F1 standings are a key part of the sport’s competitive landscape, helping to shape strategies and drive the action. The points system rewards teams and drivers who can reach the top of the podium, but also dangles a carrot for those that may not be able to win every race – those coveted top ten places are still worth millions of pounds in prize money. The scoring system has undergone many iterations over the years, with changes in priority balancing driving excellence and team competitiveness.

Drivers and teams compete throughout the season for the titles of World Drivers Champion and World Constructors Champion. The winner of each is determined by their overall points total after a set number of races. If two or more drivers are level on points at the end of the season, a countback of results is used to determine the winner.

The standard Formula 1 weekend takes place over three days – Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each day begins with a 60-minute Free Practice session (FP1 and FP2) for the teams to tune and optimise their cars before qualifying takes place.

Each race is run over a minimum of 70 laps, with each lap counting towards the final result. The first driver over the finish line is awarded a checkered flag, with the winners of each race receiving a trophy on the podium in front of the cheering crowds.