F1 penalty points: Top 5 biggest delinquents on the grid

The F1 penalty points system was put in place in 2014 to keep the driving standards above a certain threshold. If the drivers reach 12 penalty points within a 12-month period, they face a race ban.

The points are given on the basis of driver transgressions, and these transgressions could be anything from dangerous driving to speeding through the pitlane. Kevin Magnussen recently became the first driver to get banned according to this system.

The driver had accumulated 12 points within a year and had to sit out for the race in Baku where Ollie Bearman replaced him for the weekend. With 75% of the season in the rearview mirror and only 6 races left in the season, who are the top 5 delinquents on the grid in terms of F1 penalty points? Let's take a look.

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F1 Penalty Points: Who is close to a ban?

#5 Sergio Perez

Penalty Points: 3

Perez has eight F1 penalty points, tied with Logan Sargeant and Alonso, for five different violations.

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

#4 Max Verstappen

Penalty Points: 4

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

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

#3 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: Pushing a driver off track (expires on June 29, 2025)

#2 Lance Stroll

Penalty Points: 5

Stroll has collected five penalty points over the past 12 months, including two for causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo in China.

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

#1 Fernando Alonso

Penalty Points: 8

Alonso has accumulated eight F1 penalty points, including a 10-second penalty and two penalty points for a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the Austrian GP.

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