Max Verstappen is only four points away from being banned to race in Formula One (F1) after the Belgian-Dutch racing driver has been handed a post-race drive-through penalty at the 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen picked up three points from two separate incidents, which gives him a total of eight, which is also the most that any driver has had this season.

Verstappen received a five-second penalty for off-track overtaking when the Toro Rosso driver overtook McLaren’s Jenson Button at the Yas Marina Circuit for 12th. Then he was handed another 20-second post-race penalty for ignoring blue flags while being lapped by second-place finisher and three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. From 12th place, Verstappen dropped to 16th in the final results.

The 18-year-old has aired his side regarding the off-track overtaking incident with Button. Verstappen said that his best option was to go past McLaren. He also expressed his bafflement as to why his incident with Hamilton was under scrutiny.

“I don’t know why it’s under investigation,” Verstappen said in an interview as quoted by Auto Sport. “It’s happened many times before it was that close, for me, it was not even that close.”

The Dutchman incurred one and two points from the incidences involving Button and Hamiton, respectively, which add to the previous penalties he earned when he crashed to Lotus’ Romain Grosjean at the Monaco Grand Prix and for speeding behind a safety car at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Super Licence Penalty System

A driver must have Super Licence to compete in F1. In 2014, the Super Licence penalty system was introduced to impose various penalties for drivers who will commit an offence during race or practice sessions. A maximum of 12 penalty points can be accumulated before a one-race suspension is imposed to a driver. After a 12-month period, the points accumulated by the driver will be removed.

Penalty Points F1 2015 (Team)

1. Max Verstappen (Scuderia Toro Rosso) - 8 points

2. Pastor Maldonado (Lotus) - 6 points

3. Romain Grosjean (Lotus) - 4 points

4. Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) - 4 points

5. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) - 4 points

6. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) - 3 points

Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) - 3 points

8. Sergio Perez (Force India) - 2 points

9. Felipe Nasr (Sauber) - 2 points

10. Fernando Alonso (McLaren) - 2 points

11. Jenson Button (McLaren) - 2 points

12. Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) - 2 points

13. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 2 points

14. Valterri Bottas (Williams) - 2 points

15. Roberto Merhi (Marussia) - 2 points

Verstappen’s teammate, Carlos Sainz, end the year with a clean licence. Other drivers who didn’t incur penalties this season are Nico Rosberg, Australian racing driver Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Alexander Rossi and Will Stevens.

Contact the writer at feedback@IBTimes.com.au, or let us know your thoughts below.

RELATED STORIES