LEWIS HAMILTON and Max Verstappen are fighting out one of the most spectacular Formula One seasons in living memory.
The two drivers are separated by eight points going into the last four races of the season with the Saudi Grand Prix taking place next.
The season has seen casual fans finally switch back on to motorsport after dominant spells from the likes of Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel before him.
But it can be confusing how the scoring works for each F1 race.
How does F1 point scoring work?
Points are awarded on a sliding scale for a Grand Prix victory, with first place taking 25 points and the rest of the field to 10th place scoring.
- 1st place – 25 points
- 2nd – 18 points
- 3rd – 15 points
- 4th – 12 points
- 5th – 10 points
- 6th – 8 points
- 7th – 6 points
- 8th – 4 points
- 9th – 2 points
- 10th – 1 point
- 11-last – 0 points
Are F1 points awarded for the fastest lap?
Yes. One championship point is awarded to the driver with the fastest lap of any Formula One Grand Prix.
But only if they finish in the top 10 positions of a Grand Prix race.
This is to avoid a driver who is at the back of the field giving up on winning a race but hanging back in order to set the fastest lap.
How are points awarded if F1 race is abandoned?
If a race is abandoned before 75 per cent of the distance has been completed all points are halved.
This happened in the 2021 season at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Are championship points awarded in the F1 Sprint Race?
Yes. The F1 Sprint Race is a new format introduced in 2021 for the first time to break the sometimes dull cycle of practice-qualifying-grand prix.
The top three places in a Sprint Race are rewarded as follows:
- 1st – three points
- 2nd – two points
- 3rd – one point
