Warwick believes that the points-based license system works

Derek Warwick – President of the BRDC (British Racing Drivers’ Club), former F1 driver, and occasional fourth steward – believes that the points system implemented by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) this season is a resounding success, even though some improvements could be made.

The system stipulates that if a driver reaches 12 penalty points over a 12-month period, they will be banned from the next Grand Prix. Currently, 5 drivers have been penalized, including Pastor Maldonado in Bahrain where Warwick was the driver steward. Although the Venezuelan said after the race that the threat of receiving a penalty could deter drivers from battling wheel-to-wheel, Warwick believes the system is positive.

« I think it’s working. Maybe at the end of the year, we will have to review a few points. Perhaps the number of penalty points for certain incidents—some may be too high, others too low. Charlie [Whiting, the race director, Ed.] is very good at analyzing this at the end of the season and maybe slightly changing things, » the Briton told Sky Sports News.

Warwick believes that the accumulation of penalty points should deter repeat offenders: « If someone has enough penalty points and is then forced to miss a Grand Prix, it’s because they have driven very poorly all year. So the system is good. » Besides Maldonado, four other drivers have been penalized, starting with Jules Bianchi, the “only repeat offender.”

State of play of the points-based licenses for F1 drivers 2014

4 points

Jules Bianchi: 2 points for causing a collision with Maldonado in Malaysia and 2 points for causing a collision with Sutil in Bahrain

3 points

Pastor Maldonado: 3 points for causing a collision with Gutiérrez in Bahrain

2 points

Valtteri Bottas: 2 points for impeding a driver during qualifying in Malaysia

Kevin Magnussen: 2 points for causing a collision with Räikkönen in Malaysia

Adrian Sutil: 2 penalty points for forcing Grosjean off track during qualifying in Bahrain