Kevin Magnussen served a one-race ban at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after reaching the maximum amount penalty points on his superlicence. The Haas driver pulled off a number of controversial moves on other drivers this season, including gaining five points at the Miami GP for an incident in the Sprint race where he was deemed to have left the track and gained a lasting advantage and a crash with Logan Sargeant. The Danish driver had started the season with a clean slate but has accumulated a large number of points since the Saudi Arabian GP.
Magnussen is be the first driver to receive a suspension for exceeding the superlicence penalty point limit. While Romain Grosjean was given a race ban following the 2012 Belgian GP when he caused a multi-car crash at the start of the race, the suspension came before the superlicence penalty point system was created in 2014.
Magnussen’s tally has now been reset ahead of his return at the Singapore GP, meaning Aston Martin has taken the lead for the most penalty points as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have a combined total of 13.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez entered the season with the most penalty points on his superlicence after being found to have caused several incidents in 2023. The Mexican has since received a further point at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and is now just five points away from being awarded a full race ban.
What are driver penalty points?
The F1 penalty point system is in place to try and control driver behaviour and minimise racing incidents.
Similar to a regular driving licence, if a driver is given 12 penalty points on their superlicence over a 12-month period, they will be punished with a one-race ban. If a driver receives a ban, then the points will be removed from a driver's superlicence when they return.
The superlicence is a mandatory requirement for any F1 driver to compete and is awarded by the FIA. The superlicence was first introduced in the early 1990s, with penalty points brought in in 2014.
Any points given to drivers expire 12 months after they were awarded.
Here are all the penalty points that were handed out to drivers in 2023 and when they will expire:
F1 superlicence penalty points
Here’s the drivers who have received penalty points during the 2024 Formula 1 season:
Fernando Alonso – Eight points
Fernando Alonso was the third driver to have been given superlicence penalty points in the 2024 season. The Aston Martin driver had managed a clean 2023 but has accrued eight points from the 2024 Australian, Chinese and Austrian grands prix.
Alonso first three points came at this year’s Australian Grand Prix for a dangerous maneuver which resulted in George Russell crashing out of the race.
The Mercedes driver was in seventh place behind the Spaniard with just two laps to go before he crashed at Turns 6 & 7, ending up on his side in the middle of the track. Following the race the FIA stewards decided that he had altered his driving style in an “extraordinary way”, adding: “he drove in a manner that was at very least ‘potentially dangerous’ given the very high-speed nature of that point of the track.”
He then received further points during the first Sprint race of the year in Shanghai after a tight battle with Carlos Sainz for third place. The pair collided at Turn 9, which resulted in Alonso suffering from a puncture and his car being retired from the race.
The Spaniard was awarded three points after stewards deemed him responsible and that he had the opportunity to avoid the collision. He was also awarded a 10 second time penalty, which was added to his elapsed Sprint time.
Alonso’s latest points came at the Austrian GP following a crash with Zhou Guanyu. The Sauber driver had just left the pits when he was overtaken by Yuki Tsunoda at turn three. Joining the pair was Alonso, who locked a front wheel as he turned into the corner, causing him to drive into the side of Zhou. Alongside two points on his superlicence, Alonso was also awarded a 10-second time penalty, which saw him finish 18th.
| Points | Where | Expiry date | Reason |
| Three | Australian Grand Prix | 25 March 2025 | Potentially dangerous driving against George Russell |
| Three | Chinese Grand Prix | 20 March 2025 | Causing a collision with Carlos Sainz |
| Two | Austrian Grand Prix | 30 June 2025 | Causing a collision with Zhou Guanyu |
Sergio Perez - Seven points
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez started the season with the most penalty points on the 2024 F1 grid and has added a singular point to his record this year. Perez was awarded one penalty point at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for an unsafe release in the pitlane, which caused a close call with Fernando Alonso.
The Mexican driver admitted that it was “actually my mistake” but agreed the penalty was the correct decision. This means that Perez is just four points away from the 12-point punishment, which is a full race ban.
Sergio Perez was given seven points during the 2023 season, with four of those coming at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix for two separate incidents. The first two penalty points were awarded after he passed Fernando Alonso under safety car conditions following a Lap 1 collision between himself, Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton. Perez managed to limp his car back to the pits but in the process overtook the Aston Martin.
The Red Bull driver was handed a five-second penalty for the incident, which he served 10 laps later during a pitstop. He rejoined the race behind Haas’ Kevin Magnussen but attempted an unsuccessful overtake on the hairpin. Red Bull retired Perez’s car to repair the damage, however, later in the race the car was then sent back out to serve another five-second penalty before being retired for good on lap 43. The crash with Kevin Magnussen also resulted in two more superlicence penalty points for Sergio Perez.
Perez’s final two penalty points were given to him at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after causing a collision with Lando Norris. During an intense battle for fourth place, the Red Bull attempted to drive up the inside of the McLaren during the Turn 6-7 chicane. However, a correction by the Mexican resulted in him crashing into the front-left wheel of the British driver, forcing Norris to go wide. Perez finished the race in second place but after being hit with a five-second penalty, dropped to fourth.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
Two |
Japanese Grand Prix |
24 September 2024 |
Overtaking Fernando Alonso under safety car conditions |
|
Two |
Japanese Grand Prix |
24 September 2024 |
Causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen |
|
Two |
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
26 November 2024 |
Causing a collision with Lando Norris |
|
One |
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix |
9 March 2025 |
Unsafe release in the pitlane |
Lance Stroll - Five points
Lance Stroll was awarded two penalty points at the Chinese Grand Prix to add to his previous five points from 2023. The Canadian said he felt the punishment was a “joke” after driving into the back of Daniel Ricciardo whilst following the safety car.
The FIA decided that Stroll should have anticipated the pace of the cars ahead as they went into penultimate corner and that he should have “prepared to break accordingly”. The damage ultimately ended the race for Ricciardo and resulted in damage Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, as he was ahead of the RB.
Stroll was given five penalty points during the 2023 season, with three points still lingering on his record. He was awarded three penalty points at the Las Vegas Grand Prix for overtaking under yellow flag conditions during FP3. Stroll overtook Carlos Sainz as double yellow flags were being waved, after Albon collided with the barriers. The Aston Martin driver then claimed he had his “head down” and looking at his dash, but it was decided by the stewards that he could have done more to avoid the incident.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
Three |
Las Vegas Grand Prix |
17 November 2024 |
Overtaking under yellow flag conditions |
|
Two |
Chinese Grand Prix |
21 April 2025 |
Causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo |
Max Verstappen - Four points
Max Verstappen was awarded two penalty points on his superlicence for forcing Charles Leclerc off the track at the start of the Las Vegas GP.
The incident occurred during Turn 1 when the Red Bull pulled alongside the Ferrari as they entered the hairpin. Verstappen ran Leclerc off the edge of the track, with the pair arguing that their front axles were ahead at the apex. Stewards decided that the Red Bull was at fault before awarding the Dutch driver a five-second penalty and two points on his superlicence.
Verstappen claimed his first points of 2024 at the Austrian GP after an intense battle with McLaren’s Lando Norris. The pair had been fighting over first place for multiple laps before coming together on Lap 64.
Norris had made multiple calls that the Dutchman had been moving under braking whilst defending the lead, before one final move saw the pair come together. Both the McLaren and the Red Bull suffered from tyre punctures, with the British driver being forced to retire his MCL38.
On top of two penalty points on his licence, Verstappen was also awarded a 10-second time penalty, but with such a gap to Nico Hulkenberg in sixth, the Red Bull driver was still able to claim fifth place.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
Two |
Las Vegas Grand Prix |
19 November 2024 |
Forcing Charles Leclerc off track |
|
Two |
Austrian Grand Prix |
30 June 2025 |
Causing a collision with Lando Norris |
Nico Hulkenberg – Four points
Nico Hulkenberg has accumulated four penalty points in the 2024 season. The first two points came during the Sprint race at the Austrian GP when he was found responsible for forcing Alonso off the track. The German had attempted to make a move on the Aston Martin into Turn 3 before he locked his tyres and missed the apex of the corner.
His second penalty points were given following another two points at the Italian GP after locking up and crashing into the side of Yuki Tsunoda, which forced the RB car to be retired from the race with side damage. Hulkenberg served a 10-second penalty during the race but was later given penalty points for the crash.
| Points | Where | Expiry date | Reason |
| Two | Austrian Grand Prix | 30 June 2025 | Forcing Fernando Alonso off the track |
| Two | Italian Grand Prix | 1 September 2025 | Causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda |
Esteban Ocon – Three points
Esteban Ocon was awarded one superlicence point and a 10-second penalty following a pitlane incident ahead of the Miami GP Sprint race. The French driver was deemed to have been unsafely released from his garage which resulted in a collision with Charles Leclerc and saw the Alpine need a new front wing.
Ocon called the incident a “stupid mistake” before saying there had been a “clear misunderstanding between myself and the mechanic”. The FIA ruled that video footage had shown the mechanic had told the Alpine to stop but he still exited the garage and into the path of the Ferrari.
He has been given a further two penalty points at the Monaco GP after crashing into his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly during the first lap. The Frenchman dived down the inside of Gasly heading into Portier, where their tyres came together, resulting in Ocon being sent into the air.
Ocon came out from the incident with gearbox and suspension damage and was forced to retire from the race.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
One |
Miami Grand Prix |
4 May 2025 |
Unsafe release in the pitlane |
|
Two |
Monaco Grand Prix |
26 May 2025 |
Causing a collision with Pierre Gasly |
Daniel Ricciardo – Three points
Daniel Ricciardo was awarded two penalty points on his superlicence after overtaking Nico Hulkenberg under Safety Car conditions at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Australian argued that the Haas driver had overtaken him before the restart and Ricciardo believed he was allowed to reclaim the position.
Despite the argument from the RB driver, the FIA believed Hulkenberg’s move was permitted under Article 55.8, which states that a driver is allowed to perform an overtake "if any car slows with an obvious problem'.
It was decided that Ricciardo was still suffering from the shunt by Lance Stroll and that reclaiming the position under the safety car conditions the following lap was not allowed. Ricciardo was given a 10-second time penalty which was imposed at the Miami GP after he was forced to retire in Shanghai.
His latest penalty point was awarded at the Italian GP for again forcing Hulkenberg off at Turn 8 during lap one. Ricciardo was deemed to have taken a “more aggressive” approach which caused the pair to make contact. He was awarded a five-second penalty on top of the points punishment, which later became 10s after an engineer touched the RB’s front wing in the pit box before the five seconds had concluded.
| Points | Where | Expiry date | Reason |
| Two | Chinese Grand Prix | 21 April 2025 | Overtaking Nico Hulkenberg under Safety Car conditions |
| One | Italian Grand Prix | 1 September 2025 | Forcing Nico Hulkenberg off the track |
Valtteri Bottas - Two points
Valtteri Bottas was given two penalty points on his superlicence for causing a collision with Lance Stroll at the Mexican Grand Prix. The pair went wheel to wheel on lap 67 as Stroll looked to overtake Bottas for 13th place. The Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo then made contact at the penultimate corner, which sent Stroll spinning. The Canadian was then forced to retire his car from the race.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
Two |
Mexican Grand Prix |
29 October 2024 |
Causing a collision with Lance Stroll |
George Russell - Two points
George Russell has just two points remaining on his superlicence, from an incident that occured in 2023. The Brit received the penalty after causing a collision with Max Verstappen at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The two cars made contact on lap 25 after Verstappen went for an inside overtake on Turn 12.
There was minor damage to both cars, which resulted in a safety car due to the debris on the track. Stewards decided that Verstappen had “a significant portion of the car alongside” during the corner and that Russell was at fault for the collision. Despite the damage, both cars were able to finish the race with Max Verstappen claiming another victory.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
Two |
Las Vegas Grand Prix |
19 November 2024 |
Causing a collision with Max Verstappen |
Carlos Sainz – One point
Carlos Sainz had a clean sheet on his superlicence for just two races before gaining a singular point at the Miami Grand Prix. Sainz was found responsible for a collision with Oscar Piastri, which resulted in the McLaren picking up front wing damage.
Piastri was then forced to pit for a new front wing, seeing the Australian drop from 4th to 13th and out of the points.
Both drivers were called to a hearing following the race where it was deemed that Sainz was to blame. The FIA also decided that the Spaniard slightly lost the rear of his car and the collision would “likely not have happened” otherwise, which meant that the Ferrari was not given the standard 10-second penalty and two penalty points.
|
Points |
Where |
Expiry date |
Reason |
|
One |
Miami Grand Prix |
5 May 2025 |
Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri |
Driver's penalty points in 2024
Here are how many penalty points each driver has in 2024:
|
Driver |
Penalty points |
Next expiry date |
|
Fernando Alonso |
8 |
25 March 2025 |
|
Sergio Perez |
7 |
24 September 2024 |
|
Lance Stroll |
5 |
17 November 2024 |
|
Max Verstappen |
4 |
19 November 2024 |
|
Nico Hulkenberg |
4 |
30 June 2025 |
|
Esteban Ocon |
3 |
4 May 2025 |
|
Daniel Ricciardo |
3 |
21 April 2025 |
|
Valtteri Bottas |
2 |
29 October 2024 |
|
George Russell |
2 |
19 November 2024 |
|
Carlos Sainz |
1 |
5 May 2025 |
|
Lewis Hamilton |
0 |
0 |
|
Charles Leclerc |
0 |
0 |
|
Lando Norris |
0 |
0 |
|
Oscar Piastri |
0 |
0 |
|
Pierre Gasly |
0 |
0 |
|
Alex Albon |
0 |
0 |
|
Kevin Magnussen |
0 |
0 |
|
Zhou Guanyu |
0 |
0 |
|
Yuki Tsunoda |
0 |
0 |
|
Franco Colapinto |
0 |
0 |
Logan Sargeant – Six points
Logan Sargeant managed to obtain six points on his superlicence in his rookie year, and received his first two penalty points for causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas at the Italian Grand Prix. The Alfa Romeo driver had successfully overtaken the Williams on Turn 1 of lap 43, but Sargeant then attempted to come back at Bottas into the second chicane. The American pulled inside of the Finnish driver, where he then locked up and went into the Alfa Romeo sidepod.
Sargeant then received two more penalty points for colliding, again, with Valtteri Bottas at the Japanese Grand Prix. The pair clashed on lap five at Suzuka’s hairpin when Sargeant hit the Alfa Romeo’s right-rear tyre as he tried to overtake him on the outside of the corner. Both cars attempted to carry on but, with terminal damage, the Alfa Romeo and Williams were both retired from the race.
Sargeant’s final two penalty points came during qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix after he was deemed by stewards to have overtaken Yuki Tsunoda during yellow flags conditions. The Williams driver had said he had seen a green panel before overtaking the slow-moving AlphaTauri, but stewards noted: “Overtaking can only occur after passing the green panel or flag. It was also noted that he did not make a sufficient reduction in speed.”
The American has received two penalty points on his superlicence so far in the 2024 season after being deemed to have overtaken Nico Hulkenberg whilst under safety car conditions at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Haas had emerged from the pitlane and was side-by-side with Sargeant heading into Turn 1, but the American came around the outside of Hulkenberg, taking the position from the German.
After a review by the stewards, it was deemed the Haas was slightly ahead at the safety car line in the pit exit and the Williams driver was served a penalty. The Williams driver called the decision a “bit of a joke” before telling Autosport: “We were under safety car for ages, I don't know why they didn't just tell me to give the position back. Obviously, I would've done so, had they said, but to my knowledge, I thought I was way ahead.”
| Points | Where | Expiry date | Reason |
| Two | Japanese Grand Prix | 24 September 2024 | Causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas |
| Two | Mexican Grand Prix | 28 October 2024 | Failure to comply with a yellow flag during qualifying |
| Two | Chinese Grand Prix | 21 April 2025 | Overtaking under safety car conditions |
