Points, the constructors' championship and the cost cap: F1's rulebook
Sep 12, 2026 · 17:10
Two championships run at once, and team spending is capped as well.
In Formula 1 two titles are at stake, and the rules govern not only the cars but the budgets.
The points
The race winner scores 25 points, second place 18 and third 15, followed by 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1. The top ten score, the eleventh does not - which is why the fight on the edge of the points is so fierce.
Two championships
The drivers' championship counts individual points, while the constructors' title combines the results of a team's two cars. For teams the constructors' standing matters more, because it determines a large part of their income.
The cost cap
The spending limit introduced in recent years has radically reshaped the sport: big teams can no longer spend without restriction on development. The figure excludes driver salaries and a few other items, but it does cover development spending.
The wind tunnel rule
Another notable regulation gives teams higher up the standings less wind tunnel and computational development time than those further back. The aim is to close up the field - one reason the racing usually gets tighter a few years after a set of technical rules is introduced.
