2010 Formula 1 Season to Feature Overhauled Points System

With 6 more cars set to compete in the 2010 Formula 1 season over last year, the FIA has devised a plan to improve odds for those new teams to score their maiden points. Starting with the first grand prix of 2010, Formula teams and drivers will be fighting for more point-paying positions at the finish. The top 10 finishers will all score points. While inclusive to the smaller teams, the new points ranking passes some of the largest rewards for podium finishers. The top 3 positions will also be contending for remarkably higher point values which allows a winning driver to gain a maximum 25 points.

The expansion of eligibility to 10 drivers and teams per race represents the first change in the Formula 1 points structure since 2003. From 1950 to 1991, the top 6 cars and drivers in each grand prix race were awarded points in a format that allowed the winning team to be credited with a maximum 9 points. The 10 point incentive for winning a race was added in the 1992 Formula 1 season and continued to be the standard since the end of this past season. Having only rewarded the top-6 since the inception of Formula 1, the FIA increased the eligible positions to 8th spot in 2003 by narrowing the points spread. Back in the 2003 season, the changes could have been motivated by the an attempt to curb the Formula 1 dynasty of Michael Schumacher's and Ferrari's championship dominance (which then existed at 3 straight crowns). The move to expand to 8 points-paying position also an attempt to reward teams, which were considered F1 back-markers, to compete deeper in the constructor points. The addition of 2 more points positions is certainly a measure to allow the 4 new Formula 1 teams an opportunity to overcome the 'goose egg' in the season's final standings.

2010 Formula 1 Points System

1. 25 Points
2. 20 Points
3. 15 Points
4. 10 Points
5. 8 Points
6. 6 Points
7. 5 Points
8. 3 Points
   
9. 2 Points
10. 1 Point
    

Calculating the 2009 Formula 1 results against to 2010 points system, current F1 World Champion Jenson Button would have won handily over Sebestian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello. While the top 6 drivers in 2009 Formula 1 in the points remains unchanged under the 2010 points, driver Kazuki Nakajima (who competed for the entire 2009 F1 campaign but failed to score a single point) would have left with 5 points under the revised standings.

The expansion of eligibility to 10 drivers and teams per race represents the first change in the Formula 1 points structure since 2003. From 1950 to 1991, the top 6 cars and drivers in each grand prix race were awarded points in a format that allowed the winning team to be credited with a maximum 9 points. The 10 point incentive for winning a race was added in the 1992 Formula 1 season and continued to be the standard since the end of this past season. Having only rewarded the top-6 since the inception of Formula 1, the FIA increased the eligible positions to 8th spot in 2003 by narrowing the points spread. Back in the 2003 season, the changes could have been motivated by the an attempt to curb the Formula 1 dynasty of Michael Schumacher's and Ferrari's championship dominance (which then existed at 3 straight crowns). The move to expand to 8 points-paying position also an attempt to reward teams, which were considered F1 back-markers, to compete deeper in the constructor points. The addition of 2 more points positions is certainly a measure to allow the 4 new Formula 1 teams an opportunity to overcome the 'goose egg' in the season's final standings.