The F1 penalty points system has been implemented to keep the driving standards above a certain level. They were first introduced in 2014 after the driving standards dipped in the early 2010s. New and inexperienced drivers tended to get involved in far too many incidents, and that brought the spotlight on the way the sport was being officiated.
Romain Grosjean was even banned for the first lap incident at the 2012 F1 Belgian Grand Prix. As per the Penalty Points system, drivers are given points based on the severity of their transgressions. These transgressions could be dangerous driving, causing a collision, etc.
These points stay with the driver for 12 months, after which they expire. Any driver that ends up accumulating 12 F1 penalty points faces a race ban. As we get ready for the F1 Saudi Arabian GP, where does each driver stand in terms of penalty points? Let's take a look.
F1 Penalty points before the Saudi Arabian GP
#1 Lando Norris
Penalty Points: 3
Lando Norris now has three F1 penalty points to his name.
- Three points: Ignoring yellow flags at the 2024 F1 Qatar GP (expiring on December 1, 2025)
#2 Oscar Piastri
Penalty Points: 4
McLaren's Oscar Piastri picked up two F1 penalty points at the Abu Dhabi GP for contact with Franco Colapinto, taking his total to four.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expires on December 8, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Liam Lawson at the 2024 Brazilian GP (expires on November 2, 2025)
#3 Charles Leclerc
Penalty Points: 0
Ferrari's Leclerc has managed to maintain a clean slate over the last 12 months.
#4 Lewis Hamilton
Penalty Points: 0
Leclerc's new Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, has also maintained a clean slate over the previous 12 months.
#5 Max Verstappen
Penalty Points: 8
Max Verstappen has eight penalty points now, with the reigning world champion accruing two more for his collision with Oscar Piastri at last season's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
- One point: Driving unnecessarily slowly in the 2024 F1 Qatar GP Qualifying (expires on December 1, 2025)
- One point: VSC infringement in the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP Sprint (expires on November 1, 2025)
- Two points: Forcing Lando Norris off track during the 2024 F1 Mexican GP (expires on October 27, 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)
#6 Liam Lawson
Penalty Points: 5
Lawson now has 5 penalty points after an action-packed F1 Bahrain GP.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
- One point: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
#7 George Russell
Penalty Points: 1
Mercedes driver Russell has one penalty point to his name.
- One point: SC infringement at the 2024 F1 Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
#8 Kimi Antonelli
Penalty Points: 0
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli has a clean slate for now.
#9 Fernando Alonso
Penalty Points: 5
Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso has 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 F1 Chinese GP Sprint (expires on April 20, 2025)
#10 Lance Stroll
Penalty Points: 4
Stroll has accumulated four F1 penalty points over the past 12 months.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Alex Albon at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the Chinese GP (expires on April 21, 2025)
#11 Pierre Gasly
Penalty Points: 0
Gasly doesn't have any F1 penalty points yet.
#12 Jack Doohan
Penalty Points: 4
Jack Doohan was on the naughty step a number of times during the Chinese GP. The driver accrued 4 F1 penalty points during the race weekend.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Gabriel Bortoleto at the Chinese GP Sprint (expires on March 22, 2026)
- Two points: Pushing Isack Hadjar off the track at the Chinese GP (expires on March 23, 2026)
#13 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)
#14 Ollie Bearman
Penalty Points: 2
Bearman has two penalty points to his name going into the fifth race of the season.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto at the 2024 Brazilian GP (expires on November 2, 2025).
#15 Yuki Tsunoda
Penalty Points: 0
Tsunoda has a clean slate going into his second race with Red Bull.
#16 Isack Hadjar
Penalty Points: 0
Hadjar has a clean slate for now.
#17 Carlos Sainz
Penalty Points: 3
Former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz now has three F1 penalty points ahead of the 2025 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
- One point: Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the 2024 F1 Miami GP (expires on May 5, 2025)
- Two points: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
#18 Alex Albon
Penalty Points: 2
Albon has two F1 penalty points to his name.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
#19 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)
#20 Gabriel Bortoleto
Penalty Points: 0
Bortoleto has a clean slate at the moment.