How close are drivers to a grid penalty? Kimi Antonelli most at risk
Kimi Antonelli is the driver most at risk of a penalty.
Power unit allocations will become increasingly important as the season enters the second half with grid penalties looming.
Ahead of each F1 season, drivers are allocated a certain amount of power unit elements which in theory should last them the duration of the campaign but as we have seen plenty of times before, penalties are common.
The current F1 power unit allocations as they stand
Ahead of the 2026 season, drivers were allocated four Internal Combustion Engines, four Turbochargers, four Exhausts, three MGU-Ks, three Energy Stores and three Control Electronics with those numbers set to each reduce by one for the 2027 campaign.
Should a driver go over their allocation, they will be hit with a 10-place grid penalty with each further offence costing five more spots.
Now, with F1 in its summer break, plenty of drivers are getting close to the limit with some having already gone over. Here’s how things stand
Drivers who have already served a penalty
Isack Hadjar has managed to exceed his allocation on all but two of his engine components already this season.
He picked up a 30-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix but it should in theory put him in good stead for the rest of the season.
Lando Norris, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz have also already taken penalties so they can only be hit with a further five for every part they exceed.
Drivers one part away from a penalty
A number of drivers are already at the limit of what they are allowed and current championship leader Antonelli is the most at risk.
He is at the maximum in terms of ICE, Exhaust, Energy Store and PUCE, one more of any of these and Antonelli will be hit with a 10-place grid penalty.
Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have both hit the limit of MGU-K, ES and PUCE. The Cadillac and Haas duo are in the same situation.
Alex Albon is it at the limit for ES and PUCE as is Franco Colapinto while Nico Hulkenberg can use no more MGU-K before a penalty. His team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto has hit the limit of MGU-K and PUCE.
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F1 2026 mid-season driver power rankings
Drivers not at the allocation
As is stands, five drivers are not at the limit for any of their engine parts with those being Arvid Lindblad, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri.
Current parts used by the F1 2026 grid
Bold indicates at allocation limit. Italic indicates allocation exceeded but penalty already served
| Driver | ICE | TC | EXH | MGU-K | ES | PUCE | PUANC |
| Isack Hadjar | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Max Verstappen | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Liam Lawson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Arvid Lindblad | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Kimi Antonelli | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| George Russell | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Oscar Piastri | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Lando Norris | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Esteban Ocon | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Oliver Bearman | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Charles Leclerc | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Lewis Hamilton | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Sergio Perez | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Valtteri Bottas | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Nico Hülkenberg | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Alexander Albon | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Carlos Sainz | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Lance Stroll | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Fernando Alonso | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Pierre Gasly | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Franco Colapinto | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
