Formula 1 points system: how it works
A clear guide to the Formula 1 points system, from top-10 race scores to how the drivers’ and constructors’ titles are decided by season.
Formula 1 awards championship points from race results, and both drivers and teams score across a season. The basic top-10 scale has been stable in recent years, but bonus points such as fastest lap have changed by season and need that context.
Points for the top ten
In modern Formula 1, the standard Grand Prix points scale for the top 10 finishers has been 25 for first, 18 for second, 15 for third, then 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 down to 10th. That scale has been used since the 2010 season for full-length championship races, and it is the one most fans mean when they refer to the Formula 1 points system.
That said, points scales have not been identical across all eras of Formula 1. Earlier championships used different systems, and some seasons also included separate sprint points formats. For that reason, any exact points table should be tied to the season being discussed rather than treated as universal across the sport’s history.
How the championships are decided
The drivers' championship is decided by the total number of points each driver scores over the season. Every classified result that awards points adds to that driver’s tally, and the driver with the highest total at the end of the championship wins the title.
The constructors' championship uses the same race results, but the points scored by both cars from the same team are added together. If one team finishes with more combined points than every other entrant, it takes the constructors' title. In simple terms, the drivers' standings are individual totals, while the constructors' standings are team totals built from both drivers' results.
Bonus points and season changes
Bonus points are where the Formula 1 points system needs the most care. They have changed several times across the championship’s history, so they should always be described with the season or era attached. A rule that applied in one period cannot be assumed to apply in another.
Fastest lap is the clearest example. From 2019 through 2024, Formula 1 awarded one extra point for fastest lap, but only if the driver who set it finished in the top 10. That bonus point was removed from the 2025 season onward. Other bonus-point ideas have existed in earlier decades too, which is why any explainer should separate the long-standing race-finishing points from season-specific extras.