Last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, which brought the magnificent Suzuka circuit back to the Formula 1 calendar after two years of absence due to the pandemic, was once again not exempt from controversy and tensions linked to the nature of some disciplinary measures taken by the race stewards against the drivers.
The debate began already in qualifying on Saturday, when a dramatic accident was risked between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris after an involuntary move by the world champion, who accelerated on cold tires just as the Englishman’s McLaren was approaching. The Red Bull driver was summoned by the race stewards but got away just with a reprimand, thus not losing the pole position secured on track in qualifying.
In the race, the situation worsened and there was a tough battle between Pierre Gasly and the Federation. The Frenchman from AlphaTauri, hit out at the race direction- supported by all the other drivers – for the entry of a tractor on the track while the cars were still present. The heavy vehicle had entered the Suzuka circuit to remove Carlos Sainz’s stricken car, but it did so – albeit under the red flag – when the cars had not yet returned to the pit lane.
A situation that had endangered the safety of the drivers – which was already unacceptable in itself – and whose gravity was accentuated by the conditions of very poor visibility and a wet track.
To add insult to injury for Pierre Gasly, the French driver was punished by the stewards after the Japanese Grand Prix with a penalty of 20 seconds on his race time and with two points less on his license for having run at high speed precisely under the red flag regime.
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The Frenchman accepted the sanction, acknowledging the negligence, but now he will have to avoid other similar errors because he is under threat to miss out on a race. Despite having discarded the two penalty points received exactly 12 months ago in Turkey, in fact, the future Alpine driver has in any case already received 7 penalty points. If he were to collect another five, Pierre Gasly would be suspended for a race.
Finally, the last driver who had to deal with the race direction was Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque Ferrari driver suffered the first penalty of the 2022 Formula One season at Suzuka. What cost him dearly was having crossed the last chicane while he was being chased by the Red Bull RB18 car of Sergio Perez. According to the stewards, #16 gained an illegal advantage by carrying out that maneuver and was therefore given a five-second penalty to his final time. This caused him to lose second place on the podium to the advantage of the Red Bull driver. The only three drivers without any penalty points therefore remain Carlos Sainz, Mick Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
Eight points
Yuki Tsunoda
Two points: Expire 14th November 2022. These were handed out for causing a collision with Lance Stroll during the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 5th December 2022. These were handed out for causing a collision with Sebastian Vettel during the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 3rd July 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Pierre Gasly during the 2022 British Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire September 9 2023. These were handed out for failing to slow for yellow flags during FP2 for the Italian Grand Prix.
Seven points
Pierre Gasly
Two points: Expire 22nd May 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Lance Stroll during the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 10th July 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Sebastian Vettel during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 10th July 2023. This was handed out for exceeding track limits during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Two points. Expires 9th October 2023. These points were handed out for speeding under red flag conditions at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix
Six points
Alex Albon
Two points: Expire 6th March 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Lance Stroll during the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 22nd May 2023. This was handed out for exceeding track limits during the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 29th May 2023. This was handed out for gaining a lasting advantage by leaving the track during the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 9th July 2023. These were handed out for forcing Lando Norris off track during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Five points
Max Verstappen
Two points: Expire 21st November 2022. These were handed out for ignoring double yellow flags during qualifying for the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 5th December 2022. This was handed out for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 5th December 2022. These were handed out for causing a collision with Hamilton during the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon
Two points: Expire 20th March 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Mick Schumacher during the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 29th May 2023. This was handed out for causing a collision with Lewis Hamilton during the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 23rd July 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Yuki Tsunoda during the 2022 French Grand Prix.
Four points
Daniel Ricciardo
One point: Expires 25th March 2023. This was handed out for impeding Esteban Ocon at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 8th May 2023. This was handed out for gaining a lasting advantage by leaving the track during the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 30th July 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Lance Stroll during the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso
Two points: Expire 8th May 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Pierre Gasly during the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 8th May 2023. This was handed out for cutting the track and gaining a lasting advantage during the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 19th June 2023. This was handed out for weaving while defending during the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix.
Zhou Guanyu
One point: Expires 26th March 2023. This was handed out for gaining a lasting advantage by leaving the track during the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 10th July 2023. This was handed out for exceeding track limits during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 23rd July 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Mick Schumacher during the 2022 French Grand Prix.
Three points
Nicholas Latifi
One point: Expires 12th June 2023. This was handed out for ignoring blue flags during the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Two points: Expire 2nd October 2023. Issued for causing a collision with Zhou Guanyu during the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.
Kevin Magnussen
Two points: Expire 8th May 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Lance Stroll during the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 11th September 2023. This was handed out for overtaking by leaving the track during the 2022 Italian Grand Prix.
Lance Stroll
Two points: Expire 10th April 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Nicholas Latifi at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 10th April 2023. This was handed out for weaving while defending during the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
Two points
Sergio Perez
Two points: Expire 2nd October 2023. Issued after the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix for failing to stay within 10 car lengths of the Safety Car.
George Russell
Two points: Expire 10th July 2023. These were handed out for causing a collision with Sergio Perez during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel
One point: Expires 10th July 2023. This was handed out for exceeding track limits at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
One point: Expires 3rd September 2023. This was handed out for ignoring blue flags at the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix.
One point
Valtteri Bottas
One point: Expires 21st November 2022. This was handed out for failing to slow for a yellow flag at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.
Lando Norris
One point: Expires 10th July 2023. This was handed out for exceeding track limits during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc
One point: Expires 9th October 2023. This point was added to Leclerc’s licence for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during the closing stages of the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix.
Zero points
Lewis Hamilton
Carlos Sainz
Mick Schumacher
