F1 penalty points: 5 biggest delinquents ahead of the 2025 pre-season testing

The F1 penalty points system has played a major role in keeping the driving standards under check. The entire system was first put in place in 2014 as a direct consequence of a dip in driving standards in the early 2010s. With drivers like Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado making it a habit of getting into skirmishes, a system had to be put in place to keep such drivers in check.

As part of the system, the points are given based on the severity of the transgressions. If a driver reaches 12 points, he gets banned for a race. Since the inception of this system in 2014, Kevin Magnussen has been the only driver to have faced a ban.

The Danish driver reached the threshold of 12 F1 penalty points over a 12-month period. As the 2025 F1 pre-season test approcahes, who are the top 5 delinquents of penalty points? Let's take a look.

F1 Penalty Points: Who is close to a ban?

#5. Esteban Ocon

Penalty Points: 3

Ocon has gotten three F1 penalty points in the last 12 months.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Pierre Gasly at the Monaco GP (expires on May 27, 2025)
• One point: Unsafe release during the Miami GP (expires on May 4, 2025)

#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 Qatar GP (expires on December 2, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the Chinese GP (expires on April 21, 2025)

#2. Fernando Alonso

Penalty Points: 8

Alonso has collected eight F1 penalty points, including two for his divebomb on Zhou Guanyu at the 2024 Austrian GP, which also resulted in a 10-second penalty.

• 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 F1 Chinese GP Sprint (expires on April 20, 2025)
• Three points: "Potentially dangerous driving" against George Russell at the Australian GP (expires on March 24, 2025)

#1. Max Verstappen

Penalty Points: 8

Verstappen has eight penalty points now with the 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)