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The F1 Penalty points system has played a key role in helping keep the driving standards under check. The system was put in place initially in 2014 as a direct consequence of a dip in driving standards in the early 2010s. With the likes of Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado tending to get into skirmishes, a system had to be put in place to keep drivers in check.
As a part of the system, points are given on the basis of severity of the transgressions. If a driver reaches 12 points, they get banned for a race. Since the system's inception in 2014, Kevin Magnussen has been the only driver to face a ban.
It was imposed on the Danish driver last season when he accrued 12 F1 penalty points over a 12-month period. As the circus heads to Japan, who are the top five delinquents in terms of penalty points? Let's take a look.
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F1 Penalty Points: Who is close to a ban?
#5 Jack Doohan
Penalty Points: 4
Jack Doohan was on the naughty step far too many times during the Chinese GP. The driver has accrued four F1 penalty points during the race weekend.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Gabriel Bortoleto at the 2025 Chinese GP Sprint (expires on March 22, 2026)
- Two points: Pushing Isack Hadjar off the track at the 2025 Chinese GP Sprint (expires on March 23, 2026)
#4 Nico Hulkenberg
Penalty Points: 4
Hulkenberg has four F1 penalty points.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix (expires on September 1, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Fernando Alonso during the 2024 Austrian GP Sprint (expires on June 29, 2025)
#3 Lance Stroll
Penalty Points: 4
Stroll has accumulated four F1 penalty points in the past 12 months.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Alex Albon at the 2024 Qatar GP (expires on December 2, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2024 Chinese GP (expires on April 21, 2025)
#2 Fernando Alonso
Penalty Points: 5
Fernando Alonso has collected five F1 penalty points next to his name.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the F1 Austrian GP (expires on June 30, 2025)
- Three points: Pushing Carlos Sainz off the track at the 2024 F1 Chinese GP Sprint (expires on April 20, 2025)
- Three points: "Potentially dangerous driving" against George Russell at the 2024 Australian GP (expires on March 24, 2025)
#1 Max Verstappen
Penalty Points: 8
Verstappen has eight penalty points, with the Dutch driver accruing two more for his collision with Oscar Piastri.
- One point: Driving unnecessarily in the 2024 F1 Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
- One point: VSC infringement in the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP Sprint (expires on November 2, 2025)
- Two points: Forcing Lando Norris off track during the 2024 F1 Mexican GP (expires on October 28, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Norris at the 2024 F1 Austrian GP (expires on June 30, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expires on December 12, 2025)
