F1 penalty points: 5 biggest delinquents after the 2025 Japanese GP

The F1 penalty points system was introduced by the FIA to help prevent the driving standards from falling below a threshold. In the early 2010s, first lap incidents happened far too often and collisions also became frequent. There was no specific metric in place that could act as a check against this.

That is why the F1 penalty points system was introduced and penalty points are now given to drivers for transgressions on track. The transgressions could vary from pushing a driver off track, causing a collision etc. These points stay with the driver for a period of 12 months.

If any driver ends up accruing 12 penalty points over a 12 month period, they receive a race ban. Last season, Kevin Magnussen became the first driver to be banned due to this system. As F1 moves on from the Japanese GP, who are the top five delinquents on the grid 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 picked up a total of four penalty points during the Chinese GP race weekend, which marked only his third race in Formula 1.

• 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)

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#4 Nico Hulkenberg

Penalty Points: 4

Kick Sauber driver Hulkenberg has four F1 penalty points to his name.

• 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)

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#3 Lance Stroll

Penalty Points: 4

Stroll has also 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 1, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2024 Chinese GP (expires on April 21, 2025)

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#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)

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#1 Max Verstappen

Penalty Points: 8

Verstappen has eight penalty points to his name, with the four-time champion on the receiving end of a number of penalties last season.

• 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 8, 2025)