Pierre Gasly has called for a review of the current penalty points system in Formula 1, insisting it is too harsh and can unfairly sideline drivers for non-dangerous incidents.
The penalty points system, first introduced by F1 in 2014, is designed to punish repeat rule-breakers by issuing points for various infractions. If a driver accumulates 12 points on their superlicence within a 12-month period, they receive an automatic one-race ban.
Max Verstappen is now in a precarious situation as the Red Bull driver sits on 11 penalty points after his latest offence in Barcelona. If he collects just one more point during the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix weekend, he would be banned from next month’s British Grand Prix. However, two points will be removed from his licence on Monday after the Austrian event, reducing the immediate risk.
Pierre Gasly has personal experience with the system, having previously amassed 10 points during the 2022 season. The Alpine driver voiced his disapproval.
“Personally, I’m not a big fan of penalty points,” Gasly said. “The level we have in Formula 1, we are professional in what we do. We obviously push things to the limits, but to have a race ban potentially… I was in that situation a couple of months earlier and I don’t think I was a dangerous driver on track.
“So for me there’s something that can be reviewed [and] other ways of implying some sort of penalties without getting a risk of having a driver missing a race.”
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Penalty points debate grows in the F1 paddock
Gasly is not alone in his criticism of the system. Isack Hadjar, a rookie with Racing Bulls, also questioned the severity of the current approach. “I copy paste from what he said,” Hadjar remarked. “I don’t like having penalty points, that’s for sure because then you don’t wanna end up changing your approach. It’s a very clean field to be honest, so, so yeah, it’s not very needed.”
For his part, Max Verstappen declined to weigh in on the controversy, dodging questions about whether he would change his driving to avoid further penalties in Austria. “You’re joking? Is this like a trap? I’m getting this question every single time, every weekend. I have nothing to add,” said the Red Bull driver.
The situation highlights a growing unease in the F1 paddock about whether the penalty points system strikes the right balance between encouraging safe driving and unnecessarily punishing those who are not endangering others.
As Verstappen’s situation puts the spotlight on the rules, calls for a thorough review are likely to continue, especially if a leading driver risks missing a marquee event due to a points tally that does not necessarily reflect reckless behaviour.
