Formula 1 is a global spectacle of speed, strategy, and engineering excellence. Its drivers and teams fight for every point in a season, which culminates in a Driver’s Championship and a Constructors’ Championship crowning champions. These standings are calculated from a series of races, known as Grands Prix. Understanding how these rankings are determined gives insight into the competitive essence of the sport.

Formula One’s ranking system awards points for the top 10 finishers in a race and 25 for the winner. Drivers accumulate their own personal Driver’s Championship points, while the team also scores team points through the finishes of both its drivers. Combined, these points determine the team’s Constructors’ Championship rank.

The team with the highest cumulative score by season’s end is declared the Constructors’ Champions. There are 15 teams competing across a season, and each runs two cars, with both drivers eligible to score points. During the 2023 season, for example, AlfaTauri ran Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries alongside Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson. The team scored a total of 44 points in the season and finished eighth in the standings.

The current ranking system rewards winners more proportionally than in the past. FIA has tweaked the regulations over time, including reducing points for second place and adding them to seventh and ninth places. These adjustments balance the scales, and have been crucial to maintaining a high level of competition and driving excellence. The result is that the best team can win, but it’s not guaranteed to be the one with the fastest car.