F1 driver Pierre Gasly is perilously close to receiving a ban no driver in the sport has previously been handed. As is the case with normal drivers, those in F1 are issued penalty points for any issues or mistakes.
The rules state that if a driver accumulates more than 12 points over the course of a 12-month period, they will be punished with a one race ban. The AlphaTauri driver currently has nine points on his licence and is potentially just one incident away from hitting the dreaded 12-point mark.
The AlphaTauri driver was given two penalty points and a five-second time penalty for falling more than 10 car lengths behind the cars in front during the Safety Car period at the US Grand Prix this past weekend. The 25-year-old was given his first two penalty points of the season back in Spain following a crash with Lance Stroll.
Back in July, Gasly’s number of penalty points increased to five for the season after a crash with Sebastian Vettel and exceeding track limits. Earlier this month, the driver fell foul of the penalty system once again for speeding under the safety car at the Japanese GP. Four other drivers were handed penalties following a chaotic US GP in Austin, Texas this past Sunday.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll got two penalty points for his part in the crash with Fernando Alonso, while George Russell of Mercedes got two for his mistake in the incident with Carlos Sainz on lap one. Mick Schumacher exceeded the track limits several times and was credited with one penalty point as a result, while Nicolas Latifi was also slapped with a penalty after causing a collision.
Alex Albon also picked up one penalty point 'leaving the track and gaining an advantage'. Gasly went on to finish 13th in the States and sits 14th in the drivers standings.
A fortnight ago it was announced Gasly will join Esteban Ocon in an all-French line-up at Alpine from 2023 while Dutchman Nyck de Vries replaces him at Alpha Tauri.
Gasly leaves Red Bull for the first time in his career after it agreed to release him from his contract. De Vries makes his full-time F1 debut after years on its fringes. Gasly said he was "delighted to begin this new chapter in my F1 career".
"Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special," he said. "I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive." Gasly and Ocon become the first entirely French driver line-up in F1 since 1994.
