The future of Formula 1’s penalty points system is set for a winter discussion between the championship’s stakeholders, which could lead to its alteration after Kevin Magnussen’s 2024 Baku ban.
The system of drivers being suspended for a race if they hit a 12-point limit has been a key focus point for F1’s drivers since Magnussen reached 10 points for a series of sanctions during 2024’s early races – particularly his infractions at May’s Miami round.
When Haas driver Magnussen then collided with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly last time out at Monza, he was hit with two more penalty points, as well as a 10-second time addition, and has been banned from this weekend’s race in Azerbaijan, where he has been replaced by 2025 Haas signing Ollie Bearman.
Gasly argued against Magnussen being handed penalty points over their clash in Italian race, where Magnussen facing double jeopardy given his in-race penalty was also a controversial topic, and many drivers have commented on the issue in Baku.
The situation was raised in the drivers’ briefing for this weekend’s event and Gasly revealed after qualifying that the FIA was now “open” to reviewing the current rules after listening to the drivers.
“Yeah, I asked them on moving forward,” Gasly replied when asked about the meeting by Autosport. “Because I think as a sport we never like to see someone penalised in that way, and the view was that it was a bit harsh.
“So, yeah, I think it's definitely something they're open on reviewing and moving forward, which is the most important.”
Autosport understands that the process of reviewing the penalty points system has not been enacted so far by F1’s stakeholders.
First, F1’s Sporting Advisory Committee (comprised of FOM and FIA officials, plus the sporting directors from each team) will need to discuss the issue.
This is what is set to happen post-season, as the FIA’s policy is not to change sporting rules in-season to avoid tainting a whole competition with alterations.
If the SAC agrees a review is then needed, this will then be carried out by the FIA and presented back to F1’s stakeholders before any rule changes are then voted into the regulations.
However, any changes to the penalty points system could end up being minor, as Autosport understands that the FIA told the drivers in the Baku briefing that it had analysed the number of penalty points handed out at each round in 2024 and this came in at just 2.2.
When the number of times that decisions involving Magnussen from the stewards this year – 17 – was combined with that number, the drivers were said to be more understanding at what had occurred.
Any review and subsequent change of F1’s penalty points rules would follow the FIA reviewing all its rules on sporting incidents after the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
This led to minor transgressions such as track limits offences losing penalty points attachments.
