How does F1 points scoring system work? Points for Formula 1 races, sprints and fastest lap
The system for scoring points in Formula 1 has changed a lot over the years, but the basic concept has remained the same – the higher you finish, the more points you get.
The 2022 season saw a change with sprint qualifying sessions introduced at various circuits on the calendar, and 2023 will see further tweaking – with adjustments when races are shortened due to bad weather (remember Japan last year ?).
The current system allows for a lot of scoring, which dangles a carrot for those riders and teams who aren’t expected to be fighting for the podium but who still want to get in the points.
The Sporting News runs through the system below.
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How many points do you get for winning an F1 Grand Prix?
The winner of each race gets 25 points, 18 for second place and 15 for third place on the podium. An additional 1 point is awarded to the driver and team that set the fastest lap (provided they finished in the top 10 points positions).
This is how the regular scoring works
| position | Points |
| 1 | 25 |
| 2 | 18 |
| 3 | 15 |
| 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 10 |
| 6. | 8th |
| 7 | 6 |
| 8th | 4 |
| 9. | 2 |
| 10 | 1 |
Sprint points in F1 2023
In addition to the one extra point for the fastest lap, there are also points in the sprint qualifying. With 24 races planned for the 2023 season, plus the sprints, a driver has a maximum of 672 points available.
The 2023 calendar will feature twice as many sprints as last year (three to six) at the following circuits:
- Azerbaijan – Baku City Circuit (April 30)
- Austria – Red Bull Ring (July 2nd)
- Belgium – Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (July 30)
- Qatar – Losail International Circuit (8 October)
- USA – Circuit of The Americas (October 22)
- Brazil – Interlagos (November 5)
Sprint winners are awarded 48 extra points throughout the season.
How sprint points work
| position | Points |
| 1 | 8th |
| 2 | 7 |
| 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 5 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 6. | 3 |
| 7 | 2 |
| 8th | 1 |
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Points awarded for shortened races
The regular race scoring system will be used for any race that has completed 75% or more of the scheduled distance, or for a race that has resumed after a red flag stop and then finished in green flag conditions for at least two laps of the race.
The 2022 Japanese Grand Prix was suspended for two hours due to bad weather and a series of incidents on the first lap, but eventually Max Verstappen received full points for his win despite completing just 28 laps and just 40 minutes in racing conditions.
It was the Grand Prix that sealed the world title for the Red Bull driver, although many argued he should have earned fewer points due to the shortened race.
This is the FIA’s shortened race system, put in place following the chaos of the rain-affected 2021 Belgian Grand Prix:
FIA F1 Points Column 1 (two laps – 25% race distance)
1st – 6th
2nd – 4th
3rd – 3rd
4th – 2nd
5th – 1st
FIA F1 points column 2 (25% – 50% race distance)
1st – 13th
2nd – 10th
3rd – 8th
4th – 6th
5th – 5th
6th – 4th
7th – 3rd
8th – 2nd
9th – 1st
FIA F1 points column 3 (50% – 75% race distance)
1st – 19th
2nd – 14th
3rd – 12th
4th – 9th
5th – 8th
6th – 6th
7th – 5th
8th – 3rd
9th – 2nd
10th – 1st