Quote:
Originally Posted by G30M
RB applied for a Super license for Lindblad, and has been approved. This is to cover the RB stable for any potential race ban for Max.
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If Verstappen gets at least a 1 point penalty in Canada or Austria: Hadjar @ Red Bull Racing for 1 race weekend + Lindblad @ Racing Bulls for 1 race weekend.
The current Verstappen-Russell WDC gap: 36 points (137 - 111). The irony: if Verstappen gets a race ban, it serves Russell's best interests not to push for victories in the next GPs and Spa Sprint. For Russell, Verstappen should remain WDC top 3 this Summer. For, if Russell pushes Verstappen to WDC P4 this Summer, Verstappen can trigger the exit clause of his RBR contract and, as a free agent, could take Russell's Mercedes seat. Even if Verstappen is still WDC P3 this Summer, still he can leave RBR, but not as a free agent (substantial financial penalty). It's not clear which "Summer race" will be the decisive one for the exit clause: it is rumored to be Austria, but Silverstone, Spa, Budapest and Zandvoort will all be raced this July and August.
So far, Verstappen consistently repeated that, in principle, he remains at RBR until 2028. Once that Toto Wolff will have announced in the foreseeable future that Russell got a Mercedes contract extension, we may assume that Verstappen has finally said "no" or "not now" to Wolff. So far, Wolff seems to keep a holding pattern, still willing to sacrifice Russell for Verstappen in 2026. It could explain the nervosity and 'big boy' claims by Russell. It's clear that there is bad blood between Verstappen and Russell. Russell knows that he's at risk to get "Sainz'd".
Any assumption by Piastri and Norris that Verstappen will race conservatively in Canada and Austria to ensure avoiding a point penalty, will be a mistake. As always, he's gonna race for the win. And after Austria, two penalty points automatically expire (11 to 9 out of 12 (race ban)).
If Stroll doesn't participate to the Canadian race weekend (unlikely, because it's his home race, except if he's declared medically unfit): Aston Martin reserve drivers Drugovich and Vandoorne are scheduled to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Drugovich could be asked to sacrifice Le Mans for the Canadian race weekend.