F1 driver already at risk of ban ahead of Australian Grand Prix

One F1 driver is at risk of receiving a one-race ban ahead of the start of the 2026 season.

The 2026 season gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.

It is the first race for the extensive new aerodynamic and power unit regulations that will be in place from 2026 onwards.

Cadillac will also make their F1 debut, having entered the sport as its 11th team.

They will have Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas driving for them in their inaugural season, with both men having sat out 2025.

Bottas will take a five-place grid penalty in Australia - a punishment imposed on him for causing a collision at the season-ending 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Finn's penalty point record has reset by virtue of him missing an entire season, with the so-called 'timer' resetting after a 12-month period.

But during the opening weeks of the season, another driver on the grid is in danger of receiving a one-race ban as the standard punishment for exceeding 12 points in that 12-month period.

Haas driver Ollie Bearman collected 10 points during his first season as a full-time Formula 1 driver.

Ollie Bearman will compete in his second full F1 season with Haas in 2026 (Image: Getty)

That included a four-point penalty for crashing while the session was red-flagged during practice for the British Grand Prix.

He received two further penalty points for causing collisions on two separate occasions, alongside another point for changing direction during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

His first two penalty points expire on May 23, with Bearman having been given a two-point sanction for overtaking under red flags during practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Six races will be held in 2026 before the Canadian Grand Prix on May 24, meaning the Englishman will be hoping to avoid any visits to the stewards' room during that timeframe.

The next most at-risk driver, in terms of penalty points collected, is Lance Stroll, who will remain on six until the Monaco Grand Prix.

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, meanwhile, is also on six, though three of his points were acquired on April 13 at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix and he will therefore only compete in four races before they are wiped.