It has now been a little more than ten years since Formula 1 first implemented the penalty points system. During that entire period, Lewis Hamilton has been the sole driver continuously present on the grid. Despite his long tenure, he is far from the worst when it comes to penalty points.
A recent analysis by F1 Oversteer has compiled the full list of drivers with the highest total penalty points. Surprisingly, Hamilton doesn’t appear among the leading culprits, even though he has raced through the entire era of the system.
Under this system, drivers accumulate points for various on-track infringements, and reaching 12 points within a 12-month window results in an automatic race ban. This rule was established to encourage safer and cleaner racing.
One of the more intriguing findings from the tally involves Kimi Raikkonen. Known for his calm demeanour and famously quiet personality, Raikkonen once described one of his rivals as the “nicest guy” on the grid.
Yet despite that compliment, the same driver managed to collect an eye-opening total of 32 penalty points throughout his F1 career—an unexpected contrast to his friendly reputation.
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