F1 standings are the defining measure of champions and are crucial for both Drivers’ Championships and Constructors’ Championships. They determine who wins the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, which is awarded to the team that scores the most points over the course of a season.
A team earns points for every place it finishes in a Grand Prix race and the winner gets 25 points, with the top 10 scoring 8 points each (top eight in sprint races). Drivers are ranked individually according to their results, while a team’s total is calculated by adding up both its drivers’ points.
It’s rare that two drivers end the season tied on points and dead heats don’t decide a title in Formula 1’s history, but if it did happen then there would be a countback of results. The driver with the most wins would be crowned champion, followed by the driver with the most second place finishes and so on until a tie is broken.
While the Drivers’ Championship captures the public imagination and generates more media attention, the constructors’ title is the ultimate prize for Formula 1 teams – that’s Alpine, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Haas, Honda, Jaguar, McLaren, Renault, Mercedes and Sauber – because they receive significant financial bonuses from the FIA, as well as the prestige of being referred to as the ‘best team in Formula 1’. However, the title doesn’t always mean much more than bragging rights – it can also influence internal politics and lead to some controversial tactics.