Ranked: Drivers based on F1 penalty points, from the most to the fewest

The F1 penalty points system was put in place to keep the driving standards above a certain level. If the drivers reach 12 penalty points within a 12-month period they face a race ban. These points are given on the basis of driver transgressions on the track and these transgressions could be anything from dangerous driving to speeding through the pitlane.

Since the introduction of the penalty points system only one driver has faced a race ban. Kevin Magnussen became the first driver to get banned this season. The driver had accumulated 12 points within a year and had to sit out of a race.

As the sport heads into a new season, let's take a look at how the F1 grid stacks up on penalty points, from the lowest to the highest.

F1 Penalty points at the start of the 2025 season

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#1. Fernando Alonso

Penalty Points: 8

Alonso has collected eight F1 penalty points, including two for his divebomb on Zhou Guanyu at the 2024 Austrian GP, which also resulted in 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)

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#2. Max Verstappen

Penalty Points: 8

Verstappen has eight penalty points now with the driver accruing two more for his collision with Oscar Piastri.

• One point: Driving unnecessarily slowly at the 2024 F1 Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
• One point: VSC infringement at the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP Sprint (expires on November 2, 2025)
• Two points: Forcing Lando Norris off track during the 2024 F1 Mexican GP (expire on October 28, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Norris at the 2024 F1 Austrian GP (expire on June 30, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expire on December 12, 2025)

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#3. Valtteri Bottas

Penalty Points: 5

Bottas accrued a massive five F1 penalty points at Abu Dhabi.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Sergio Perez at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expire on December 12, 2025)
• Three points: Causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expire on December 12, 2025)

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

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#5. Esteban Ocon

Penalty Points: 3

Ocon has received three F1 penalty points in the last 12 months.

• 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)

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#6. Lando Norris

Penalty Points: 3

Norris now has 3 F1 penalty points to his name.

• Three points: Ignoring yellow flags at the 2024 F1 Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)

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#7. Alex Albon

Penalty Points: 2

Albon has two penalty points to his name.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen at the Qatar GP (expire on December 2, 2025)

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#8. 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 (expire on December 2, 2025)

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#9. Lance Stroll

Penalty Points: 2

Stroll has accumulated four F1 penalty points in the past 12 months.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Alex Albon at the Qatar GP (expire on December 2, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the Chinese GP (expire on April 21, 2025)

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#10. Oscar Piastri

Penalty Points: 2

Oscar Piastri picked up 2 penalty points at the Abu Dhabi GP for contact with Franco Colapinto.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expire on December 12, 2025)

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#11. Carlos Sainz

Penalty Points: 1

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

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

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#12. George Russell

Penalty Points: 1

Russell has one penalty point to his name now.

• One point: SC infringement at the 2024 F1 Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)

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#13. Sergio Perez

Penalty Points: 1

Sergio Perez has one penalty point.

• One point: Unsafe release in the pit lane during the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (expires on March 9, 2025)

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#14 to #20. All drivers with zero penalty points.

The rest of the drivers have zero penalty points.