Ever since its inception back in 1950, Formula 1 has been an ever-evolving sport. Not only have the cars changed over time but the rules and regulations of the sport have also kept up with changing times. Keeping the tradition alive, the F1 authorities might soon be changing the regulations once again, revamping the points system that is currently in use.
F1 journalist Vincenzo Landino reports on Twitter (now X), that F1 could be discussing a new points system as soon as next year. In an attempt to increase competition in the middle of the pack, points could soon be awarded all the way down to P12. The difference lies from the P8 position in the proposed new system. The driver finishing eighth will get five points, instead of the current four, and one less point each for all drivers from P9 to P12.
Should the new system come into effect, the teams battling in the middle of the field will stand to benefit the most. With more points positions to play for, the smaller teams will have more opportunities to push for a better finish.
Notably, the latest version of the points system has been in place since 2010. An additional point for the fastest lap of the race was added to the system in 2019. Before this system, F1 followed a system where drivers ranking from P1 to P8 were the ones that earned points. Back then, the winner of the race got only 10 points with eight for second place and six for third.
Formula 1 revamped its regulations only a short while ago
While the points system of F1 has remained stable for the last five years, the same hasn’t been the case with the other regulations. The primary aim of the changes has been to bring the competition closer.
But as things stand, it has done nothing but give the advantage to one team and one driver. F1 brought the ground-effect cars into operation at the start of 2022, unaware of the advantage Max Verstappen would gain from it.
The Dutchman has been a dominant force in F1 since 2022, creating one record after another. He created the record for most points in a single season in the same year, earning 454 points alongside winning 15 races apart from two podium finishes.
The next year, he bettered his record by scoring a mammoth 575 points by winning 19 races. Eventually, though, the records ended up costing Verstappen a lot of money. The 26-year-old ended up paying over a million dollars to renew his super license for 2024.
