Ranked: 2025 grid based on F1 penalty points from the most to the fewest after the 2025 Chinese GP 

The F1 penalty points system was put in place to keep the driving standards in the sport above a certain threshold. These were introduced in 2014 after the driving standards took a dip in the early 2010s, with Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado at the centre of it.

We even had Grosjean getting banned in 2012 for the first lap incident in Belgium. As part of 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.

Any driver that ends up accumulating 12 F1 penalty points faces a race ban. As we leave China after the second race of the season, let's see how the drivers are ranked in terms of penalty points from the most to the least.

Ranking the 2025 drivers on the basis of F1 penalty points

#1 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)

#2 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)

#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: Causing a collision with Fernando Alonso during the 2024 Austrian GP Sprint (expires on June 29, 2025)

#4 Jack Doohan

Penalty Points: 4

Jack Doohan was on the naughty step far too many times during the Chinese GP. The driver has accrued four 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)

#5 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)

#6 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)

#7 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)

#8 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)

#9 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)

#10 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).

#11 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)

#12 Carlos Sainz

Penalty Points: 1

The former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has one F1 penalty point 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)

#13 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)

#14 Charles Leclerc

Penalty Points: 0

Ferrari's Leclerc has managed to maintain a clean slate over the last 12 months.

#15 Lewis Hamilton

Penalty Points: 0

Leclerc's new Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, also has a clean slate in the previous 12 months.

#16 Kimi Antonelli

Penalty Points: 0

Kimi Antonelli has a clean slate for now.

#17 Pierre Gasly

Penalty Points: 0

Gasly doesn't have any F1 penalty points yet.

#18 Yuki Tsunoda

Penalty Points: 0

Tsunoda has a clean slate going into the 2025 season.

#19 Isack Hadjar

Penalty Points: 0

Hadjar has a clean slate going into his first season.

#20 Gabriel Bortoleto

Penalty Points: 0

Bortoleto has a clean slate heading into his first full season.