Which F1 driver got the most penalty points during 2021 season?

The dust has settled on a roller-coaster F1 season that saw unprecedented action and drama. While Max Verstappen had the most points for an individual driver and Mercedes had the most points as a team, there was still another list that remained.

That is the list of the most penalty points of the season. It is, however, not as enviable as the previous two though.

So what is the penalty point system in F1? Well, to break it down, F1 drivers can be punished by race stewards for a multitude of transgressions during race weekends. The magnitude of the punishment is determined by the stewards and the FIA.

While there are fines, grid penalties, and time penalties among others, penalty points are reserved for more serious issues caused by F1 drivers. These points can add up to an individual driver's F1 Super License.

The system first came about in 2014 and has stayed in place ever since in F1. If a driver receives 12 penalty points in the course of 12 months, that driver is handed a one F1 race ban automatically.

With that out of the way, this year's penalty point list was a close-fought one with Honda domination in the podium places.

Rookie Yuki Tsunoda leads the way with eight penalty points from five incidents this season. The Alpha Tauri driver was followed by Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who is tied for second place with the newly-crowned F1 drivers' world champion, Max Verstappen, with seven points each.

Nicholas Latifi, Sebastian Vettel and Nikita Mazepin followed with six penalty points each to their name. Esteban Ocon and George Russell have the fewest, with one each.

---

F1 too permissive with criticism, feels former FIA president Jean Todt

Former FIA president Jean Todt feels F1 is too permissive with criticism from F1 teams and drivers, and that this is hurting the sport.

Todt was aware of all the talk surrounding the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which left many F1 fans with an unpleasant taste in their mouths. While he admitted that they weren't perfect, Todt also made it clear that F1 should crack down on those who criticize the sport extensively and in the public eye.

Speaking to the media at the FIA Gala in Paris on December 16, Todt said:

“I was reading today in the French sports magazine L’Equipe, the president of the Lyon football club – which is one of the most important teams – he has been forbidden for 10 games because he’s spoken badly about the referee. So, maybe we are being too permissive, you know?”

The FIA is currently involved in an investigation into the decision-making that happened towards the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and many expect more airtight rules in F1's immediate future.

---