Formula one introduced a driver penalty points system back in 2014 in an attempt to deter competitors from dangerous driving not only in the race but across the weekends practice and qualifying sessions.Points are awarded by the stewards for a range of incidents including causing an accident, dangerously blocking another competitor and speeding in the pit lane.

If a driver reaches 12 points in a rolling 12 month period, he will receive a race ban.

The points fall from the drivers license 12 months after the date they were awarded.

 

 

Drivers have been banned by the FIA

No Formula one driver has ever beefed banned during the 9 seasons since this regulation was applied, however in Formula 2 drivers have been excluded from racing for reaching the maximum 12 points allowed.

Amaury Cordeel was suspended for the F2 round at the British GP this season while Alpine junior Olli Caldwell was forced to sit out this year’s event in Spa.

Yuli Tsnuoda is most at risk currently of receiving a race ban with 8 penalty points on his license. Since his debut in 2021 the Japanese driver has accumulated 12 points in total though his first 4 have expired. 

 

 

Tsunoda F1 record

1 point was awarded for each of the following:

18/4/21 Emilia Romagne GP: Leaving the track without a justifiable reason multiple times during qualifying.

27/6/21 Styrian GP: Impeding Valterri Bottas

4/7/21 Austrian GP: Crossing pit line white line

4/7/21 Austrian GP: Crossing pit lane white line again.

Tsunoda’s most recent points came at the Italian GP this season when the Japanese driver failed to slow for yellow flags.

Yet Yuki will drop 2 points on November 14 which were awarded last season at the Brazilian GP for crashing into Lance Stroll.

 

 

Angry Yuki

However, Tsunoda has become well known for his angry responses on track and his pit radio conversations with his team give the impression the Japanese driver is hot headed. 

Yuki has to avoid accumulating 4 more points over the next three race weekends tor he is set to miss the race finale in Abu Dhabi.

Pierre Gasly is the driver next most at risk with 7 points. He was given 2 points at the recent Japanese GP after speeding under red flag conditions which briefly saw him sitting on 9 points though the next day 2 points from last season expired.

 

 

Other scores on the F1 doors

Alex Albon currently sits on 6 points with Esteban Ocon and Max Verstappen behind with 5.

The soon to be departing Alpine Fernando Alonso together with Daniel Ricciardo and Zhou Guanyu all currently have four points, with Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll behind them on three.

The only drivers with a single point are Charles LeClerc, Valterri Bottas and Lando Norris while Sergio Perez, Sebastian Vettel and George Russell sit ahead of them currently with two points.

Only three of the current F1 drivers have been squeaky clean for 12 months and they are Mick Schumacher, Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton

 

 

F1 scores yet to settle

With just 4 races to go, the drivers’ title has been wrapped up although Red Bull Racing are desperate to clinch their first constructors’ championship since 2013.

Following their poor showing at the Japanese GP Mercedes are now 67 points behind Ferrari in third place and the strength of the Scuderia would suggest they will finish this way come the end of the season.

McLaren’s battle to claim P4 ahead of Alpine looks to be slipping away as they trail the French squad by 13 points. McLaren have had a podium this year which gives them crowing rights over their rivals whose best finish this season is a P4.

Sebastian Vettel’s strong finish in Japan with a P6 has given Aston Martin hope they can claw back the 7 point deficit they have to Alfa Romeo who’s challenge for P6 has been fading in recent s race weekends.

Haas and Alpha Tauri are tied for P8 on 34 points and back of the grid Williams with just 8 points are likely to end the season in their current P10.

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From teenage sensation to two-time world champ 🏆🏆@Max33Verstappen was born to race 💪#F1 @aramco

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 14, 2022