Our beginner’s guide provides all you need to know about the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, explaining what it is, how it works and why it is the most coveted accolade in motorsport, as well as answering some frequently asked questions.
What is the F1 Drivers’ Championship?
The Drivers’ Championship – or, to give it its proper title, the FIA Formula One World Championship for Drivers – is one of the two world championships contested in Formula 1. The F1 driver with the most championship points at the end of the season becomes the world champion.
The championship has been contested every year since 1950, though Grand Prix racing dates back much further than that, virtually to the dawn of the automobile. Prior to 1950, each race was a standalone affair. Winning a Grand Prix carries with it huge acclaim and distinction, so the creation of the world championship amalgamated those great races and created a greater prize for the best of the best.
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In those early years, the Drivers’ Championship was the only championship. This changed in 1958, when a second competition was added, allowing a constructor (today, a team) to compete for a world championship. Which title – Drivers’ or Constructors’ – is most important is a matter of personal opinion but it is the Drivers’ Championship that catches the public imagination, with F1 drivers becoming cult heroes with legendary status.
The scoring system awards championship points for the first ten finishers at each Grand Prix, with 25 points for the winner, before scaling down to 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and a single point for the 10th-placed driver. There’s an additional point available for the driver with the fastest lap of the race (if they finish in the top ten), plus more points available for success in F1 Sprint races. The driver with the most points at the end of the year wins the title. No end of season play-offs.
