Formula 1 standings are the real-time indicators that track each team and driver’s performance across a demanding calendar of Grand Prix races and shorter sprint events. These results are key to understanding the dynamic nature of the sport, where a fraction of a second can change the balance of power and the fortunes of the leading teams.
F1 standings are based on a points system that awards a driver or team the higher they finish in a race. The top-ten drivers receive points for their efforts, while those who finish outside of the top ten are penalized with no points being awarded at all. Throughout the years, the system has been tweaked to account for things like weather conditions and changes in sprint races. The 2022 season saw a further adjustment, with up to eight points being awarded for finishing 1st through 8th in sprint races.
In addition to individual driver standings, there are also constructor standings that recognise the success of each F1 team throughout a campaign. These are determined by adding up the total number of points scored by a team’s two drivers at each race of the season. The team that scores the most points at the end of the year is crowned the Constructors’ Championship.
The Drivers’ Championship was first introduced in 1950, while the Constructors’ Championship followed in 1958. Both have gone through many different scoring systems over the decades, but the underlying principle remains the same. If two drivers are level on points at the end of the season, a countback of results will decide which driver is crowned champion.