How the new F1 points system would change 2024 championship standings

Alex Gassman
New F1 points system

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Formula 1 teams and management are discussing proposals for a new points system.

Here’s a look at how it differs to the current system, and how would shake up the current championship table if it was implemented today.

The F1 points system

Formula 1 management (FOM) teams and the FIA will discuss a potential new points system that could be implemented as soon as 2025 when they gather in Geneva soon for the Formula 1 Commission.

Some of the lower teams on the grid have been lobbying FOM and the FIA for an overhaul of the points system. 

The current status-quo of the top five teams (Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and Mercedes) frequently locking out the top 10 race finishing positions makes it almost impossible for any of the other five mid-field teams to score points.

Here’s how the current points system works for Grand Prix race finishes:

Current F1 points sytem
Finishing position Points
1 25
2 18
3 15
4 12
5 10
6 8
7 6
8 4
9 2
10 1
11 0
12 0

The current system only awards points to the top 10 finishers. Positions 11 and below receive nothing. Often it’s only when one or more of the cars from the top 5 teams doesn’t finish that one of the other 5 teams can score some points.

It also means that even if one team is consistently seeing their cars finish in 11th and 12 they won’t receive any more points than a team whose cars are finishing 19th and 20th. 

Plus, if there’s a freak event when one of the mid-field teams has a gamble that pays off (perhaps due to a lucky tyre choice in changing weather) and sees one of their cars finish in the top 5, then that can leave them on more points at the end of the season than the team regularly finishing 11th and 12.

The new F1 points system

The proposed revamp to the points system would award points for drivers down to 12th place, and would be as follows:

New F1 points sytem
Finishing position Points
1 25
2 18
3 15
4 12
5 10
6 8
7 6
8 5
9 4
10 3
11 2
12 1

Here’s a comparison of the current and the proposed points systems: 

F1 Points Systems
Finishing position New Points Current Points
1 25 25
2 18 18
3 15 15
4 12 12
5 10 10
6 8 8
7 6 6
8 5 4
9 4 2
10 3 1
11 2 0
12 1 0

The new system wouldn’t change any of the points awarded to the top 7 finishes. From positions 8 down to 12, however, the points awarded would differ.

The new system would give the 5 mid-field teams a change of consistently scoring more points, better reflecting their results come the end of the season.

It wouldn’t change the sprint race points system.

How would it change the 2024 standings?

I was interested to see how the new points structure would have changed the current 2024 championship standings, if it was introduced at the start of this year.

Below is a comparison between the current and proposed points systems, after 5 rounds of the 2024 season have been completed.

2024 F1 Standings: Current vs New Points System
Current Points New Points
1 Max Verstappen 110 1 Max Verstappen 110
2 Sergio Pérez 85 2 Sergio Pérez 85
3 Charles Leclerc 76 3 Charles Leclerc 76
4 Carlos Sainz Jr. 69 4 Carlos Sainz Jr. 69
5 Lando Norris 58 5 Lando Norris 59
6 Oscar Piastri 38 6 Oscar Piastri 41
7 George Russell 33 7 Fernando Alonso 34
8 Fernando Alonso 31 8 George Russell 33
9 Lewis Hamilton 19 9 Lewis Hamilton 25
10 Lance Stroll 9 10 Lance Stroll 12
11 Yuki Tsunoda 7 11 Nico Hülkenberg 12
12 Oliver Bearman 6 12 Yuki Tsunoda 9
13 Nico Hülkenberg 4 13 Oliver Bearman 6
14 Kevin Magnussen 1 14 Kevin Magnussen 5
15 Alexander Albon 0 15 Alexander Albon 5
16 Esteban Ocon 0 16 Esteban Ocon 2
17 Zhou Guanyu 0 17 Zhou Guanyu 2
18 Daniel Ricciardo 0 18 Daniel Ricciardo 1
19 Pierre Gasly 0 19 Pierre Gasly 0
20 Valtteri Bottas 0 20 Valtteri Bottas 0
21 Logan Sargeant 0 21 Logan Sargeant 0
New F1 points system

Here’s some of the key changes:

  • With the current system, 7 drivers are still on zero points. With the new system, only 3 drivers have no points.
  • Nico Hulkenberg would go from 4 to 12 points and jump up to 11th place from the 13th place that he’s currently in.
  • Fernando Alonso would overtake George Russell for 7th place in the standings by gaining an extra 3 points.
  • Lewis Hamilton would still be in 9th, but would have another 6 points to show for his dismal start to the season.

Even though we’re only 5 races in to the season, those are fairly significant changes. The most notable is that fewer drivers will be sat floundering on 0 points when in reality they would have had some decent results.

I’m all for the new points system being introduced. It would give the midfield teams more incentive to race hard and consistently perform well.

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Alex Gassman

I‘m Alex. I write F1 and motorsport travel guides based on my experience as racing driver and full-time motorsport nerd. I’ve traveled the world watching F1 and other racing series.

I started oversteer48 with the aim of helping other motorsport fans who are planning on watching some racing themselves.

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I’ll send you a weekly email with insider info on the latest F1 news and results. 
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