Formula 1 standings track the progress of F1 drivers and teams throughout a season. It’s a high-speed competition that pits the world’s best against each other to decide champions in both Drivers and Constructors categories.
The Drivers Championship determines individual champions, while the Constructors Championship crowns teams that win more races than their competitors. Each team enters two cars at each race and accumulates points based on how well the car performs in the race. Drivers earn points for finishing in the top ten of each race and also for securing pole position, which grants them a significant advantage at the start of the race. The top three finishers receive the highest points and are awarded on a podium, with first place receiving the most prize money.
Whether it’s optimizing car performance, executing flawless pit stops or ensuring drivers get the most out of their engines, every element of a team’s success is measured by its championship standing. Pivotal shifts in the sport, like the introduction of hybrid engines or changes to aerodynamic rules that boost overtaking opportunities, constantly alter how rankings look.
There are few things more coveted than a spot at the top of the standings, but it’s not always easy to do. The spread between the top and bottom is wide – even after years of FIA attempts to level the playing field by awarding points for fastest laps or by giving mid-field teams double points at the final race, it remains a tall order to reclaim the top step of the podium.