2024 F1 penalty points: when do driver’s points expire?  (2024)

Kevin Magnussen has been awarded a one-race ban for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after reaching the maximum amount of superlicence points. 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 will 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.

Haas hold the lead for most penalty points between their drivers, with the pair accumulating 16 points in total. Aston Martin are now sat in a close second place with a total of 13, with Fernando Alonso holding onto eight points himself.

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 four 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 requirementfor any F1 driver to compete and is awarded by the FIA. The system 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:

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, in Singapore

Photo by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images

F1 superlicence penalty points

Here’s the drivers who have received penalty points during the 2024 Formula 1 season:

Kevin Magnussen – Twelve Points

Kevin Magnussen has exceeded his superlicence penalty points after being given his final two points at the Italian GP in Monza for a collision with Pierre Gasly. After diving down the inside of the Alpine at Turn 4, he locked up and crashed into the side of the Frenchman.

Magnussen’s superlicence penalty points will be cleared after the Azerbaijan GP, and he will enter the final seven races of 2024 with a clean slate. Magnussen flew to the top of the penalty points list after doubling his score at the Miami Grand Prix. The Haas driver started the year with zero points and managed to amass ten points in the first six races. He managed to stay out of trouble for eight races before finally amassing his final two points at the last race.

His first three superlicence points came at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after managing to keep a clean record during the 2023 season. The Dane was awarded his points for an impact with Alex Albon, where the FIA deemed Magnussen responsible.

During an eventful race the Haas driver was awarded two separate time penalties, including one for the collision with Albon and for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. With his race ruined, Magnussen then was able to pull off a defensive race which kept many drivers – including Albon – behind him, to create a pitstop window for his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, resulting in the German finishing within the points.

Magnussen picked up a further two points at the Chinese Grand Prix during the safety car restart. The Danish driver suffered from a snap of oversteer which resulted in him making contact with the right rear tyre of Yuki Tsunoda’s RB. Tsunoda spun before being forced to retire from the race, with Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu saying: "If anything, I think more Tsunoda's [fault]. Honestly, he didn't turn into Tsunoda or anything. He's dived inside, hit the apex, had a snap, but [it] didn't change the car direction. He didn't then run Tsunoda off the track.”

Magnussen picked up five penalty points over the Miami Grand Prix weekend, doubling his previous tally. The first three points were awarded following the Sprint race after an intense battle with Lewis Hamilton which saw him run off the track on multiple occasions as he attempted to defend against the Mercedes from catching his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

The FIA ruled that he had gained an advantage and was given three penalty points on top of 35 seconds of time penalties. Magnussen surprised many when he confessed to Sky Sports F1: “All the penalties were well deserved – no doubt about it” before adding: “I started using these stupid tactics which I don’t like doing, but at the end of the day I did my job as a team player.”

An additional two points were then awarded to the Dane during the main grand prix after he was found “wholly to blame” for a collision with Logan Sargeant. The pair came together at Turn 3, which resulted in the Williams ending up in the barrier and causing the lap-29 safety car.

*Points will be cleared following the Azerbaijan GP

Sergio Perez - Eight 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.

Both drivers were summoned to the race stewards, who decided that Albon had attempted to take the normal racing line through the corner but was unaware of the precise location of Perez. They also concluded that the Mexican’s move up the inside was considered to be an “optimistic late manoeuvre” and he was predominately to blame for the collision.

Perez was then awarded four points at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix the following week 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.

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.

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 wasawarded 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.

Lewis Hamilton - Four points

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

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 brakingwhilst 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.

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.

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.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, the remainder of the field at the start

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

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.

Yuki Tsunoda - Two Points

Yuki Tsunoda was given two penalty points for causing a collision with George Russell at the Dutch Grand Prix. The pair came together at Turn 1, which caused damage to the Mercedes’ tyres. Russell revealed at the end of the race that the collision had led to “massive vibrations” in the car.

Valtteri Bottas - Two points

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.

Daniel Ricciardo – Two 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.

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.

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

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.

Driver's penalty points in 2024

Here are how many penalty points each driver has in 2024:

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.”