The F1 penalty points system was put in place to help prevent the driving standards from falling below a threshold. As a part of this system, drivers are handed penalty points for the transgressions that they commit on the track. These transgressions could vary from speeding in the pitlane to driving dangerously.
The number of points handed to the drivers depends on the severity of the transgression committed by the driver. In case the driver reaches a threshold of 12 penalty points, they face a one-race ban. In over a decade of the system being implemented, only one driver has faced a ban.
Kevin Magnussen became the first driver in 2024 to be banned due to this system. As F1 heads to the Chinese GP, where do the drivers stand in terms of penalty points? Let’s take a look.
F1 Penalty Points: Who is close to a ban?
#1. Ollie Bearman
Penalty Points: 10
Ollie Bearman is now alarmingly close to a race ban with 10 F1 penalty points to his name.
- One point: Change of direction while defending during the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP (expires on December 7, 2026).
- One point: Causing a collision with Liam Lawson at the 2025 Brazilian GP sprint (expires on November 8, 2026).
- Four points: Red Flag infringement in the pitlane during British GP (expires July 6, 2026)
- Two points: Red Flag infringement in Monaco GP FP2 (expires on May 23, 2026)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Carlos Sainz at the 2025 Italian GP (expires on September 7, 2026).
#2. Liam Lawson
Penalty Points: 6
Liam Lawson has six F1 penalty points on his superlicense.
- One point: Driving erratically while defending during the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP (expires on December 7, 2026).
- One point: Causing a collision in the Brazilian GP (expires on November 8, 2026)
- One point: Causing a collision in the Miami GP (expires on May 3, 2026)
- 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)
#3. Lance Stroll
Penalty Points: 6
Lance Stroll is currently at six F1 penalty points on his license.
- One point: Change of direction while defending during the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP (expires on December 7, 2026).
- Two points: Causing a collision with Esteban Ocon at the US GP sprint (expires on October 20, 2026)
- Two points: Pushing another driver off track at the Canadian GP (expires on June 15, 2026)
- One point: Causing a collision with Charles Leclerc at the Monaco GP (expires on May 25, 2026)
#4. Kimi Antonelli
Penalty Points: 5
Kimi Antonelli had a disastrous incident with Charles Leclerc in Zandvoort and is now at 5 F1 penalty points.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Charles Leclerc in the 2025 F1 Dutch GP (expires on August 31, 2026)
- Two points: Causing a collision with Max Verstappen in the 2025 F1 Austrian GP (expires on June 29, 2026)
- One point: Forcing another driver off the track at the 2025 F1 Italian GP (expires on September 7, 2026)
#5. Carlos Sainz
Penalty Points: 4
Carlos Sainz has four penalty points now, as the Spaniard was able to win his right to review.
- Two points: Causing a collision with Kimi Antonelli in the US GP (expires on October 20, 2026)
- Two points: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
Edited by Charanjot Singh Kohli
