F1 Penalty points: Drivers' penalty points before the US GP

F1 Grand Prix Of Singapore - Source: Getty

The F1 Penalty Points system was put in place to prevent driving standards from falling below a certain threshold. Under the system, drivers are handed penalty points for transgressions committed on track. The number of points depends on the severity of the transgression.

These transgressions can include causing a collision or just driving in an unsafe manner. These points stay on the driver's superlicence for 12 months before expiring. If a driver accumulates 12 points over 12 months, he faces a ban of one race. Kevin Magnussen earlier this season became the first-ever driver to be banned for reaching 12 points.

Where does the entire grid stand in terms of F1 penalty points as we head to the US GP in Austin? Let's take a look.

F1 Penalty points before the US GP

#1. Lewis Hamilton

Penalty Points: 0

Hamilton has a clean slate in the last 12 months.

#2. George Russell

Penalty Points: 2

Russell has two penalty points, which he picked up at Las Vegas in 2023.

Two points: For causing a collision with Max Verstappen at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix (expire on November 19, 2024)

#3. Max Verstappen

Penalty Points: 4

Verstappen has four penalty points, with the latest coming at the Austrian GP this year for his collision with Lando Norris.

Two points: Causing a collision with Norris at the 2024 F1 Austrian GP (expire on June 30, 2025)
Two points: Forcing Charles Leclerc off track during the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix (expire on November 19, 2024)

#4. Sergio Perez

Penalty Points: 3

Sergio Perez has accumulated three penalty points.

Two points: Causing a collision with Lando Norris at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expire on November 26, 2024)
One point: Unsafe release in the pit lane during the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (expire on March 9, 2025)

#5. Charles Leclerc

Penalty Points: 0

Leclerc has maintained a clean slate over the last 12 months.

#6. Carlos Sainz

Penalty Points: 1

Sainz has one penalty point for the contact he made while racing Oscar Piastri in Miami.

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

#7. Lando Norris

Penalty Points: 0

Norris, too, has kept a clean slate over the last 12 months.

#8. Oscar Piastri

Penalty Points: 0

Piastri had a collision with Esteban Ocon in Austin last season but was not penalized and has a clean slate.

#9. Fernando Alonso

Penalty Points: 8

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

Two points: Causing a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the F1 Austrian GP (expire on June 30, 2025)
Three points: Pushing Carlos Sainz off the track at the F1 Chinese GP Sprint (expire on April 20, 2025)
Three points: Potentially dangerous driving against George Russell at the Australian GP (expire on March 24, 2025)

#10. Lance Stroll

Penalty Points: 5

Stroll has accumulated five F1 penalty points in the past 12 months, with two of them coming for causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo in China.

Two points: Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the Chinese GP (expire on April 21, 2025)
Three points: Overtaking under yellow flag conditions at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix (expire on November 17, 2024)

#11 Esteban Ocon

Penalty Points: 3

Ocon got three F1 penalty points for his collision with his teammate Pierre Gasly.

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

#12 Pierre Gasly

Penalty Points: 0

Gasly doesn't have any penalty points.

#13 Daniel Ricciardo

Penalty Points: 3

Ricciardo has three F1 penalty points.

Two points: Overtaking under a safety car during the 2024 Chinese GP (expire on April 21, 2025)
One point: Forcing Nico Hulkenberg off track at the 2024 Italian GP (expire on September 1, 2025)

#14 Yuki Tsunoda

Penalty Points: 0

Tsunoda has a clean slate after the race in Monza.

#15 Franco Colapinto

Penalty Points: 0

Colapinto kept his nose clean as he began life as an F1 driver.

#16 Alex Albon

Penalty Points: 0

Albon doesn't have any F1 penalty points at the moment.

#17 Kevin Magnussen

Penalty Points: 0

Magnussen now has a clean slate after serving his ban.

#18 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 (expire on September 1, 2025)
Two points: Pushing a driver off track (expire on June 29, 2025)