F1 Penalty Points Explained
Before qualifying kicks off in Miami, here’s an update on the current drivers penalty points.
Penalty points are designed to monitor drivers’ behaviour during a Formula One season and impose appropriate penalties for drivers who commit offences during the races. Penalty points were introduced during the 2014 Formula One season, with the system being first used after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
If a driver does something that the FIA considers risky, they will receive penalty points. This might include causing a crash, ignoring yellow flags, or speeding under the safety car. When a driver gets a penalty point, it stays on their licence for a year until it expires. A driver can accumulate a maximum of twelve points before action is taken.
If a driver reaches the twelve-point limit, they will be banned for the next event, ultimately resulting in a one-race ban. Once the driver returns, the points will be deleted.
Although no driver has ever earned the maximum of 12 points, some drivers are racing to the top of the rankings.
Current status of penalty points among drivers
Ahead of the Miami GP, Max Verstappen leads the chart with seven points. Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll share the number with the Dutchman. However, Aston Martin and AlphaTauri drivers will continue to lose points until the summer break, while Verstappen will have to wait a little longer because he has collected all of his points since last year’s Italian GP.
Only Ferrari and Haas have both drivers with perfect records over the previous 12 months. Still, Kevin Magnussen only returned to F1 this season after more than a year away, replacing Nikita Mazepin.
RED BULL
Max Verstappen (Total of seven points )
Italian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 12th September 2022
Reason: collision with Hamilton
Qatar GP – Two Points
Expiry: 21st November 2022
Reason: failure to respect double yellow flag (qualifying)
Saudi Arabian GP – One Point
Expiry: 5th December 2022
Reason: left the track and gained a lasting advantage
Saudi Arabian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 5th December 2022
Reason: braked in a manner which caused a collision with Hamilton
Sergio Perez (Total of five points)
Austrian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 4th July 2022
Reason: forcing Leclerc off the track
Austrian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 4th July 2022
Reason: forcing Leclerc off the track for the second time
Italian GP – One Point
Expiry: 12th September 2022
Reason: left the track and gained a lasting advantage
ALPHA TAURI
Pierre Gasly (Total of three points )
Spanish GP – One Point
Expiry: 9th May 2022
Reason: out of position at the start of the race
Turkish GP – Two Points
Expiry: 10th October 2022
Reason: collision with Alonso
Yuki Tsunoda (Total of seven points )
Styrian GP – One Point
Expiry: 26th June 2022
Reason: impeding Bottas (qualifying)
Austrian GP – One Point
Expiry: 4th July 2022
Reason: crossed the white line at pit entry
Austrian GP – One Point
Expiry: 4th July 2022
Reason: crossed the white line at pit entry for the second time
Brazilian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 14th November 2022
Reason: collision with Stroll
Saudi Arabian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 5th December 2022
Reason: collision with Vettel
ASTON MARTIN
Lance Stroll (Total of seven points )
Hungarian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 1st August 2022
Reason: causing an avoidable collision
Russian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 26th September 2022
Reason: collision with Gasly
Australian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 9th April 2023
Reason: collision with Latifi (qualifying)
Australian GP – One Point
Expiry: 10th April 2023
Reason: more changes of direction to defend a position
Sebastian Vettel (Total of one point)
Austrian GP – One Point
Expiry: 3rd July 2022
Reason: impeded Alonso (qualifying)
WILLIAMS
Alex Albon (Total of two points)
Saudi Arabian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 26th March 2023
Reason: collision with Stroll
Nicholas Latifi (Total of six points)
Azerbaijan GP – Three Points
Expiry: 6th June 2022
Reason: didn’t enter the pit lane as instructed during the safety car period
Austrian GP – Three Points
Expiry: 4th July 2022
Reason: didn’t respect double yellow flags (race)
ALFA ROMEO
Valterri Bottas (Total of five points)
Styrian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 25th June 2022
Reason: dangerous driving in the pit lane.
Hungarian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 1st August 2022
Reason: causing an avoidable collision
Qatar GP – One Point
Expiry: 21st November 2022
Reason: failure to respect single yellow flag (qualifying)
Guanyu Zhou (Total of one point)
Saudi Arabian GP – One Point
Expiry: 26th March 2023
Reason: overtook Albon by braking late and leaving the track at Turn 1 thereby gaining a lasting advantage.
MCLAREN
Lando Norris (Total of five points)
Azerbaijan GP – Three Points
Expiry: 5th June 2022
Reason: didn’t enter the pit lane and stayed on track during a red flag
Austrian GP – Two Points
Expiry: 4th July 2022
Reason: forcing Perez off the track.
Daniel Ricciardo (Total of one point)
Saudi Arabian GP – One Point
Expiry: 25th March 2023
Reason: impeding of Ocon (qualifying)
ALPINE
Fernando Alonso (Total of two points)
Turkish GP – Two Points
Expiry: 10th October 2022
Reason: collision with Schumacher
Esteban Ocon (Total of three points)
Italian GP – One Point
Expiry: 12th September 2022
Reason: didn’t leave one car width and caused a collision with Vettel
Bahrain GP – Two Points
Expiry: 20th March 2023
Reason: collision with Schumacher
MERCEDES
Lewis Hamilton (Total of two points )
British GP – Two Points
Expiry: 18th July 2022
Reason: causing a collision with Verstappen (race)
George Russell (Total of one point )
British GP – One Point
Expiry: 17th July 2022
Reason: causing a collision with Sainz (sprint qualifying)
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc ( No points)
Carlos Sainz ( No points)
Haas
Kevin Magnussen ( No points )
Mick Schumacher ( No points)
