Not a single penalty point has been issued on a superlicence in 2026. Across the opening six grands prix, stewards have handed out sporting penalties but stripped them of the points that once accompanied them. Isack Hadjar received two 10-second penalties at the Canadian GP — including one for failing to reduce speed under double yellow flags — and walked away with zero points on his record.

The shift traces back to winter discussions between the FIA and drivers, who pushed for a softer system where points would only attach to deliberate or reckless behaviour. Ocon got 10 seconds for his China collision with Colapinto but no points. Piastri earned the same treatment in Canada for contact with Albon. Last year, comparable infractions routinely carried one or two penalty points.

2026 guidelines now explicitly state that issuing no penalty points is acceptable in many cases. The collision penalty framework was restructured: minor contact like a "kiss" carries zero points maximum, while deliberate or reckless intent still allows four.

If double yellow flag violations no longer trigger penalty points, the range of serious offences has shrunk considerably. The system means drivers face lighter consequences for infractions that previously warranted automatic points accumulation.