Drivers receive penalty points on their super license if any actions taken by them are deemed dangerous or hazardous. There are many examples of actions that can lead to penalty points such as causing collisions, violating speed limits, disregarding yellow flags, and many more.
The penalty point stays on the super license for one year before being removed. Drivers are allowed to rack up 11 penalty points a year. However, after receiving 12 points, however, the driver risks a race ban. Daniil Kvyat was the closest driver to a race ban in 2017 when he racked up ten penalty points over the season.
How many points does each driver have before heading into the season? Expect some shocks in this list as we find out which driver is closest to receiving a race ban.
Valtteri Bottas
No Penalty Points
Valtteri Bottas did not receive a single penalty point in 2020. He also had zero penalty points in 2019, showing that the Finn is a clean and consistent driver. He begins the 2021 season free from any penalty points related burdens.
Max Verstappen
No Penalty Points
Max Verstappen accumulated the most penalty points amassed over a season, twice. He managed this feat in 2015 and 2018. Shockingly, he will go into the 2021 season with no penalty points on his super license.
Sebastian Vettel
No Penalty Points
Sebastian Vettel was on his best behavior in 2020. He wasn't given a single penalty point. In 2019, the German had the most penalty points along with Daniel Ricciardo, with seven.
Fernando Alonso
No Penalty Points
Fernando Alonso will have no penalty points on his super license. Even though he raced in other racing competitions in his two-year hiatus from F1, penalty points do not carry over from one championship to another.
Pierre Gasly
No Penalty Points
Pierre Gasly took the first win of his career in 2020. He also received no penalty points throughout the year, meaning he comes into the 2021 season with none. Gasly is regarded as a driver who can stay out of trouble, only picking up five penalty points since his career started in 2017.
Nicholas Latifi
No Penalty Points
Nicholas Latifi made his debut in the series in 2020. He received no penalty points last year, which means the Canadian enters the season with no blemish on his super license.
Mick Schumacher
No Penalty Points
Mick, the son of legendary Michael Schumacher, makes his debut in the series this year. He therefore has no penalty points on his license so far.
Nikita Mazepin
No Penalty Points
Nikita Mazepin has profited from the rule which does not carry penalty points across championships. He finished the 2020 season in F2 with eleven penalty points, one short of a race ban. Additionally, in 2019, Mazepin received a four-point penalty for a collision in which he was entirely to blame. However, he comes into the 2021 Formula 1 season with no penalty points on his super license.
Yuki Tsunoda
No Penalty Points
Yuki Tsunoda will join Alpha Tauri this season. It is his debut season in the championship and the young Japanese has no penalty points heading into the 2021 Formula 1 season.
Daniel Ricciardo
One Penalty Point
Daniel Ricciardo began the 2020 season with seven penalty points on his super license. This year, however, he will begin the year with just one penalty point, which he received in Russia last year.
Carlos Sainz
One Penalty Point
Ferrari’s newest recruit, Carlos Sainz, starts the 2021 season off positively with just a single penalty point on his super license.
Esteban Ocon
One Penalty Point
Esteban Ocon has a solitary penalty point to his name. He begins the season without the pressure of a race ban and will look to capitalize on his situation.
Sergio Perez
Two Penalty Points
Sergio Perez begins the 2021 season with two penalty points. He also received two reprimands for incidents at the Portuguese Grand Prix. These reprimands did not add penalty points to his super license, but meant that if he earned one more penalty point in the 2020 season, he would be given a 10-place grid drop.
Charles Leclerc
Three Penalty Points
Charles Leclerc heads into the 2021 season with three penalty points on his super license.
Lance Stroll
Three Penalty Points
Lance Stroll, driving for Aston Martin, also has three penalty points to his name at the start of the 2021 Formula 1 season.
Antonio Giovinazzi
Three Penalty Points
Heading into the 2021 season, Giovinazzi has three penalty points on his super license.
Kimi Raikkonen
Four Penalty Points
Kimi began the 2020 season with two penalty points and gathered more as the season advanced. He received two more penalty points at the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix. The Finn heads into the 2021 Formula 1 season with four penalty points.
Lando Norris
Five Penalty Points
Lando Norris started the 2020 season without a single point on his super license. However, he accumulated five points over the course of the season and starts the 2021 Formula 1 season with the same.
George Russell
Six Penalty Points
George Russell has six penalty points on his super license as the 2021 Formula 1 season comes closer. Russell seemed to have a problem with the double-yellow flag as he received his penalty points in two instances of neglecting the flag.
Lewis Hamilton
Six Penalty Points
The reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton starts the 2021 Formula 1 season with six penalty points to his name. The seven-time champion is just six more points away from a race ban.