The 2025 Formula 1 season is just a few weeks away. At the end of February all ten teams will be back in action at Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix slated for March 16.
Over the next few weeks SB Nation will be getting you ready for what could be a fascinating 2025 F1 season, the final campaign before the sport goes through a litany of changes for 2026. Next year will see Audi join the grid as a works operation — taking over for Sauber — Cadillac join the sport as the 11th team, and a whole new set of technical regulations enacted.
Today’s topic? Where each driver stands with respect to penalty points on their FIA Super License.
What are FIA penalty points?
Similar to your road driver’s license, F1 drivers operate under an FIA Super License, which they can obtain based on results in the lower categories.
In an effort to promote safety on the track, and keep the drivers in line, penalty points on said Super License are among the potential penalties race stewards can hand out for infractions. Penalty points are reserved for the more severe incidents, such as causing an accident or violating rules regarding yellow and/or red flags.
If a driver reaches 12 penalty points on their FIA Super License over a single calendar year period, they are hit with a one-race penalty ban. Last season Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after accumulating enough penalty points to trigger the one-race ban at the previous race, the Italian Grand Prix.
Penalty points remain on a driver’s Super License for one calendar year, after which they expire.
What F1 drivers have penalty points going into 2025?
Heading into the 2025 F1 season, there are 12 drivers with at least one penalty point on their FIA Super License.
One of those drivers is the reigning Drivers’ Champion, and the driver most at risk of a one-race ban.
Max Verstappen
Eight penalty points
Max Verstappen may have won his fourth straight Drivers’ Championship last year, but he enters 2025 as the driver most at risk for a one-race penalty. Verstappen has eight penalty points on his Super License, and with the first two points not expiring until the end of June, Verstappen will need to navigate the first 11 race weekends without picking up four additional penalty points.
- Two points: Verstappen’s two oldest penalty points expire on June 30, 2025. These were handed down when race officials determined that Verstappen caused a collision with Lando Norris at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
- Two points: Verstappen picked up two more points at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he forced Lando Norris off the track. Those expire on October 27, 2025.
- One point: Verstappen was given a one-point penalty at the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, when he was below the minimum delta during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) during the F1 Sprint Race. That point expires on November 1, 2025.
- One point: Verstappen was assessed a one-point penalty at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix when race officials determined he was driving unnecessarily slowly on the cooldown lap. That penalty point expires on December 1, 2025.
- Two points: Verstappen collided with Oscar Piastri on the opening lap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and was hit with a two-point penalty. That expires on December 8, 2025.
Fernando Alonso
Eight penalty points
Max Verstappen is not the only driver sitting on eight points to start the 2025 F1 season, as veteran Fernando Alonso also enters the year with eight penalty points on his Super License.
However, Alonso is much closer to seeing the oldest of those points expire.
- Three points: Alonso was hit with a three-point penalty for “potentially dangerous driving” during the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. Race officials determined that in the closing stages, as Mercedes driver George Russell was trying to chase down Alonso on the track, Alonso entered Turn 6 “erratically,” and the resulting dirty air behind him caused Russell to lose control and crash. Those three points expire on March 24, 2025.
- Three points: Alonso was given a three-point penalty for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz Jr. during the F1 Sprint Race at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. Those three points expire on April 20, 2025.
- Two points: Alonso was ruled to have caused a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, and given a two-point penalty. Those points expire on June 30, 2025.
Lance Stroll
Four penalty points
- Two points: Lance Stroll was given a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. Those expire on April 21, 2025.
- Two points: Stroll was also hit with a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Alexander Albon at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. Those two points expire on December 1, 2025.
Nico Hülkenberg
Four penalty points
Veteran driver Nico Hülkenberg has a new home for 2025, as he made the move to Sauber ahead of that team becoming the Audi works operation in 2026.
He brings four penalty points, along with years of experience, along with him.
- Two points: Hülkenberg was given a two-point penalty at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix for causing a collision with Fernando Alonso. Those points expire on June 30, 2025.
- Two points: Hülkenberg was assessed a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. Those expire on December 1, 2025.
Oscar Piastri
Four penalty points
Oscar Piastri enters the 2025 season with four penalty points on his FIA Super License
- Two points: Piastri was hit with two penalty points when race officials ruled he caused a collision with Liam Lawson during the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. Those points expire on November 2, 2025.
- Two points: Piastri was also judged to have caused a collision with Franco Colapinto during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and given a two-point penalty. Those points expire on December 8, 2025.
Esteban Ocon
Three penalty points
Similar to Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon has a new home for 2025 as he moves from Alpine to Haas.
He will bring three penalty points with him to his new team.
- One point: During the F1 Sprint Race at the Miami Grand Prix, Ocon was given a one-point penalty for an unsafe release on pit lane. That point expires on May 4, 2025.
- Two points: Race officials determined that Ocon caused a collision with then-teammate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. Those two points will expire on May 26, 2025, and that incident may have doomed his tenure at Alpine.
Lando Norris
Three penalty points
Lando Norris enters the 2025 season aiming for his first Drivers’ Championship. But he also has three penalty points on his Super License for an incident at the Qatar Grand Prix.
- Three points: Race officials ruled that Norris failed to slow down for a double yellow flag during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. In addition to a ten-second penalty — which dropped him out of P2 to the back of the field, although he recovered to finish tenth — he was given a three-point penalty. Those three points expire on December 1, 2025.
Oliver Bearman
Two penalty points
Super-sub Oliver Bearman earned a full-time seat at Haas for the upcoming year thanks in part to some tremendous relief performances last season. But he will enter the year with a pair of penalty points on his FIA Super License.
- Two points: Bearman was given a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Franco Colapinto during the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. Those points expire on November 2, 2025.
Alexander Albon
Two penalty points
- Two points: Alexander Albon was given a two-point penalty at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he caused a collision with Kevin Magnussen. Those points expire on December 1, 2025.
Liam Lawson
Two penalty points
Liam Lawson earned a promotion to Red Bull for the 2025 campaign, taking over for Sergio Pérez. However, he begins the year with a pair of penalty points on his FIA Super License.
- Two points: Lawson was given a two-point penalty for causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. Those points expire on December 1, 2025.
Carlos Sainz Jr.
One penalty point
Carlos Sainz Jr. heads to Williams for the 2025 season, with one point on his FIA Super License.
- One point: Sainz was hit with a one-point penalty at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he caused a collision with Oscar Piastri. That point expires on May 5, 2025.
George Russell
One penalty point
- One point: Race officials handed George Russell one penalty point for failing to maintain a proper distance behind the Safety Car during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
What F1 drivers have a clean slate heading into 2025?
Seven of the drivers on the grid to start the 2025 season have a clean slate. Those include a handful of the incoming rookies, as well as some veterans.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli
- Gabriel Bortoleto
- Jack Doohan
- Pierre Gasly
- Lewis Hamilton
- Charles Leclerc
- Yuki Tsunoda
Do any inactive drivers have penalty points outstanding ahead of 2025?
There are also five drivers who may not be on the grid when 2025 begins, but have some points remaining on their FIA Super License that are yet to expire.
Valtteri Bottas
Five penalty points
Valtteri Bottas returns to Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season. However, he has five points currently on his FIA Super License.
- Three points: Bottas had a rather eventful Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He was given a three-point penalty for causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen. These three points expire on December 8, 2025.
- Two points: Bottas was given two more penalty points in Abu Dhabi, these for causing a collision with Sergio Pérez. These also expire on December 8, 2025.
Daniel Ricciardo
Three penalty points
- Two points: Daniel Ricciardo was given a two-point penalty for overtaking Nico Hülkenberg under Safety Car conditions at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. These points expire on April 21, 2025.
- One point: In another incident involving Hülkenberg, Ricciardo was adjudged to have forced him off the track at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix. That point expires on September 1, 2025.
Logan Sargeant
Two penalty points
Logan Sargeant lost his seat at Williams midway through 2024, and while a return to F1 may not be in the cards, he does have two points on his FIA Super LIcense.
- Two points: Sargent was given a two-point penalty at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix for overtaking under a Safety Car. Those two points expire on April 21, 2025.
Franco Colapinto
Two penalty points
Franco Colapinto replaced Logan Sargeant midway through the 2024 campaign, and heads to Alpine as a reserve for 2025.
He also brings a pair of penalty points with him to his new team.
- Two points: Colapinto was given a two-point penalty at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix for causing a collision with Liam Lawson. Those points expire on October 27, 2025.
Sergio Pérez
One penalty point
Sergio Pérez lost his seat at Red Bull this winter, and while he may return to the grid in the future, he does have a point on his FIA Super License heading into 2025.
- One point: Pérez was given a one-point penalty at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for an unsafe release. That penalty point expires on March 8, 2025.
