The 2025 Method 1 season is just some weeks away. On the finish of February all ten groups might be again in motion at Bahrain Worldwide Circuit for pre-season testing, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix slated for March 16.
Over the following few weeks SB Nation might be getting you prepared for what may very well be an interesting 2025 F1 season, the ultimate marketing campaign earlier than the game goes by way of a litany of modifications for 2026. Subsequent yr will see Audi be part of the grid as a works operation — taking up for Sauber — Cadillac be part of the game because the eleventh group, and an entire new set of technical rules enacted.
As we speak’s matter? The place every driver stands with respect to penalty factors on their FIA Tremendous License.
What are FIA penalty factors?
Much like your highway driver’s license, F1 drivers function underneath an FIA Tremendous License, which they’ll receive primarily based on leads to the decrease classes.
In an effort to advertise security on the monitor, and hold the drivers in line, penalty factors on mentioned Tremendous License are among the many potential penalties race stewards can hand out for infractions. Penalty factors are reserved for the extra extreme incidents, equivalent to inflicting an accident or violating guidelines concerning yellow and/or crimson flags.
If a driver reaches 12 penalty factors on their FIA Tremendous License over a single calendar yr interval, they’re hit with a one-race penalty ban. Final season Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after accumulating sufficient penalty factors to set off the one-race ban on the earlier race, the Italian Grand Prix.
Penalty factors stay on a driver’s Tremendous License for one calendar yr, after which they expire.
What F1 drivers have penalty factors going into 2025?
Heading into the 2025 F1 season, there are 12 drivers with no less than one penalty level on their FIA Tremendous License.
A kind of drivers is the reigning Drivers’ Champion, and the motive force most vulnerable to a one-race ban.
Max Verstappen
Eight penalty factors
Max Verstappen could have gained his fourth straight Drivers’ Championship final yr, however he enters 2025 as the motive force most in danger for a one-race penalty. Verstappen has eight penalty factors on his Tremendous License, and with the primary two factors not expiring till the tip of June, Verstappen might want to navigate the primary 11 race weekends with out choosing up 4 extra penalty factors.
- Two factors: Verstappen’s two oldest penalty factors expire on June 30, 2025. These have been handed down when race officers decided that Verstappen precipitated a collision with Lando Norris on the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
- Two factors: Verstappen picked up two extra factors on the 2024 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, when race officers dominated he compelled Lando Norris off the monitor. These expire on October 27, 2025.
- One level: Verstappen was given a one-point penalty on the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, when he was under the minimal delta throughout a Digital Security Automotive (VSC) through the F1 Dash Race. That time expires on November 1, 2025.
- One level: Verstappen was assessed a one-point penalty on the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix when race officers decided he was driving unnecessarily slowly on the cooldown lap. That penalty level expires on December 1, 2025.
- Two factors: Verstappen collided with Oscar Piastri on the opening lap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and was hit with a two-point penalty. That expires on December 8, 2025.
Fernando Alonso
Eight penalty factors
Max Verstappen will not be the one driver sitting on eight factors to start out the 2025 F1 season, as veteran Fernando Alonso additionally enters the yr with eight penalty factors on his Tremendous License.
Nonetheless, Alonso is way nearer to seeing the oldest of these factors expire.
- Three factors: Alonso was hit with a three-point penalty for “doubtlessly harmful driving” through the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. Race officers decided that within the closing phases, as Mercedes driver George Russell was attempting to chase down Alonso on the monitor, Alonso entered Flip 6 “erratically,” and the ensuing soiled air behind him precipitated Russell to lose management and crash. These three factors expire on March 24, 2025.
- Three factors: Alonso was given a three-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Carlos Sainz Jr. through the F1 Dash Race on the 2024 Chinese language Grand Prix. These three factors expire on April 20, 2025.
- Two factors: Alonso was dominated to have precipitated a collision with Zhou Guanyu on the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, and given a two-point penalty. These factors expire on June 30, 2025.
Lance Stroll
4 penalty factors
- Two factors: Lance Stroll was given a two-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Daniel Ricciardo on the 2024 Chinese language Grand Prix. These expire on April 21, 2025.
- Two factors: Stroll was additionally hit with a two-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Alexander Albon on the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. These two factors expire on December 1, 2025.
Nico Hülkenberg
4 penalty factors
Veteran driver Nico Hülkenberg has a brand new residence for 2025, as he made the transfer to Sauber forward of that group turning into the Audi works operation in 2026.
He brings 4 penalty factors, together with years of expertise, together with him.
- Two factors: Hülkenberg was given a two-point penalty on the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix for inflicting a collision with Fernando Alonso. These factors expire on June 30, 2025.
- Two factors: Hülkenberg was assessed a two-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Yuki Tsunoda on the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. These expire on December 1, 2025.
Oscar Piastri
4 penalty factors
Oscar Piastri enters the 2025 season with 4 penalty factors on his FIA Tremendous License
- Two factors: Piastri was hit with two penalty factors when race officers dominated he precipitated a collision with Liam Lawson through the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. These factors expire on November 2, 2025.
- Two factors: Piastri was additionally judged to have precipitated a collision with Franco Colapinto through the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and given a two-point penalty. These factors expire on December 8, 2025.
Esteban Ocon
Three penalty factors
Much like Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon has a brand new residence for 2025 as he strikes from Alpine to Haas.
He’ll carry three penalty factors with him to his new group.
- One level: Through the F1 Dash Race on the Miami Grand Prix, Ocon was given a one-point penalty for an unsafe launch on pit lane. That time expires on Could 4, 2025.
- Two factors: Race officers decided that Ocon precipitated a collision with then-teammate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. These two factors will expire on Could 26, 2025, and that incident could have doomed his tenure at Alpine.
Lando Norris
Three penalty factors
Lando Norris enters the 2025 season aiming for his first Drivers’ Championship. However he additionally has three penalty factors on his Tremendous License for an incident on the Qatar Grand Prix.
- Three factors: Race officers dominated that Norris didn’t decelerate for a double yellow flag through the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. Along with a ten-second penalty — which dropped him out of P2 to the again of the sector, though he recovered to complete tenth — he was given a three-point penalty. These three factors expire on December 1, 2025.
Oliver Bearman
Two penalty factors
Tremendous-sub Oliver Bearman earned a full-time seat at Haas for the upcoming yr thanks partly to some great aid performances final season. However he’ll enter the yr with a pair of penalty factors on his FIA Tremendous License.
- Two factors: Bearman was given a two-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Franco Colapinto through the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. These factors expire on November 2, 2025.
Alexander Albon
Two penalty factors
- Two factors: Alexander Albon was given a two-point penalty on the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, when race officers dominated he precipitated a collision with Kevin Magnussen. These factors expire on December 1, 2025.
Liam Lawson
Two penalty factors
Liam Lawson earned a promotion to Pink Bull for the 2025 marketing campaign, taking up for Sergio Pérez. Nonetheless, he begins the yr with a pair of penalty factors on his FIA Tremendous License.
- Two factors: Lawson was given a two-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Valtteri Bottas through the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. These factors expire on December 1, 2025.
Carlos Sainz Jr.
One penalty level
Carlos Sainz Jr. heads to Williams for the 2025 season, with one level on his FIA Tremendous License.
- One level: Sainz was hit with a one-point penalty on the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, when race officers dominated he precipitated a collision with Oscar Piastri. That time expires on Could 5, 2025.
George Russell
One penalty level
- One level: Race officers handed George Russell one penalty level for failing to take care of a correct distance behind the Security Automotive through the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
What F1 drivers have a clear slate heading into 2025?
Seven of the drivers on the grid to start out the 2025 season have a clear slate. These embody a handful of the incoming rookies, in addition to some veterans.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli
- Gabriel Bortoleto
- Jack Doohan
- Pierre Gasly
- Lewis Hamilton
- Charles Leclerc
- Yuki Tsunoda
Do any inactive drivers have penalty factors excellent forward of 2025?
There are additionally 5 drivers who is probably not on the grid when 2025 begins, however have some factors remaining on their FIA Tremendous License which can be but to run out.
Valtteri Bottas
5 penalty factors
Valtteri Bottas returns to Mercedes as a reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season. Nonetheless, he has 5 factors presently on his FIA Tremendous License.
- Three factors: Bottas had a fairly eventful Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He was given a three-point penalty for inflicting a collision with Kevin Magnussen. These three factors expire on December 8, 2025.
- Two factors: Bottas was given two extra penalty factors in Abu Dhabi, these for inflicting a collision with Sergio Pérez. These additionally expire on December 8, 2025.
Daniel Ricciardo
Three penalty factors
- Two factors: Daniel Ricciardo was given a two-point penalty for overtaking Nico Hülkenberg underneath Security Automotive circumstances on the 2024 Chinese language Grand Prix. These factors expire on April 21, 2025.
- One level: In one other incident involving Hülkenberg, Ricciardo was adjudged to have compelled him off the monitor on the 2024 Italian Grand Prix. That time expires on September 1, 2025.
Logan Sargeant
Two penalty factors
Logan Sargeant misplaced his seat at Williams halfway by way of 2024, and whereas a return to F1 is probably not within the playing cards, he does have two factors on his FIA Tremendous LIcense.
- Two factors: Sargent was given a two-point penalty on the 2024 Chinese language Grand Prix for overtaking underneath a Security Automotive. These two factors expire on April 21, 2025.
Franco Colapinto
Two penalty factors
Franco Colapinto changed Logan Sargeant halfway by way of the 2024 marketing campaign, and heads to Alpine as a reserve for 2025.
He additionally brings a pair of penalty factors with him to his new group.
- Two factors: Colapinto was given a two-point penalty on the 2024 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix for inflicting a collision with Liam Lawson. These factors expire on October 27, 2025.
Sergio Pérez
One penalty level
Sergio Pérez misplaced his seat at Pink Bull this winter, and whereas he could return to the grid sooner or later, he does have a degree on his FIA Tremendous License heading into 2025.
- One level: Pérez was given a one-point penalty on the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for an unsafe launch. That penalty level expires on March 8, 2025.
