Throughout a System 1 race, stewards can hand out all method of punishments to drivers that breach the laws. Time penalties, fines and reprimands are sometimes dished out for incidents like inflicting a collision or rushing within the pitlane, however the stewards also can concern drivers with penalty factors that accrue on their superlicence.
The penalty factors system was introduced in as a means of monitoring the behaviour of F1 drivers over the course of a season. When drivers are penalised with penalty factors, they’re monitored via 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.
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Former Haas racer 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 for the grand prix.
Are some other drivers on the present grid susceptible to befalling the same destiny?
Pink Bull ace Max Verstappen is main for the variety of penalty factors proper now, having picked up eight for the reason that 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. He was subsequently handed additional penalties at races in Mexico, Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen’s oldest factors have been handed out for inflicting a collision after the Pink Bull driver crashed with the of in final yr’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 pressured Norris off monitor whereas the McLaren racer tried an overtake across the outdoors of Flip 4.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs
Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs
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Per week later, Verstappen was penalised for driving too shortly underneath digital security automobile circumstances, which earned him his fifth level. The alternative concern 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. Through the grand prix, the Pink Bull driver collided with McLaren’s whereas trying an audacious overtake down the within of Flip 1. The 2 automobiles got here collectively, and the stewards positioned the blame on Verstappen as he “by no means received far sufficient alongside.”
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
2
Austrian grand Prix
30 June 2025
Inflicting a collision
2
Mexican Grand Prix
27 October 2025
Forcing one other driver off the monitor
1
Brazilian Grand Prix
2 November 2025
Digital security automobile 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, driver Liam Lawson has the second highest tally of penalty factors on the grid. The New Zealander picked up his first factors ultimately yr’s Qatar Grand Prix, earlier than being handed an additional three on the 2025 Bahrain Grand prix.
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All 5 of Lawson’s penalty factors have 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 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 ’s Aston Martin. Simply quarter-hour later, Lawson tried to dive down the within of Flip 1 for a go on however crashed with the driver within the course of. Stewards wanting into the crash put the blame squarely on Lawson.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
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 System 1 championship chief, Oscar Piastri, has simply 4 factors on his licence, having picked up his first two throughout final yr’s race in Brazil. The younger Australian was handed an additional two penalty factors on the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLarenSam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs
Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs
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Piastri picked up two penalty factors and a 10-second time penalty in the course of the race in Brazil after trying an inside go 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 driver . Through the closing race of the season, Piastri reportedly “misjudged the automobiles in entrance” and braked too late on the strategy 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
Purpose
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 in the course of the 2024 season.
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The German’s first factors have been dished out within the dash race after he was discovered to have pressured Aston Martin driver off monitor. The choice was reached after Hulkenberg tried a go 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 monitor.
When System 1 returned to Monza a number of months later, Hulkenberg earned one other two factors and a 10-second time penalty following the same lock up. The German locked his wheels into Flip 1 on the Italian monitor and collided with , which ended the Japanese driver’s race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
2
Austrian Grand Prix
29 June 2025
Forcing one other driver off the monitor
2
Italian Grand Prix
1 September 2025
Inflicting a collision
rookie Jack Doohan has nearly as many penalty factors as he has race begins, at present sitting at 4 factors over his six grand prix begins. Doohan’s 4 factors have been picked up throughout two incidents over this yr’s Chinese language Grand Prix weekend.
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Doohan’s first factors in F1 have been handed out within the dash race, the place he was discovered to be at fault for a crash with Sauber driver . 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 trying to go Racing Bulls driver at Flip 14.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
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 monitor
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.
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The factors have been issued to Norris on the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix the place he did not decelerate whereas double waved yellow flags have been displaying on monitor. Stewards reviewed marshalling system knowledge, video, timing and telemetry to conclude that Norris hadn’t decreased his pace when the flags have been introduced out because of particles on monitor. In addition to the three factors, Norris was given a 10-second time penalty in the course of the race.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
3
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Failing to gradual underneath double waved yellow flags
Esteban Ocon – three factors
Haas racer Esteban Ocon at present has three factors to his title, however offered he doesn’t choose up any extra infractions in Miami he’ll be down to simply two.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, the rest of the sector at the beginning
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, the rest of the sector on the startZak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
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Ocon was issued with a single level for an unsafe launch from the pits throughout final yr’s Miami Grand Prix. The French driver’s second infraction got here just some weeks later when he was discovered to have induced 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
Purpose
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 yr. His first level to run out might be wiped from his licence subsequent trip in Miami, because the Spaniard picked up a penalty for inflicting a collision throughout final yr’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 automobile.
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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 monitor. Stewards concluded that Sainz had locked up on the strategy to Flip 10 in Bahrain, which resulted in him understeering “in direction of Automotive 12, lacking the apex and forcing Automotive 12 off the monitor.”
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
1
Miami Grand Prix
4 Could 2025
Inflicting a collision
2
Bahrain Grand Prix
13 March 2026
Forcing one other driver off the monitor
Oliver Bearman – two factors
After sickness struck down Haas racer Kevin Magnussen, Oliver Bearman received one other early outing for Haas final yr, and duly picked up his first to superlicence penalty factors within the course of.
Through the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix, Bearman got here along with Williams driver Franco Colapinto. The Haas driver hit the rear of Colapinto’s automobile 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
Purpose
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 yr’s Qatar Grand Prix. The Thai driver was discovered by the stewards to have induced 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
Purpose
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 yr’s Austrian Grand prix and selecting up no extra factors within the ensuing 18 grands prix.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Staff, speaks to the media
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Staff, speaks to the mediaZak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
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Method again in June final yr, Alonso was racing towards Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu across the Pink Bull Ring. The Spaniard tried a “very late overtake” down the within of Flip 3 and “by no means received able to have the best 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
Purpose
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 in the course of 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 automobile and resulted in him hitting the aspect of Albon’s Williams.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
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.
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Russell was penalised within the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix for failing to keep up the proper distance behind the protection automobile. Within the race, Russell fell greater than 125 metres again from the protection automobile, which the stewards deemed was greater than the 20-car-length minimal that racers ought to observe. Because of this, he was given a five-second penalty and one level was added to his superlicence.
Factors
The place
Expiry Date
Purpose
1
Qatar Grand Prix
1 December 2025
Failing to keep up distance behind the protection automobile
F1 driver penalty factors
Factors
Driver
Staff
Subsequent Expiry Date
8
Max Verstappen
Pink 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
Pink 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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