F1 Grand Prix of United States - Source: Getty
The F1 penalty points system was put in place to keep the driving standards above a threshold. As part of the system, the drivers are penalized for the transgressions they make on the track. These transgressions could be causing a collision, dangerous driving, etc.
The number of points for a transgression depends on the severity of the act. These points stay with the driver for a period of 12 months before they expire. If a driver ends up having more than 12 F1 penalty points, they are banned for one race.
As part of the current system, only one driver has ever crossed the 12 F1 penalty points threshold. It was Kevin Magnussen this season. As a result, the Dane had to sit out from the race in Baku.
