Formula 1 standings track the performance of drivers and teams across a calendar of races, known as Grands Prix. Taking into account a driver’s qualifying position, race results and lap times, the final ranking is determined by the number of points earned. Over the course of an F1 season, a driver with the most championship points is crowned champion of the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
A race’s top three finishers earn 25 points, while those behind receive a decreasing number of points, with the lowest scoring driver receiving just one point. The system was amended ahead of the 2023 season to award points for sprint races, which are one third of the full length of a Grand Prix. Since the first world championship in 1950, 17 different drivers have taken a solitary title, with Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton leading all other drivers with seven titles each.
The constructors’ title, also called the FIA Formula One World Constructors’ Championship, rewards the collective efforts of all teams, from the design and development of the car to its engine and pit crew. It’s a team title that has considerable importance in terms of prize money, but it’s equally notable for the tension and drama it can unleash between rival drivers in contention to win.
It’s a rare occurrence, but if two drivers end the year tied on championship points, a countback of results is used to determine the winner. If the results fail to produce a clear winner, a playoff is held, with the first place driver awarded more points than the second.