Throughout a Components 1 race, stewards can hand out all method of punishments to drivers that breach the rules. Time penalties, fines and reprimands are sometimes dished out for incidents like inflicting a collision or rushing within the pitlane, however the stewards may problem drivers with penalty factors that accrue on their superlicence.
The penalty factors system was introduced in as a manner of monitoring the behaviour of F1 drivers over the course of a season. When drivers are penalised with penalty factors, they’re monitored by way of their superlicence and if a racer picks up 12 or extra within the house of a 12-month interval then they’re handed a one-race ban.
Former Haas racer Kevin Magnussen was the final F1 driver to obtain a race ban after he amassed 12 penalty factors forward of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He subsequently sat out the race and was changed by Oliver Bearman for the grand prix.
Are another drivers on the present grid liable to befalling an identical destiny?
Crimson Bull ace Max Verstappen is main for the variety of penalty factors proper now, having picked up eight because the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. He was subsequently handed additional penalties at races in Mexico, Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen’s oldest factors had been handed out for inflicting a collision after the Crimson Bull driver crashed with the Mclaren of Lando Norris in final 12 months’s Austrian Grand Prix. He picked up an additional two factors 4 months later when F1 raced in Mexico. On that event, the Dutch racer was discovered to have compelled Norris off observe whereas the McLaren racer tried an overtake across the exterior of Flip 4.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs
Per week later, Verstappen was penalised for driving too rapidly underneath digital security automotive situations, which earned him his fifth level. The alternative problem befell Verstappen in Qatar, nonetheless, as he was handed a penalty level for driving unnecessarily slowly throughout his cooldown lap in qualifying for the grand prix.
The ultimate factors to land on Verstappen’s licence got here within the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi. In the course of the grand prix, the Crimson Bull driver collided with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri whereas making an attempt an audacious overtake down the within of Flip 1. The 2 vehicles got here collectively, and the stewards positioned the blame on Verstappen as he “by no means acquired far sufficient alongside.”
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Austrian grand Prix
30 June 2025
Inflicting a collision
2
Mexican Grand Prix
27 October 2025
Forcing one other driver off the observe
1
Brazilian Grand Prix
2 November 2025
Digital security automotive infringement
1
Qatar Grand Prix
30 November 2025
Driving unnecessarily slowly
2
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
8 December 2025
Inflicting a collision
Regardless of solely having entered 15 grands prix, Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson has the second highest tally of penalty factors on the grid. The New Zealander picked up his first factors eventually 12 months’s Qatar Grand Prix, earlier than being handed an additional three on the 2025 Bahrain Grand prix.
All 5 of Lawson’s penalty factors had been handed out for inflicting collisions with different drivers. The Kiwi’s first two factors got here when the stewards deemed him at fault for a crash with Valtteri Bottas on Flip 1 of the race in Qatar.
Then, when F1 raced in Bahrain earlier this season, Lawson picked up an additional three factors. One was handed out after the Racing Bulls driver crashed with the rear of Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin. Simply quarter-hour later, Lawson tried to dive down the within of Flip 1 for a move on Nico Hulkenberg however crashed with the Sauber driver within the course of. Stewards wanting into the crash put the blame squarely on Lawson.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Inflicting a collision
1
Bahrain Grand Prix
13 April 2025
Inflicting a collision
2
Bahrain Grand prix
13 April 2025
Inflicting a collision
Oscar Piastri – 4 factors
The present Components 1 championship chief, Oscar Piastri, has simply 4 factors on his licence, having picked up his first two throughout final 12 months’s race in Brazil. The younger Australian was handed an additional two penalty factors on the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs
Piastri picked up two penalty factors and a 10-second time penalty throughout the race in Brazil after making an attempt an inside move on Liam Lawson that resulted within the Australian hitting the Kiwi at Flip 1, and stewards concluded that he was “wholly at fault for the collision.”
A month later, Piastri was as soon as once more within the stewards’ dangerous books after tangling with Williams driver Franco Colapinto. In the course of the closing race of the season, Piastri reportedly “misjudged the vehicles in entrance” and braked too late on the method to Flip 6 at Yas Marina. As such, he bumped into the again of Colapinto who, finally, retired from the race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Brazilian Grand Prix
3 November 2025
Inflicting a collision
2
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
8 December 2025
Inflicting a collision
Nico Hulkenberg – 4 factors
Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg additionally has 4 factors on his superlicence, following breaches in Austria and Italy throughout the 2024 season.
The German’s first factors had been dished out within the dash race after he was discovered to have compelled Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso off observe. The choice was reached after Hulkenberg tried a move on Alonso into Flip 3, however locked up and missed the apex of the nook. The then-Haas driver understeered and ran large, which stopped Alonso from making the nook and compelled him off the race observe.
When Components 1 returned to Monza just a few months later, Hulkenberg earned one other two factors and a 10-second time penalty following an identical lock up. The German locked his wheels into Flip 1 on the Italian observe and collided with Yuki Tsunoda, which ended the Japanese driver’s race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Austrian Grand Prix
29 June 2025
Forcing one other driver off the observe
2
Italian Grand Prix
1 September 2025
Inflicting a collision
Alpine rookie Jack Doohan has nearly as many penalty factors as he has race begins, presently sitting at 4 factors over his six grand prix begins. Doohan’s 4 factors had been picked up throughout two incidents over this 12 months’s Chinese language Grand Prix weekend.
Doohan’s first factors in F1 had been handed out within the dash race, the place he was discovered to be at fault for a crash with Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto. The pair got here collectively at Flip 14 when Doohan tried an overtake however locked up and understeered into the Sauber, which earned him a 10-second penalty and the factors on his licence.
The following day, Doohan was handed the identical penalty after he was discovered to have misplaced management and locked up whereas making an attempt to move Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar at Flip 14.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Chinese language Grand Prix
22 March 2026
Inflicting a collision
2
Chinese language Grand Prix
23 March 2026
Forcing one other driver off the observe
Lando Norris – three factors
McLaren driver Lando Norris picked all three of his penalty factors up throughout a single incident, making it the harshest penalty handed out to any driver on the present grid.
The factors had been issued to Norris on the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix the place he didn’t decelerate whereas double waved yellow flags had been displaying on observe. Stewards reviewed marshalling system knowledge, video, timing and telemetry to conclude that Norris hadn’t diminished his velocity when the flags had been introduced out because of particles on observe. In addition to the three factors, Norris was given a 10-second time penalty throughout the race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
3
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Failing to sluggish underneath double waved yellow flags
Esteban Ocon – three factors
Haas racer Esteban Ocon presently has three factors to his identify, however offered he doesn’t decide up any further infractions in Miami he’ll be down to only two.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, the rest of the sector initially
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Ocon was issued with a single level for an unsafe launch from the pits throughout final 12 months’s Miami Grand Prix. The French driver’s second infraction got here just some weeks later when he was discovered to have brought on a collision within the Monaco Grand Prix. The Haas racer, who was then at Alpine, crashed along with his team-mate Pierre Gasly within the principality. The 2 got here collectively within the opening lap, and whereas Gasly went on to attain factors in Monaco the incident ended Ocon’s race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
1
Miami Grand Prix
4 Could 2025
Unsafe launch
2
Monaco Grand Prix
26 Could 2025
Inflicting a collision
Carlos Sainz – three factors
Carlos Sainz is the third driver to have simply three factors on his licence, having picked up penalties at two grands prix over the previous 12 months. His first level to run out will likely be wiped from his licence subsequent day trip in Miami, because the Spaniard picked up a penalty for inflicting a collision throughout final 12 months’s race.
In his closing season for Ferrari, Sainz was penalised with some extent and a five-second time penalty for inflicting a collision with the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. Sainz was deemed at fault for the crash after stewards concluded he misplaced the rear of his SF-24 and related with Piastri’s automotive.
Earlier this season, Sainz was in bother with the stewards in Bahrain and was handed two factors and a 10-second penalty for forcing Andrea Kimi Antonelli off the observe. Stewards concluded that Sainz had locked up on the method to Flip 10 in Bahrain, which resulted in him understeering “in direction of Automobile 12, lacking the apex and forcing Automobile 12 off the observe.”
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
1
Miami Grand Prix
4 Could 2025
Inflicting a collision
2
Bahrain Grand Prix
13 March 2026
Forcing one other driver off the observe
Oliver Bearman – two factors
After sickness struck down Haas racer Kevin Magnussen, Oliver Bearman acquired one other early outing for Haas final 12 months, and duly picked up his first to superlicence penalty factors within the course of.
In the course of the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix, Bearman got here along with Williams driver Franco Colapinto. The Haas driver hit the rear of Colapinto’s automotive and was discovered to be “wholly” at fault by the stewards. As such, he was issued two penalty factors and a 10-second penalty within the race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Brazilian Grand Prix
3 November 2025
Inflicting a collision
Alexander Albon – two factors
Williams racer Alex Albon earned his two penalty factors throughout final 12 months’s Qatar Grand Prix. The Thai driver was discovered by the stewards to have brought on a collision with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen. The Flip 1 crash occurred after Albon oversteered across the nook and tried to appropriate his mistake. The repair didn’t stick, and Albon collided with Magnussen in an incident that he mentioned was “my fault” following the grand prix.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Inflicting a collision
Fernando Alonso – two factors
Veteran racer Fernando Alonso has had a really quiet few months, amassing simply two factors throughout final 12 months’s Austrian Grand prix and choosing up no further factors within the ensuing 18 grands prix.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Group, speaks to the media
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Means again in June final 12 months, Alonso was racing towards Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu across the Crimson Bull Ring. The Spaniard tried a “very late overtake” down the within of Flip 3 and “by no means acquired able to have the proper to the road,” stewards concluded.
The pair collided on the nook, and Alonso was discovered to be at fault for the incident, which earned him two penalty factors and a 10-second time penalty.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Austrian Grand Prix
30 June 2025
Inflicting a collision
Lance Stroll – two factors
Alonso’s team-mate at Aston Martin, Lance Stroll, additionally has two penalty factors on his superlicence. The Canadian driver was handed the factors throughout the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, the place he was discovered to be at fault for a crash involving Alex Albon. Stroll mounted the kerb at Flip 4, which unsettled his automotive and resulted in him hitting the aspect of Albon’s Williams.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
2
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Inflicting a collision
George Russell – one level
Apart from the seven drivers who don’t have a penalty level simply but, Mercedes driver George Russell has the fewest factors on his superlicence proper now.
Russell was penalised within the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix for failing to take care of the proper distance behind the security automotive. Within the race, Russell fell greater than 125 metres again from the security automotive, which the stewards deemed was greater than the 20-car-length minimal that racers ought to observe. Consequently, he was given a five-second penalty and one level was added to his superlicence.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Cause
1
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Failing to take care of distance behind the security automotive
F1 driver penalty factors
Factors
Driver
Group
Subsequent Expiry Date
8
Max Verstappen
Crimson Bull
30 June 2025
5
Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls
1 December 2025
4
Oscar Piastri
Mclaren
3 November 2025
4
Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber
29 June 2025
4
Jack Doohan
Alpine
22 March 2026
3
Lando Norris
McLaren
1 December 2025
3
Esteban Ocon
Haas
4 Could 2025
3
Carlos Sainz
Williams
5 Could 2025
2
Oliver Bearman
Haas
3 November 2025
2
Alexander Albon
Williams
1 December 2025
2
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
30 June 2025
2
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1 December 2025
1
George Russell
Mercedes
1 December 2025
0
Yuki Tsunoda
Crimson Bull
–
0
Isack Hadjar
Racing Bulls
–
0
Garbiel Bortoleto
Sauber
–
0
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
–
0
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
–
0
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
–
0
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
–
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