Bull Ring is special to us, and I want to win here — but I’ll be smart about how I go racing this weekend.”
As the Dutchman aims to reduce his penalty tally and close the gap to championship leader Oscar Piastri, all eyes will be on whether Verstappen can keep his cool on one of the most punishing tracks on the calendar.