Does Pierre Gasly deserve to be one penalty away from a race ban? · RaceFans

Ever since the new penalty points disciplinary system was introduced into Formula 1 at the start of the 2014 season, drivers have been aware that if they collect 12 superlicence penalty points, they will be punished with an immediate ban from the next round.

Former Renault, Lotus and Haas driver turned IndyCar racer Romain Grosjean remains the last driver ever to face the ignominy of being banned from competing in a race weekend after being deemed responsible for a horrific multi-car crash at the start of the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix. But despite there being a clear mechanism in place to ban repeat offenders, there has not been a Formula 1 driver who has crossed the 12 point threshold since the system was introduced

However, that could all change in the nine races between the end of this season and the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix. AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly is currently only two penalty points away from being the first Formula 1 driver ever to be handed an automatic one-race suspension, with ten against his superlicence.

Crucially, all ten were accrued this season, beginning from the Spanish Grand Prix in May. That means Gasly will not see any points removed from his superlicence until after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix next year – round seven of the 2023 season.

How Gasly accrued ten penalty points in six months

In Barcelona, Gasly received his first penalty points of 2022 when he collided with Lance Stroll at turn one during the race. This earned him two penalty points for being “wholly at fault,” despite the stewards conceding that Gasly likely understeered into the Aston Martin due to a lack of grip. With two points already carried over from 2021, Gasly’s penalty points total was now four.

Five races later in Austria, Gasly was involved in another collision with an Aston Martin – although this time with Stroll’s team mate, Sebastian Vettel. Gasly was deemed “wholly at fault” for colliding with Vettel as the Aston Martin driver tried to overtake him around the outside of turn four. Gasly was given two penalty points, bringing his total to six.

In the same race, Gasly was also given one additional penalty point for a time penalty he received for exceeding track limits four times during the course of the race. That moved him to seven points over the previous 12 months, over half way towards a ban.

In Suzuka, Gasly started from the pit lane in heavy wet conditions. After catching the field, he…