F1 2026 Season Reset: Bottas Avoids Grid Penalty as Drivers Face Accumulated Points Ahead of Australian Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 season is set to commence with a significant overhaul of technical regulations, providing teams with a fresh start as they prepare for the upcoming campaign. As the Australian Grand Prix approaches, several drivers will arrive with penalty points on their Super Licences, which remain valid for 12 months. Accumulating 12 points within this period results in a one-race ban.

F1 2026 Penalty Points Overview

Among the notable cases is Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas, who received a five-place grid penalty during his final race as a Kick Sauber driver at the end of 2024. However, it has been confirmed that Bottas will not serve this penalty in Australia. According to Article B2.5.4 of the latest sporting regulations, classified drivers with 15 or fewer cumulative unserved grid penalties from the previous 12 months will be assigned a temporary grid position based on their qualifying session classification plus any unserved penalties. Since Bottas’ penalty was issued before the 12-month limit, he is exempt from serving it.

Driver Penalty Points by Team

McLaren

• Lando Norris: 0 penalty points
• Oscar Piastri: 4 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 British Grand Prix for erratic braking before a Safety Car restart, expiring July 6, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix for causing a collision with Kimi Antonelli, expiring November 9, 2026.

Mercedes

• George Russell: 0 penalty points
• Kimi Antonelli: 5 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix for causing a collision with Max Verstappen, expiring June 29, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix for causing a collision with Charles Leclerc, expiring August 31, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Italian Grand Prix for erratic driving, expiring September 7, 2026.

Red Bull

• Max Verstappen: 3 penalty points
  • 3 points from the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix for causing a collision with George Russell, expiring June 1, 2026.
• Isack Hadjar: 0 penalty points

Ferrari

• Charles Leclerc: 1 penalty point
  • 1 point from the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix for erratic driving, expiring August 3, 2026.
• Lewis Hamilton: 3 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix for failing to slow under double yellow flags at pit entry pre-race, expiring August 31, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix for causing a collision with Franco Colapinto, expiring November 9, 2026.

Williams

• Alex Albon: 3 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix for causing a collision with Franco Colapinto, expiring September 1, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix for causing a collision with Lewis Hamilton, expiring November 23, 2026.
• Carlos Sainz: 4 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix for forcing Kimi Antonelli off the track, expiring April 13, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 United States Grand Prix for causing a collision with Kimi Antonelli, expiring October 19, 2026.

Racing Bulls

• Liam Lawson: 6 penalty points
  • 1 point from the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix for causing a collision with Lance Stroll, expiring April 13, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix for causing a collision with Nico Hulkenberg, expiring April 13, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Miami Grand Prix Sprint for causing a collision with Fernando Alonso, expiring May 2, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Sprint for causing a collision with Ollie Bearman, expiring November 8, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for erratic driving, expiring December 7, 2026.
• Arvid Lindblad: 0 penalty points

Aston Martin

• Fernando Alonso: 0 penalty points
• Lance Stroll: 6 penalty points
  • 1 point from the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix for causing a collision with Charles Leclerc in practice, expiring May 23, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix for forcing Pierre Gasly off the track, expiring June 15, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 United States Grand Prix Sprint for causing a collision with Esteban Ocon, expiring October 18, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for changing direction too many times, expiring December 7, 2026.

Haas

• Ollie Bearman: 10 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix for overtaking under red flags in practice, expiring May 23, 2026.
  • 4 points from the 2025 British Grand Prix for crashing under red flags in practice, expiring July 5, 2026.
  • 2 points from the 2025 Italian Grand Prix for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz, expiring September 7, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Sprint for causing a collision with Liam Lawson, expiring November 8, 2026.
  • 1 point from the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for changing direction too many times, expiring December 7, 2026.
• Esteban Ocon: 1 penalty point
  • 1 point from the 2025 Italian Grand Prix for forcing Lance Stroll off the track, expiring September 7, 2026.

Audi

• Nico Hulkenberg: 0 penalty points
• Gabriel Bortoleto: 2 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix for causing a collision with Lance Stroll, expiring November 23, 2026.

Alpine

• Pierre Gasly: 2 penalty points
  • 2 points from the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz, expiring August 3, 2026.
• Franco Colapinto: 1 penalty point
  • 1 point from the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix for forcing Oscar Piastri off the track, expiring June 29, 2026.

Cadillac

• Valtteri Bottas: 0 penalty points*
  • *Bottas’ five-place grid penalty from the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for causing a collision with Kevin Magnussen is no longer applicable.
• Sergio Perez: 0 penalty points

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Published on 2026-03-05 05:04:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk