The F1 penalty points system was introduced by the FIA to help keep the driving standards in check. The sport didn’t have a standardized system in place prior to that, and the penalties would cause a lot of controversy. To add to this, there was a lack of consistency, which stemmed from the fact that no standardized method had been set up to determine what should and should not happen in case of a certain incident.
As a result, the F1 penalty points system was set-up. As a part of this system, drivers are handed out penalty points on the basis of on track transgressions that they commit. These could be anything from dangerous driving, to causing a collision, or for that matter, just simply speeding in the pitlane.
If a driver accrues 12 F1 penalty points, he gets banned for a race. Kevin Magnussen became the first driver to do so last season and was subsequently banned. As we get ready for the F1 Monaco GP, where do the drivers stand in terms of penalty points? Let’s take a look.
F1 Penalty points before Monaco GP
#1 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)
#2 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)
#3 Charles Leclerc
Penalty Points: 0
Ferrari’s Leclerc has managed to maintain a clean slate over the last 12 months.
#4 Lewis Hamilton
Penalty Points: 0
Leclerc’s new Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, has also maintained a clean slate over the previous 12 months.
#5 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 Grand Prix.
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)
#6 Yuki Tsunoda
Penalty Points: 0
Tsunoda has a clean slate going into his second race with Red Bull.
#7 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)
#8 Kimi Antonelli
Penalty Points: 0
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli has a clean slate for now.
#9 Fernando Alonso
Penalty Points: 2
Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso now has just two F1 penalty points next to his name as the other three expired before the race.
Two points: Causing a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the F1 Austrian GP (expires on June 30, 2025)
#10 Lance Stroll
Penalty Points: 2
Stroll has accumulated two F1 penalty points over the past 12 months.
Two points: Causing a collision with Alex Albon at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
#11 Pierre Gasly
Penalty Points: 0
Gasly doesn’t have any F1 penalty points yet.
#12 Franco Colapinto
Penalty Points: 2
Franco Colapinto has two penalty points to his name going into Imola GP.
Two points: Causing a collision with Liam Lawson at the 2024 F1 Mexican GP(expires on Oct 27, 2025)
#13 Esteban Ocon
Penalty Points: 2
Ocon now has two 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)
#14 Ollie Bearman
Penalty Points: 2
Bearman has two penalty points to his name going into the fifth race of the season.
Two points: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto at the 2024 Brazilian GP (expires on November 2, 2025).
#15 Liam Lawson
Penalty Points: 6
Lawson now has 6 penalty points after an action-packed F1 Bahrain GP.
Two points: Causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
Two points: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
One point: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
One point: Causing a collision in the Miami GP (expires on May 3, 2026)
#16 Isack Hadjar
Penalty Points: 0
Hadjar has a clean slate for now.
#17 Carlos Sainz
Penalty Points: 2
Former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz now has two F1 penalty points to his name.
Two points: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
#18 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)
#19 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)
#20 Gabriel Bortoleto
Penalty Points: 0
Bortoleto has a clean slate at the moment.