The quick answer
| Position | Race | Sprint |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 25 | 8 |
| 2nd | 18 | 7 |
| 3rd | 15 | 6 |
| 4th | 12 | 5 |
| 5th | 10 | 4 |
| 6th | 8 | 3 |
| 7th | 6 | 2 |
| 8th | 4 | 1 |
| 9th | 2 | 0 |
| 10th | 1 | 0 |
| 11th and below | 0 | 0 |
From here on, it is all detail. If you only keep one idea: 25 in the race, 8 in the sprint.
How much you can score in a weekend
On a normal weekend, a driver can score 25 points at most. On a sprint weekend, 33 at most: 8 from the sprint and 25 from the race.
A team adds up the points of its two drivers. If they finish first and second in a race, it takes 43 points. If they also do the same in the sprint, it adds 15 more, for a total of 58 over the weekend. That is the most possible.
In 2026 there are six sprint weekends, so those extra points carry weight, even though each sprint gives far less than a race.
The two championships
The same results build two tables at once, and each one rewards something different:
- Drivers' championship
- Each driver adds up their own points. Whoever has the most at the end of the year is world champion.
- Constructors' championship
- Each team adds up the points of its two drivers. This is the one that sets how much money each team receives.
That is why a team can win the constructors' championship without having the champion driver. Two evenly matched drivers who always score can be worth more than one great star alongside someone far from the podium.
It also explains why the last points-scoring places are fought over so hard. Ninth place is only 2 points, but in the final table it can mean millions of dollars. We cover this in the article on team money.
What happens if you do not finish the race
To appear in the result you must complete at least 90% of the winner's laps. If a driver retires with very little left, they can still be classified and score points.
Here is an example. In a 70-lap race, 90% is 63 laps. A driver whose engine fails on lap 66 is classified and, if their position is good enough, scores points. If they retire on lap 50, they do not.
An example with the sums
Imagine a sprint weekend. One driver finishes third in the sprint and wins the race. Their team-mate finishes eighth in the sprint and fifth in the race.
| Who | Sprint | Race | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver A | 6 | 25 | 31 |
| Driver B | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| Team | 7 | 35 | 42 |
Driver A adds 31 for the drivers' championship. Driver B adds 11. The team adds 42 for the constructors' championship.
When a title is decided is also a simple sum. A driver is champion when their lead over second place is greater than the points still available. That is why the championship is often settled before the last race.
How the system has changed
The points have not always been these. If you look at old statistics, bear in mind that a title from another era was won on a different scale:
| Years | Points from 1st to the last scoring place |
|---|---|
| 1991 to 2002 | 10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 |
| 2003 to 2009 | 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 |
| Since 2010 | 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 |
The extra point for the fastest lap existed between 2019 and 2024. That is why comparing points totals between eras is not very useful: far more are handed out today, and there are also more races per year.
What happens if the race is cut short
Sometimes a race cannot be finished, nearly always because of rain or a serious accident. In those cases the points depend on how much distance was completed:
| Winner's distance | Points from 1st to the last scoring place |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 2 laps under green flag | Nobody scores points |
| 2 laps or more, up to 25% | 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 |
| Between 25% and 50% | 13, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 |
| Between 50% and 75% | 19, 14, 12, 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1 |
| 75% or more | All the normal points |
This scale came about because of a famous case. At the 2021 Belgian GP it rained so much that only a few laps were run behind the safety car, and half the points were still awarded. The criticism led to a tougher rule.
What no longer gives points
- The fastest lap: until 2024 it gave an extra point to whoever set it while in the top ten. Since 2025 it gives nothing.
- Pole position: it gives no points, only the best starting place.
- Practice: it scores nothing, whatever the result.
- Qualifying: it scores nothing, neither the Saturday session nor the sprint one.
Video games and old articles may still talk about the fastest lap point. It no longer exists.
How ties are broken
If two drivers or two teams finish level, the comparison is who won more races. If that is also equal, second places are checked, then thirds, and so on.
It came very close in 2021: Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton reached the final round, in Abu Dhabi, on exactly the same points: 369.5.
How points can be taken away
Points from a result can be lost after the race. If a car fails to meet the technical rules at the final inspection, the driver is disqualified and their points vanish. Those behind move up a place.
A time penalty can also change everything. Five seconds added at the end can take a driver out of the points. That is why the official table is only confirmed after the stewards have finished their review.
Do not confuse these points with licence points, which are a penalty given to drivers for dangerous driving. We explain them in the article on penalties.
Frequently asked questions
Why 25 and not 10?
The current system has been used since 2010, when the number of cars scoring was increased and the aim was to reward a win more. The numbers are a decision by the sport and have no other logic.
What happens to the points if a driver changes team?
In the drivers' table, the points belong to the driver and go with them. In the constructors' table, they stay with the team where they were scored. The same goes for a stand-in: what they score counts for them and for that team.
Do the race and the sprint count the same?
The points go into the same table, but a race gives out far more. Winning a sprint gives less than fifth place in a race.
Can you be champion while winning few races?
Yes, because what matters is the total, not the number of wins. The most famous case is Keke Rosberg, champion in 1982 with a single win all year.