F1 penalty points: 5 biggest delinquents after the 2025 Spanish GP

The F1 penalty points are now going to be the talk of the town for the next few races, as Max Verstappen will be the driver everyone will be keeping an eye on. In a perfect demonstration of why the system was formulated, we have a driver whose driving has seen a few questionable moves over the last 12 months and is now very close to what would be a race ban.

As part of the F1 penalty points system, drivers are penalized for on-track transgressions. If they end up exceeding the 12-point threshold, they face a race ban. Kevin Magnussen was the first driver to get banned for a race, and the reigning F1 champion is getting very close to it right now.

The Dutch driver might be the only one close to a ban, but there are other drivers who have also racked up penalty points over the last 12 months. Who are they? Let's take a look.

F1 Penalty Points: Who is close to a ban?

#5. Oscar Piastri

Penalty Points: 4

McLaren's Oscar Piastri picked up two F1 penalty points at the Abu Dhabi GP in 2024 for contact with Franco Colapinto, taking his total to four.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expires on December 8, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Liam Lawson at the 2024 Brazilian GP (expires on November 2, 2025)

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#4. Jack Doohan

Penalty Points: 4

Jack Doohan was on the naughty step a number of times during the Chinese GP. The driver accrued four F1 penalty points during the second race weekend of the season.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Gabriel Bortoleto at the Chinese GP Sprint (expires on March 22, 2026)
• Two points: Pushing a driver off the track at the Chinese GP (expires on March 23, 2026)

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#3. Nico Hulkenberg

Penalty Points: 4

Hulkenberg has four F1 penalty points to his name.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix (expires on September 1, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Fernando Alonso during the 2024 Austrian GP Sprint (expires on June 29, 2025)

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#2. Liam Lawson

Penalty Points: 6

Lawson has six penalty points, with the latest coming at the F1 Bahrain GP and Miami GP.

• Two points: Causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas at the Qatar GP (expires on December 1, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
• One point: Causing a collision in the Bahrain GP (expires on April 14, 2026)
• One point: Causing a collision in the Miami GP (expires on May 3, 2026)

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#1. Max Verstappen

Penalty Points: 11

Max Verstappen is dangerously close to emulating Danish driver Kevin Magnussen and becoming the second driver to get banned for a race. The Dutch driver is now at 11 F1 penalty points, with the reigning world champion accruing two for his collision with Oscar Piastri at last season's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and a further three at the Spanish GP.

• Three points: Causing a collision with George Russell during the 2025 F1 Spanish GP (expires on June 1, 2026)
• One point: Driving unnecessarily slowly in the 2024 F1 Qatar GP Qualifying (expires on December 1, 2025)
• One point: VSC infringement in the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP Sprint (expires on November 1, 2025)
• Two points: Forcing Lando Norris off track during the 2024 F1 Mexican GP (expires on October 27, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Norris at the 2024 F1 Austrian GP (expires on June 30, 2025)
• Two points: Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (expires on December 8, 2025)