F1 issued bans to eight drivers including legend of the sport after breaking official rules

Formula 1 is one of the most strictly-regulated sports in the world - and drivers can sometimes fall foul of those rules.

Under current FIA rules, F1 drivers receive a race ban if they compile 12 penalty points on their Super Licence over a 12-month period.

Out of the current grid, reigning four-time world champion Max Verstappen is the closest to incurring a ban, having picked up eight penalty points over the last 12 months.

Verstappen must stay out of trouble up until the Austrian Grand Prix, which is when the first two of his penalty points will be 'refreshed' and removed from his Super Licence.

But that is not the only reason why drivers have incurred race bans in the past, with racers occasionally given severe bans for causing specific accidents or even for off-track behaviour.

Let's take a look at all eight instances.

Kevin Magnussen (2024)

Former Haas driver Kevin Magnussen pictured (Image: Getty)

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was forced to sit out last season's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after collecting 12 penalty points on his licence.

The Dane became the first driver to be banned from a Grand Prix for 12 years, and watched on as substitute Ollie Bearman picked up one point for 10th place in Baku.

Magnussen would return to the car for the United States Grand Prix, where he was on course for a points finish but a strategy error meant he finished 11th.

Romain Grosjean (2012)

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean was banned by the FIA after causing a multi-car pile-up on the first lap of the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix.

The Frenchman moved across on McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, with the Brit being forced to take to the grass. That started a chain reaction, with an airborne Grosjean then collecting Fernando Alonso and both Sauber cars heading into turn one.

Grosjean was deemed to be at fault for what race stewards described as 'an extremely serious breach of the regulations'.

He was replaced by Jerome D'Ambrosio for the subsequent Italian Grand Prix before returning to the car.

Jacques Villeneuve (1997)

Jacques Villeneuve pictured (Image: Getty)

Jacques Villeneuve was banned for a race towards the closing stages of the 1997 season after failing to slow for yellow flags.

The Canadian, along with five other drivers including championship rival Michael Schumacher, were given a suspended race ban - but Villeneuve's ban was enforced as he had already committed the same infringement on three previous occasions.

He was allowed to compete at the Japanese Grand Prix while an appeal was heard - and the result could have potentially defined the championship battle.

His two points gained from the race were eventually wiped from the records after the FIA rejected the appeal, but Villeneuve still won the 1997 Drivers' Championship.

Michael Schumacher (1994)

Villeneuve became the second driver to win a world championship in the same season they received a race ban, after Michael Schumacher.

The Benetton driver missed two races in 1994 after an incident at the British Grand Prix.

The German overtook Damon Hill on the formation lap after complaining that his rival was driving too slowly, incurring a five-second penalty.

Benetton instructed Schumacher not to serve it while they held discussions with the FIA, but the race director showed him a black flag for not coming into the pits.

The German instead simply served the five-second penalty on instruction from his team - but was then disqualified and banned for two races for failing to follow FIA instructions.

Mika Hakkinen (1994)

Mika Hakkinen was the second driver to receive a race ban in 1994 after he crashed his McLaren into David Coulthard's Williams at the German Grand Prix.

The Finn had already received the one-race ban, suspended for three races, after an incident involving Jordan's Ruben Barrichello but it was brought forward after the Coulthard crash.

Eddie Irvine (1994)

Eddie Irvine completed the trio of future 1999 world championship contenders to be banned in the same season.

The Northern Irishman was deemed to be at fault for a four-car collision at the Brazilian Grand Prix that included Martin Brundle and Jos Verstappen.

Irvine was banned for one race before appealing the verdict, but the FIA heard the appeal and then increased his ban to three races.

Nigel Mansell (1989)

Nigel Mansell pictured (Image: Getty)

Nigel Mansell incurred a race ban after a calamitous few laps at the 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix.

The 1992 champion crashed into Ayrton Senna at turn one, taking both cars out of the race.

But Mansell was also punished for reversing back into his pit box after overshooting it laps earlier, an incident for which he received a black flag that he was ultimately unable to take during the race. A one-race ban followed.

Riccardo Patrese (1978)

Riccardo Patrese's one-race ban from the United States Grand Prix was ultimately tinged with a huge amount of sadness.

The Italian had been blamed for a 10-car pile-up on the opening lap of the previous Italian Grand Prix, with Niki Lauda and Mario Andretti leading calls for him to be banned for the next race.

Those drivers refused to race themselves if Patrese participated, and he was subsequently barred from entering the Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.

Andretti's Lotus team-mate Ronnie Peterson, who was involved in the crash, suffered burns and severe injuries to his legs, and though the injuries were not life-threatening at the time, he later died in hospital after developing an embolism.