Formula 1 Chinese GP
Exclusive: F1 to discuss new points structure
Formula 1 is to discuss a new points structure next week, Motorsport.com can reveal, which could trigger a revamp for as early as the 2025 season.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Apr 21, 2024, 5:23 PM
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The talks will take place when teams join the FIA and F1 management for a gathering of the regular F1 Commission in Geneva and via video conference, as they debate a range of topics relating to technical and sporting matters.
One item that has been given prominence on the F1 Commission agenda, which has been distributed ahead of the meeting, is a potential change to F1’s points structure.
The idea that has been proposed is for points to be distributed to the top 12 drivers, rather than the top 10, as has been the case since 2010.
To ensure minimal impact on the fight for overall championship glory, the proposal is not to shake up the points on offer at the front of the field.
Instead, if the plan gets support, then the top seven race finishing positions will remain unchanged, with only the points being offered from 8th and below being altered as can be seen in the table below.
Finishing position Current points Proposed points 1 25 25 2 18 18 3 15 15 4 12 12 5 10 10 6 8 8 7 6 6 8 4 5 9 2 4 10 1 3 11 0 2 12 0 1 Fastest lap 1 (top 10 finishers only) 1 (top 12 finishers only)
Motorsport.com understands that an expansion of points on offer has come following some lobbying from smaller outfits who believe it would be an improvement for them and F1 if points were more widely distributed.
It would deliver added value for those squads who are battling for the lower positions to be taking home points, rather than the frequent non-scores that can be possible nowadays because of the pace of the top five squads.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, the rest of the field at the start of the Sprint
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
After four races so far this season, three teams – Alpine, Williams and Sauber – have failed to score any points because of the near lockout that the top five outfits have on the top 10 places.
The change would also reward consistent performance throughout the season in terms of delivering regular points over one-off good hauls.
At the moment, teams can find themselves losing out in a constructors’ championship battle with a rival if there is a freak race where their competitor lucks into a one-off good result.
The plan to keep the points for the top positions unchanged is a means of ensuring support from the leading squads, who have previously been reluctant to make changes to the structure - especially with the FIA receiving payments for entry fees for every point scored.
While it is understood that there is not set to be unanimous support for the proposal, it only requires six of the current 10 teams to back it next week for it to be introduced for next season.
Changes to the F1 points structure are not common, with there being only four occasions since 1990 that they have been tweaked.
In 1991, F1 introduced a 10/6/4/3/2/1 system, before this was changed for 2003 when a revision was made to 10/8/6/5/4/3/2/1.
In 2010, the current top 10 system of 25/18/15/12/10/8/6/4/2/1 was introduced, while a point was added for fastest lap in 2019 for any driver that also finished in the top 10.
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