There’s a reason F1 is the most popular form of motorsport in the world, attracting over 800 million viewers last season alone. But not all of them are experts familiar with the sport’s complex rules and terminology. Some aspects take time to understand, while others are introduced each year to make the viewing experience more accessible for newer fans.
Graphics displayed by broadcasters during race weekends have become increasingly simplified over the years. Even those watching F1 for the first time shouldn’t have too much trouble understanding what’s going on.
That said, there are small details that pop up on the screen which can leave some viewers scratching their heads. At times, they may seem insignificant, but in reality, they could provide crucial information to keep track of as the race unfolds. For instance, those small purple clocks in front of a driver’s name in the live lap-time charts.
Interestingly, unlike most other broadcasting elements such as the timings, or exclamation marks, the purple clocks are seen only during races, both the sprint and Grand Prix. So what is it?
To put it simply, the purple clock appears next to the driver who has set the fastest lap time of the race. It can be any of the 20 drivers on track—it doesn’t necessarily have to be the race leader. Even a driver running at the back of the grid could pull off a masterful lap out of the blue and have that clock appear next to their name.
Sadly, however, the drivers don’t get rewarded for this feat. At least, not everyone, and not anymore.
Until the 2024 season, drivers who ended a race with the fastest lap, and finished in the top 10, would get an additional point. However, heading into 2025, the rule makers decided to scrap the same following a meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.
The FIA didn’t point to a single reason for the removal, but it could be traced to teams using it to benefit one driver over another, sometimes rather controversially.
For instance, at the 2024 Singapore GP, Racing Bulls’ Daniel Ricciardo, who was well outside the points, came into the pits to fit soft tires just to take the fastest lap away from Max Verstappen’s title rival, Lando Norris. Ricciardo finished 18th, so he didn’t earn the extra point. But neither did Norris, which worked in Red Bull’s favor.
FASTEST LAP FOR DANIEL RICCIARDO!
The Aussie pitted on the penultimate lap #F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/T46xPnNgLW
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 22, 2024
Since Racing Bulls is Red Bull’s sister team, many speculated that it was their decision to pit Ricciardo, which drew some criticism. This move likely raised some eyebrows among the FIA’s top brass.
Nonetheless, the fastest lap additional point is now gone, with only the accolade remaining as a badge of honor at every Grand Prix.
