Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are both just four penalty points shy of a race ban heading into the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend. Both drivers have eight points accumulated on their license, with 12 being the threshold for a suspension according to the FIA regulations.

Verstappen’s crash with Oscar Piastri at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi put him in a precarious position, and the four-time world champion won’t have any points removed from his license before the British Grand Prix in July. With the stewards clamping down on contact between drivers, two 10-second time penalties during the first half of the campaign could be enough to see Verstappen sit out a race. This would have a disastrous impact on his title defence, giving Lando Norris and Piastri a free hit in their bid for F1 glory.

Despite his dilemma, Verstappen has no plans to ease off with his aggressive style. “No, but I’ve been there before,” he replied when asked if he would change his approach. “I think I’ve been on nine or 10 [previously], so it’s all about just managing the situation.”

Alonso has had his own run-ins with the penalty point system. Thankfully for the two-time world champion, he will drop three points from his license after the Chinese GP this weekend and a further three points midway through April.

Following a collision with Zhou Guanyu at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, Alonso was hit with two penalty points. The Spaniard responded to the decision by protesting the current state of the race suspension system.

“I think when penalty points were introduced, it was to avoid dangerous drivers [from] accumulating penalties without a race ban,” he complained. “Just to avoid dangerous manoeuvres and putting in danger anyone on track. Now we are mistaking racing mistakes for dangerous driving.

“I made a racing mistake in Turn Three, and I hit Zhou, and I deserve a 10-second penalty. I think maybe Nico [Hullkenberg] in the race made a racing mistake. You give back the position, or you have five seconds or 10 seconds. This is a racing mistake, it always will happen, and it did happen in the past.”

In 2024, one driver breached the 12-point limit. Kevin Magnussen was suspended for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a tumultuous first half of the campaign saw him accrue numerous penalty points. The former Haas driver was replaced by Brit Oliver Bearman.