If you are new to formula one, you might be confused by how teams or drivers win championship. You are not alone. One of the common questions that I am getting these days is; how does the F1 constructors championship points work?
It is a good question, and I intend to help you understand how the F1 constructors’ championship point system works.
This information and knowledge is good, as you will be able to understand how a team is declared a winner at the end of an F1 season.
Formula one is a big sport, and stakes are usually very high. You can understand this when you learn that teams earn a lot of money from winning a constructors’ title in F1.
F1 is big business, and there are many ways formula one makes money.
In this regard, it is important to try as much as possible to score as many points as it can to finish at a good position.
Winning the constructors’ championship is the goal of each team participating in formula one today.
How Does F1 Constructors’ Point System Work?
In simple terms, the point system for the constructors’ championship involves allocating points to teams based on how they finish each individual race.
The points are allocated to the teams that finish on the top ten after a race.
To be declared the winner of the F1 constructors’ title, the team must have scored the highest number of point over the course of the season.
It is also possible to win the constructors’ championship in F1, even before a season is over. To do this, the team should have a lead that cannot be overtaken regardless of the results of the remaining races.
For example, in 2020, Mercedes won the constructors’ championship at Imola, with four races remaining. This followed a one-two finish by Hamilton and Bottas.
F1 Constructors’ Championship Point System
To understand how a team wins the formula one championship, you need to learn the basics of how points are awarded in each race.
F1 constructors’ championship point system is not that complicated. It is a simple allocation of points based on how a team’s drivers score at each grand prix.
So, what are F1 constructors points?
Constructors’ Championship points are calculated by adding points scored in each race by any driver for that constructor.
How are Constructors Championship Points Calculated?
The winner receives 25 points, the second-place finisher 18 points, with 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 points for positions 3 through 10, respectively.
One additional point is awarded to the driver and team with the fastest lap of the race, if they finish in the top 10 positions.
The present system of Formula One World Championship points scoring was adopted in 2010 and has been continuing since.
According to this system, the top 10 drivers at the end of each Grand Prix will receive points based on the positions they finished and these points will contribute towards determining both, the World Drivers’ and World Constructors’ Championships at the end of the season.
The winner receives 25 points, allocated towards both the drivers’ championship points as well as constructors’ championship.
How Points are Allocated to F1 Teams
Formula 1 drivers and teams receive points according to the following table:
- 1st Place – 25 Points.
- 2nd Place – 18 Points.
- 3rd Place – 15 Points.
- 4th Place – 12 Points.
- 5th Place – 10 Points.
- 6th Place – 8 Points.
- 7th Place – 6 Points.
- 8th Place – 4 Points.
- 9th Place – 2 Points.
- 10th Place – 1 Point.
In order to receive points, a driver must be classified as a finisher.
For this, the driver must have completed 90% of the distance covered by the winner, regardless of whether he completes the race or not.
If a race is stopped or cannot be restarted due to difficult weather conditions or any other circumstances, the top 10 finishers will get half the points given in the table, provided the winner has covered 75% of the race distance.
When both cars of a team finish in the top 10, they both contribute to the constructors’ championship points.
If a driver changes teams in between a season, the points he gained with the previous team will still be added to his Drivers’ points. However, the Constructors’ points go to the respective teams.
Who Won the 2021 Constructors Championship?
In 2021, the formula one’s constructors’ championship was won by Mercedes F1 team.
It is the team that scored the highest points across all the 22 races in that season. They won the championship after scoring 613.5 points in 2021.
They finished the season ahead of their rivals, Red Bull racing, who scored 585.5 points. Ferrari finished third at 323.5 points.
Hamilton and Bottas, who were driving for the team in 2021 managed to score the highest points for the UK-based team.
Constructor with Most Titles in F1
When you look at the history of formula one sport, you will that teams have won the constructors’ championship across the many years.
The team or constructor with most titles in F1 is Ferrari at 16. It means the team has won 16 constructors’ championship.
Ferrari has won the F1 constructors’ championship in the following years; 1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding how the F1 constructors’ championship point system is important.
You will be able to under how teams perform in the course of the season.
Points are awards to the teams that finish on the top ten of each race. An additional point is awarded for the driver who gets the fastest lap, provided he is within the top ten finishers.
For the constructors’ championship, team work plays a big role. This is because the point system recognizes the points scored by each driver from within a team.
As you might already be aware, each team or constructor has two F1 cars. This means that there are two drivers in each race.
Having the two drivers within top ten is the best scenario. It allows a team to maximize on the team effort and score maximum constructors’ point.
Ultimately, the team that scores the highest number of points over the course of the year wins the F1 constructors’ championship.
Mercedes F1 team have won the title for the last eight years in a row. However, Ferrari are the most successful F1 team having won 16 world constructors titles.