F1 Penalty Points: Drivers' penalty points ahead of the 2025 Chinese GP

The F1 penalty points system was introduced to keep the driving standards above a threshold. In the early 2010s, the driving standards nosedived, and one of the reasons behind it was the introduction of a few quick but crash-prone drivers.

There were far too many incidents from these drivers and such incidents starting to impact races made matters worse. The race in Belgium in 2012 stands out as one where Romain Grosjean wiped out multiple title contenders at the start of the race.

While he was banned for a race, it didn't change his impact on the entire championship. As a result, a new system was introduced in 2014 as part of which drivers were given penalty points based on their on-track transgressions. These transgressions could cause a collision, dangerous driving, etc. The number of points for a transgression depends on the severity of the act.

These points stay with the driver for 12 months before expiry. If a driver has more than 12 F1 penalty points against them, they are banned for one race. As part of the current system, only one driver has crossed the 12 F1 penalty points threshold. It was Kevin Magnussen this season and the Danish driver had to sit out of the race in Baku.

F1 Penalty points ahead of the Chinese 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, also has a clean slate in 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 GP.

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: 2

Lawson has two penalty points for causing a collision at the F1 Qatar GP.

Two points: Causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)

#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

Kimi Antonelli has a clean slate for now.

#9 Fernando Alonso

Penalty Points: 8

Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso has collected eight F1 penalty points, including two for his dive-bomb on Zhou Guanyu at the 2024 Austrian GP. It 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)

#10 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 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.

#12 Jack Doohan

Penalty Points: 0

Doohan doesn't have any penalty points.

#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 2025 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 the 2025 season.

#16 Isack Hadjar

Penalty Points: 0

Hadjar has a clean slate going into the off-season.

#17 Carlos Sainz

Penalty Points: 1

The former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has one F1 penalty points ahead of the 2025 Australian GP.

One point: Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the 2024 F1 Miami GP (expires on May 5, 2025)

#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 heading into his first full season.

Edited by Samya Majumdar