Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Formula 1 Points System Explained – How does F1 Points System Work?

The Formula 1 Points system explained

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 76th season of Formula 1 is underway in 2025. The Formula 1 championship features 10 teams and 20 drivers competing for the constructor and drivers title respectively. Often known as the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula 1 is an extreme sport famous for its speed and technical advancements. The Formula 1 championship is considered one of the most prestigious accolades in motorsports. Formula 1 first started in 1950 and has been held every year since then. Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher are the drivers who have the most championships in Formula 1, with seven titles each to their name.

On the other hand, Ferrari is the most successful constructor in Formula 1 with 15 constructor championships to their name. The Formula 1 championship in 2024 was won by Max Verstappen, racing for Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 is also featured on Netflix through the Drive to Survive series. The series has introduced many new fans to Formula 1. So, let’s go through the process of crowning a Formula 1 champion.

What is The F1 Points System?

The Formula 1 championship features a very straightforward method of crowning the ultimate victors. Unlike other series, like NASCAR, Formula 1 racing decided the final results on basis of a driver’s performance throughout the season. This makes us wonder, how does Formula 1 rate a driver’s performance. Formula 1 awards some points to a driver based on the results of every race. The Formula 1 season consists of a 24-race schedule and an additional, six Sprint races. The driver who has most points out these 24 races is crowned as the champion. What about the teams then? It’s simple, every team has two drivers. The collective points earned by both of the drivers after every race are added to the team’s total. At the end of the season, the team with the most points wins the Constructor’s championship.

The Formula 1 Points System is fairly simple, right? Now let’s go through the process of awarding points to drivers.

Formula 1 Points Per Position

The Formula 1 points system consists of two main point awarding scenarios. Formula 1 awards points to drivers after every race on Sunday and in case of Sprint weekends, points are also awarded to drivers after the Sprint race. The top-10 drivers earn points after every race on Sunday. However, in the Sprint Race held on Saturday, only the top-8 drivers are awarded with points. The total points that a driver can secure throughout the season are 600 points from 24 races and an additional 48 points available through six Sprint Races.

The Formula 1 points distribution for a regular Sunday race is as follows-

The Formula 1 points distribution for a Sprint race is as follows-

However, Formula 1 used to award one bonus point to drivers who set the fastest lap of the race and also finished in the top-10 during the race. A new rule for the 2025 season scrapped this bonus point system. Thus, drivers can now only earn points on basis of the race results.

Formula 1

Formula 1 2025 Season

Rohan Singh

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I work as a Writer at The Playoffs specialising in NHL, Formula 1 and Motorsports. I got into online journalism a couple of years ago. I used to be an intern for a website managing their Formula 1 content and then I served an entire year as a contractual writer.