F1 Penalty Points 2026: How Many Each Driver Has, When They Expire, and Who’s Close to a Race Ban
Franco Colapinto is the Formula 1 driver closest to getting a race ban right now. The Alpine driver has four penalty points, and if he reaches 12 within a year, he has to miss a race. Carlos Sainz also has four points, but two of his will expire soon, on 19 October, so his total will drop before the next US Grand Prix. Lance Stroll has three points, but two will expire on 18 October.
In F1, if a driver collects 12 penalty points in 12 months, they get a one-race ban. These points are given by the FIA as a form of discipline, different from time or grid penalties during a race. Each point expires on its own, so drivers know how long they need to stay clean to avoid a ban.
Colapinto’s points won’t start expiring until mid-2027, but no driver faces a ban right now. Of his four points, one expires in June 2027 and three in August 2027. There aren’t fixed rules for when points are given; race officials decide based on FIA guidelines. Penalty points are used less often than other penalties during race weekends.
Drivers get penalty points for things like dangerous driving, causing crashes, ignoring flags, or breaking safety car rules.
For example, Kevin Magnussen was banned from the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix after reaching 12 points early in the season. Before the points system, drivers like Romain Grosjean, Michael Schumacher, and Nigel Mansell also had to serve race bans for dangerous behavior.