F1 Penalty Points: 10 most penalized drivers since the rules were conceived

The F1 penalty points system was put in place to keep the driving standards above a threshold. If the drivers reach 12 penalty points within a 12-month period, they face a race ban. These points are given on the basis of driver transgressions on the track and these transgressions could be anything from dangerous driving to speeding through the pitlane.

Since the introduction of the penalty points system, only one driver has faced a race ban. Kevin Magnussen became the first driver to get banned due to this system in 2024. The driver had accumulated 12 points within a year and had to sit out of the race in Baku.

The system has been in place since 2014. Who are some of the most penalized drivers in terms of F1 penalty points since the system's inception? Let's take a look.

F1 Penalty Points: Most penalized drivers

#10 Nico Hulkenberg - 21 points

Nico Hulkenberg finds himself on the list of the most penalized drivers, with 21 points to his name. The German tends to be more or less a very clean racer, but if you're averaging something in the vicinity of two F1 penalty points per season, then it's arguably not as bad.

#9 Esteban Ocon - 22 points

It's not a surprise to see Esteban Ocon on this list. The French driver is known for not giving an inch to his rivals, and he does so quite well in wheel-to-wheel battles. There have been moments, however, where the driver has maybe overstepped the line.

That's where the penalty points come from, and Ocon finds himself with a grand total of 22 in his F1 career.

#8 Romain Grosjean - 23 points

One could argue that the one driver who could potentially be accredited with the introduction of the F1 penalty points system is Romain Grosjean. At the same time, one could also argue that the fact that the Frenchman is not higher on this list is a bit of a surprise.

Grosjean finds himself in P8 in this list and has 23 F1 penalty points to his name.

#7 Fernando Alonso - 26 points

F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty

The most experienced F1 driver of all time finds himself seventh on the list of most penalized with 26 points. On the face of it, having 26 points in more than a decade means you've more or less kept your nose clean with just about two points from every year.

At the same time, one of the reasons why the 43-year-old finds himself on this list is because he runs most, if not all, the time in the midfield, and when you do that, you tend to get involved in a clash or two over the years.

#6 Daniil Kvyat - 26 points

Nicknamed 'the torpedo' by Sebastian Vettel, Daniil Kvyat was notorious for getting involved in incidents he had no business being involved in. The Russian driver was fast and, in general, a reliable operator. He unfortunately often failed to balance things out, which ultimately hurt him.

Kvyat ended his career with 26 F1 penalty points and finds himself sixth in the list.

#5 Sebastian Vettel - 32 points

Sebastian Vettel finds himself in P5 with 32 F1 penalty points accrued over his career. The German was more or less a clean driver throughout his career, but there were still moments where he stepped over the line.

The stint at Ferrari was the time when Vettel was just not himself and made far too many errors and, as a result, ended his career with a healthy number of penalty points to his name.

#4 Kevin Magnussen - 36 points

It would have been a surprise if Kevin Magnussen's name did not make it to the list. The Danish driver made his F1 debut in 2014, and at the time he wasn't someone who made his name as a ruthless operator behind the wheel.

That is a reputation that Magnussen has developed as his career has progressed, and we've seen the driver grow more and more. The Dane also achieved the notoriety of being the first-ever driver to get banned due to the F1 penalty points system, and with 36 points, he's P4 in the all-time rankings.

#3 Sergio Perez - 36 points

F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty

Sergio Perez is not in F1 anymore as the driver was dropped by Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season. The Mexican's name does come as a surprise, as Perez is not notorious for being involved in too many crashes in the race.

The driver did, however, have an aggressive approach to racing, and that has yielded him making a visit or two to the stewards room and getting penalized for it as well. As he sits on the sidelines for the 2025 season, the driver has accrued 36 F1 penalty points in his career.

#2 Lance Stroll - 38 points

Since making his debut in 2017 with Williams, Lance Stroll has found himself on the wrong side of quite a few incidents. On an F1 grid where the number of 'pay drivers' is next to zero now, Stroll continues to be a part because of his father, and his on-track antics mean he finds himself with 38 F1 penalty points accrued throughout his career.

#1 Max Verstappen - 42 points

At the top, we have Max Verstappen with 42 F1 penalty points. The driver has been notorious for getting involved in incidents. This was something that hurt him a bit at the start of his career but he has reined in impressively since. Every time, however, the driver's back is against the wall, you see him pull off moves that just cross the gray area.

As a result, the driver has faced quite a few interventions from the stewards and is the most penalized driver.