BARCELONA, Spain — In a year in which McLaren has emerged as Formula One’s dominant team with a brilliant car and two outstanding drivers, Max Verstappen’s efforts to stay in the hunt for the World Championship must be applauded.

Former Sky F1 pundit Damon Hill has responded with shock after Max Verstappen took a hidden with at the Spanish GP despite an FIA penalty.

With 11 penalty points on his licence, the reigning world champion finds himself on the brink of a race ban – a sanction that could effectively ruin his already fading chances of defending his title this year.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was at the center of yet another controversy on track, this time after colliding with George Russell during the final laps of the Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull ordered Verstappen to give up a position to Russell after the two cars collided during the closing stages of the race.

In the final episode of the latest season of Netflix's hit show "Formula 1: Drive to Survive," McLaren's Lando Norris gave the following quote after being asked if he could be a champion: "I believe I got what it takes,

Formula 1 ’s penalty points system has been placed under the spotlight after Max Verstappen ’s punishment for his collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutchman was handed a 10-second time penalty for ramming Russell late in the race, before the FIA gave the Red Bull driver three penalty points on his FIA superlicence.

Max Verstappen was handed a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points on his FIA super licence after crashing into George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix