Oliver Bearman's F1 race ban threat eases as penalty points expire

Oliver Bearman has had two penalty points wiped from his super-licence ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix Sprint, easing the threat of an automatic race ban.

Penalty points remain on a driver's super-licence for 12 months from the date they were issued. Bearman's two points, awarded on May 23, 2025, for overtaking Williams' Carlos Sainz under red flags during Monaco Grand Prix practice, have now expired.

Why it matters:

• Bearman entered the Canada weekend with 10 points, just two shy of the 12-point threshold that triggers an automatic one-race ban.
• With the expiration, he now sits at eight points, giving him more margin before facing a suspension.
• He still leads the grid in total penalty points, two ahead of Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson.

The details:

• Bearman's remaining penalty points and expiration dates:
  • Four points: Expire July 5, 2026 (British GP day) — for crashing under red flags during pit-lane entry at the 2025 British Grand Prix.
  • Two points: Expire September 7, 2026 — for colliding with Carlos Sainz during the 2025 Italian Grand Prix.
  • One point: Expire November 8, 2026 — for dangerous driving against Liam Lawson in the 2025 Sao Paulo GP Sprint.
  • One point: Expire December 7, 2026 — for making more than one direction change while defending during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

What's next:

• Bearman's next significant reduction comes on July 5, when four points from Silverstone drop off, bringing him down to just four points.
• If he avoids further penalties through mid-2026, his total could fall to zero by December.
• For now, the Haas driver still carries the highest penalty load on the grid, but the immediate ban threat has subsided.