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How is the F1 world champion decided?
The basic rule
Points are scored at every Grand Prix and Sprint (how points work). Whoever has the most after the final race is World Champion. It doesn’t matter how many races you won along the way, only the total.
Clinching early: the simple maths
You don’t have to wait for the last race. A driver is champion as soon as nobody can catch them:
Lead > points still available = champion
Points still available = 25 × Grands Prix remaining + 8 × Sprints remaining.
Example: with five Grands Prix and no Sprints left, 125 points are available. A driver leading by 126 or more is champion.
Tie-breakers (countback)
If two drivers end level on points, F1 compares:
- Number of wins
- Then number of second places
- Then thirds, and so on down
That’s why a lead of exactly the remaining points can still be enough, if the leader has more wins than the chaser can reach.
Two titles, two celebrations
The Constructors’ Championship works the same way, using both drivers’ points combined. Teams often care about it even more, because it decides prize money. See Formula 1 explained.
Watch it happen
Title-deciding races are some of the best to watch as a new fan. Check the race calendar and make your predictions.
FAQ
When can a driver clinch the F1 championship?
When their lead over every rival is greater than the points still available: 25 per remaining Grand Prix plus 8 per remaining Sprint. If the lead exactly equals the points available, it can still be decided on countback.
What happens if two drivers finish the season level on points?
The driver with more wins takes the title. If wins are equal, it goes to the most second places, then thirds, and so on.
Is the Constructors' Championship decided the same way?
Yes. It's the team with the most combined points from both drivers after the final race, and it can also be clinched early.
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Make your picks →Keep reading
How F1 points work
How many points F1 drivers and teams score per race and sprint, how the two championships work, and how ties are broken.
Formula 1 explained: the complete beginner's guide
What Formula 1 is, how a season works, how teams and drivers win, and what to watch for in your first race, all in plain English.
What is an F1 sprint race?
How F1 sprint weekends work: Sprint Qualifying, the 100 km Saturday race, points for the top eight, and why it doesn't set Sunday's grid.
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