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How Formula 1 works: points, sprints and the two championships
Formula 1 looks simple from a distance: a grid of cars, one race, a winner on the podium. Up close there is more going on, from a knockout qualifying session to Saturday sprint races to a second championship that matters as much to the teams as the first. This guide explains how the pieces fit together, as of the 2026 season.
The short version
- A season is a series of grands prix (22 in 2026). Each one pays points to the top 10 finishers: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1.
- Six weekends in 2026 also include a short sprint race, which pays points to the top eight, from 8 down to 1.
- There is no longer a bonus point for the fastest lap. It was dropped from 2025 onward.
- There are two titles: the Drivers' Championship for individuals and the Constructors' Championship for teams, which adds together the points of both of a team's cars.
- Qualifying sets the starting order. It is a three-round knockout, and with 22 cars in 2026, six drivers drop out in each of the first two rounds.
The teams, the drivers and the 2026 grid
Formula 1 is as much a team sport as an individual one. In 2026 there are 11 teams, each running two cars, for 22 drivers. Cadillac joined this year as the 11th team, the first time the grid has had more than 10 teams since 2016.
Each team, officially called a constructor, builds its own car under a shared rulebook, which is why a driver can look brilliant in one car and ordinary in another.
The calendar was planned at 24 races for 2026, but the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were canceled in March because of the conflict in the Middle East and were not replaced, leaving 22. The season runs from March into early December.
2026 also brought new technical rules, including power units with a much larger electric share, fully sustainable fuel and adjustable wings that replaced the old DRS overtaking flap. You don't need the engineering to follow the sport, but it explains why commentators talk so much about energy management this year.
How a race weekend works
A standard weekend runs Friday to Sunday:
- Friday: two practice sessions.
- Saturday: a third practice session, then qualifying.
- Sunday: the grand prix.
Practice is for car setup, and nothing is scored. Qualifying decides the starting grid.
Qualifying is a knockout in three parts:
- Q1 (18 minutes): all 22 cars run. The slowest six are eliminated and start 17th to 22nd.
- Q2 (15 minutes): the remaining 16 run. The slowest six are eliminated and start 11th to 16th.
- Q3 (12 minutes): the top 10 fight for pole position, which is first place on the grid.
Penalties can change the grid after qualifying, most often when a team uses more engine or gearbox parts than the rules allow for the season.
A grand prix is about 305 kilometers (Monaco is shorter) and usually lasts around an hour and a half. In a dry race, each driver has to use at least two different tire compounds, which in practice means at least one pit stop.
The points system
Here is how points are paid in a full-length grand prix and in a sprint:
| Finishing position | Grand prix | Sprint |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 25 | 8 |
| 2nd | 18 | 7 |
| 3rd | 15 | 6 |
| 4th | 12 | 5 |
| 5th | 10 | 4 |
| 6th | 8 | 3 |
| 7th | 6 | 2 |
| 8th | 4 | 1 |
| 9th | 2 | 0 |
| 10th | 1 | 0 |
Nobody outside the top 10 scores in a grand prix, and nobody outside the top eight scores in a sprint.
The bonus point for the fastest lap, which ran from 2019 to 2024, no longer exists. If a race is stopped and can't be restarted, a reduced scale applies based on how much of the distance was completed, and no points are given at all unless the leader has completed at least two laps of racing without a safety car. Full points apply once 75 percent of the distance is done.
How sprint weekends work
Sprint weekends compress the schedule to add a second, shorter race. In 2026 the six sprint rounds were China, Miami, Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and Singapore.
- Friday: one practice session, then sprint qualifying, which uses the same knockout format with shorter sessions.
- Saturday: the sprint, then qualifying for the grand prix.
- Sunday: the grand prix.
A sprint is about 100 kilometers, roughly a third of a grand prix, with no required pit stop. Because a sprint win pays 8 points against 25 for a grand prix win, sprints rarely decide a title on their own, but over six weekends they add up.
The two championships
The Drivers' Championship goes to the driver with the most points across every grand prix and sprint of the season. If two drivers finish level, the tie is broken by countback: most wins, then most second places, and so on down the order.
The Constructors' Championship adds up the points from both of a team's cars. A team whose drivers finish first and seventh scores 25 plus 6, or 31 points, from that race. The final order decides how F1's prize money is shared, and a higher finish earns a bigger share. That is why a midfield team will fight hard over a single point for ninth or tenth.
A title can be decided before the last race. Once a leader is more points clear than the most anyone else can still score, the championship is won. A normal weekend is worth up to 25 points to one driver and a sprint weekend up to 33, so counting the remaining rounds tells you how close things really are.
Following a season without watching every session
Most fans skip practice. If you only have a few minutes, check the grid and any penalties, the race result and the updated standings, and note which weekends have sprints. If you follow F1 alongside other sports, the year in sport calendar shows where its season sits.
Frequently asked questions
How many points does a Formula 1 race winner get?
A grand prix winner gets 25 points and a sprint winner gets 8. There has been no bonus point for the fastest lap since the 2025 season.
What is the difference between the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships?
The Drivers' Championship ranks individual drivers by their own points. The Constructors' Championship ranks teams by the combined points of their two cars, and it decides how prize money is shared.
How many sprint races are there in a season?
There were six sprint weekends in 2026, the same number as in each of the previous three seasons. Each sprint is about 100 kilometers and pays points to the top eight.
Do drivers outside the top 10 score anything?
No. Only the top 10 in a grand prix and the top eight in a sprint score points, which is why a ninth or tenth place can matter so much to a midfield team.
If you want Formula 1 in your inbox without tracking every session, Get Your Sports Here can send a short daily briefing on the drivers or teams you pick, with each fact linked to its source. If F1 is one of several sports you follow, the general rundown keeps it in proportion alongside everything else. You can set one up here.