Keeping up with Formula 1 standings is essential for any fan of this exciting and demanding sport. As the season progresses, accumulating driver and team points is key to success.
Twenty drivers (two per team from ten teams) compete across 23 races to earn championship points. They do this by completing in top 10 positions, with the possibility of additional points through conditional fastest lap times and a scattering of shorter sprint race-only scores.
These aren’t merely for show, as finishing position has a significant impact on next year’s prize money. It is for this reason that battles for the bottom of the table are as fierce as those in the middle and at the top.
Driver championship standings reward consistency and highlight the raw talent and strategic acumen of these motorsport professionals. As a result, it can be difficult to predict a winner, as the slightest error or brilliant maneuver can swing the rankings considerably.
The same is true of constructors’ standings, which reward the combined efforts of drivers and engineers in a competition as fierce and strategically complex as any political campaign. Since the constructors’ title was first contested in 1958, Ferrari have won the most titles with 16, followed by McLaren and Williams who have both won nine and Mercedes who have won an incredible eight-in-a-row between 2014-2021.
Ties occur fairly regularly, though never to determine a world champion. Should two or more drivers end the season with an equal amount of points, ranking is decided by race results. Should that fail to split the two, it is awarded to whichever team has more second place finishes, then third place finishes until a clear winner can be found.
