F1 Drivers Championship Explained: Rules, Points, Prize Money & FAQs
New to Formula 1? Learn what the F1 Drivers’ Championship is, how drivers score points, how tie-breaks work, and why the title is motorsport’s biggest prize.
​
The F1 Drivers’ Championship is the crown jewel of Formula 1 — the title every driver dreams about, the one that turns careers into legends. If you’re new to the sport, the rules are actually simple once you see how the points work, what “countback” means, and why consistency can beat raw speed.
​
This beginner-friendly guide explains what the Drivers’ Championship is, how it’s won, what happens in ties, and answers the most common questions fans ask.
​
What is the F1 Drivers’ Championship?
​
The Drivers’ Championship (officially the FIA Formula One World Championship for Drivers) is one of Formula 1’s two world titles. The driver who scores the most championship points across the season becomes World Champion.
​
The championship has been contested every year since 1950, which is when F1 created a single season-long fight that linked the biggest Grand Prix events into one global title race.
​
How does the Drivers’ Championship scoring work?
​
1) Points are awarded in every Grand Prix
​
In modern F1, points go to the top 10 finishers in a full Grand Prix:
25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1
So P1 gets 25 points, and P10 gets 1 point.
​
2) Sprint weekends can add extra points
​
On Sprint weekends, drivers can score extra points from the Sprint result (separate from the Grand Prix). That means some weekends offer a bigger total “points haul” than others.
​
3) No playoffs
​
There are no end-of-season playoffs. It’s pure accumulation: the driver with the most points after the final race is champion.
​
What does a driver get for winning?
​
Drivers don’t receive “prize money” directly from F1 in the way teams do — but champions typically earn contract bonuses, bigger sponsorship deals, and the kind of long-term career value that changes everything.
Even if a driver clinches the title early (when nobody can catch them mathematically), the official trophy presentation happens at season’s end.
​
How many F1 World Champions have there been?
​
As of the latest completed season listed in major historical records, 35 different drivers have won the F1 Drivers’ Championship since 1950.
Records-wise, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher are widely cited as joint record-holders on seven titles each.
​
How many F1 World Champions are racing in 2026?
​
The official 2026 driver line-up is published by Formula 1, and multiple past champions are active on the grid. Hamilton, Verstappen, Norris and Alonso.
​
What happens if drivers are tied on points?
​
It’s never happened to decide the Drivers’ Championship, but F1 has a clear tie-break method called countback:
-
Most race wins
-
If tied, most second-place finishes
-
If still tied, most third-place finishes
…and so on until separated.
​
What’s the closest Drivers’ Championship finish ever?
​
The famous example: 1984, when Niki Lauda won the title by 0.5 points over teammate Alain Prost — still the tightest margin on record if we consider points.
​
Does the champion have to win races?
​
In practice, champions always win at least one race — but the bigger pattern is this:
Consistency wins championships.
A driver who is always scoring strong points can beat a rival who wins occasionally but has too many low-scoring weekends.
​
Does the Drivers’ Champion always drive for the best team?
​
Often — but not always.
A team can win the Constructors’ title through two strong point scorers, even if the Drivers’ Champion comes from a different team that has one standout points machine. That split has happened a number of times historically.
​
Do teammates often fight each other for the title?
​
Yes, and it’s one of the most intense parts of F1.
Teammates have the same car baseline, the same garage data, and the same chance to prove they’re “the one.” When both are in the title hunt, it can become a season-long pressure cooker — and if a team mishandles it, it can even open the door for a rival to steal the championship.