F1 2025: Lawson Penalized as Verstappen Could face possible Ban due to his…read more
As the 2025 Formula 1 season gathers pace, the FIA’s increasingly strict enforcement of its penalty points system is drawing attention. Designed to promote responsible racing and curb dangerous behavior on the track, the system has already impacted driver strategies, and it could soon lead to serious consequences for some of the sport’s biggest names—including reigning World Champion Max Verstappen.
Much like the system used for everyday drivers, Formula 1’s penalty points framework revolves around a 12-point threshold within a 12-month rolling window. If a driver accumulates 12 points on their Super Licence in that span, they receive an automatic one-race suspension. Points are awarded for various rule infringements, with severity determining how many points are applied. Once assigned, each point remains valid for a full year before expiring.
A historic turning point came in September 2024, when Kevin Magnussen became the first driver ever to be suspended under this system. His 12-point accumulation sparked conversations across the paddock and emphasized just how impactful these rulings can be. Since that moment, the FIA has shown no signs of loosening its grip, with stricter enforcement and lower tolerance for misjudgments, both minor and major.
Currently, Max Verstappen finds himself in a precarious position. The Red Bull driver holds eight penalty points on his Super Licence—just four shy of an automatic race ban. Importantly, none of those points will begin to expire until late June 2025. Until then, Verstappen must exercise extreme caution during every race weekend. One major incident could result in a suspension that could derail his championship defense.
While the Australian Grand Prix offered a momentary reprieve with a clean weekend for all drivers, the trend reversed sharply at the Chinese Grand Prix. Jack Doohan, driving for Alpine, picked up four penalty points across both the sprint and main races—making him the first driver in 2025 to be penalized this severely in a single weekend. Doohan was penalized for colliding with Gabriel Bortoleto in the sprint and for forcing Isack Hadjar off the track during the main race.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso gained some relief as five of his previous penalty points expired, giving the veteran a temporary clean slate and breathing room moving forward.
One of the most notable recent developments involved Liam Lawson. At the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, Lawson was penalized for two separate incidents. First, he was judged to have caused a collision with Lance Stroll, and shortly afterward, he was also involved in an incident with Nico Hulkenberg. The stewards handed him a total of three penalty points—two for the Hulkenberg clash and one for the Stroll contact. Combined with his previous infractions, Lawson now has five active penalty points.
Here’s how the current penalty points standings look among active drivers:
Liam Lawson (5 points)
2 points: Collision with Valtteri Bottas (Qatar 2024, expires Dec 1, 2025)
1 point: Collision with Lance Stroll (Bahrain 2025, expires Apr 13, 2026)
2 points: Collision with Nico Hulkenberg (Bahrain 2025, expires Apr 13, 2026)
Nico Hulkenberg (4 points)
2 points: Collision with Fernando Alonso (Austrian Sprint 2024, expires Jun 30, 2025)
2 points: Collision with Yuki Tsunoda (Italy 2024, expires Sep 1, 2025)
Jack Doohan (4 points)
2 points: Collision with Gabriel Bortoleto (China Sprint 2025, expires Mar 22, 2026)
2 points: Forcing Isack Hadjar off track (China 2025, expires Mar 23, 2026)
Oscar Piastri (4 points)
2 points: Collision with Liam Lawson (Brazil 2024, expires Nov 2, 2025)
2 points: Collision with Franco Colapinto (Abu Dhabi 2024, expires Dec 8, 2025)
Esteban Ocon (3 points)
1 point: Unsafe release (Miami Sprint 2024, expires May 4, 2025)
2 points: Collision with Pierre Gasly (Monaco 2024, expires May 26, 2025)
Lando Norris (3 points)
3 points: Failing to slow for double yellow flags (Qatar 2024, expires Dec 1, 2025)
Carlos Sainz (3 points)
1 point: Collision with Oscar Piastri (Miami 2024, expires May 5, 2025)
2 points: Forcing Kimi Antonelli off track (Bahrain 2025, expires Apr 13, 2026)
Drivers with two points include Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Oliver Bearman, and Alex Albon—each penalized for individual incidents in the 2024 season. Meanwhile, George Russell has one point remaining for a Safety Car distance violation in Qatar 2024.
Notably, several top-tier drivers—including Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Yuki Tsunoda, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto—have clean slates as of now.
Among the inactive drivers, Franco Colapinto, Valtteri Bottas, and Daniel Ricciardo still carry active penalty points despite not currently racing in the 2025 season.
With the FIA maintaining its no-nonsense stance, every incident on track is under sharp scrutiny. As competition intensifies and the title race unfolds, drivers must tread carefully. The difference between a championship run and a missed opportu
nity may come down to more than just speed—it could hinge on discipline.
