FIA announce F1 points CHANGE in dramatic title battle twist

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the Singapore GP podium 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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FIA announce dramatic F1 points CHANGE in title battle twist

The FIA have made a few changes to the sporting regulations

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 17 October 2024 19:38 Updated: 10:18

The FIA have announced major changes to the Formula 1 world championship that will have huge ramifications for future championship battles.

A meeting of the World Motorsport Council, which included under-fire FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, saw the governing body confirm future regulations for a number of motorsport series.

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That included F1, with the FIA deciding on a restructured technical regulations plan for the 2026 season onwards, allowing for higher performance cars, a changing of the cost cap structure and the implementation of three multiple-day pre-season tests before the start of the 2026 season.

On top of this, however, a new points system will be implemented for the 2025 season onwards, with 2024 being the last season to use the current, well-known system.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem is the FIA president

Daniel Ricciardo claimed the fastest lap point in Singapore

Are F1 banning fastest lap points?

The FIA have announced that from 2025 onwards, there will be no point awarded for the driver/team that manage to claim the fastest lap in a grand prix.

Much debate has been forthcoming about the awarding of a fastest lap point since the Singapore Grand Prix, when outgoing VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo took a point away from Lando Norris, thus helping sister team Red Bull's championship chances.

The FIA have now decided not to award this extra point, which will perhaps alter the strategies of leading teams during race weekends, in their championship battles.

When was the fastest lap point in F1 introduced?

The fastest lap point re-appeared in 2019 and was available to any driver and team who finished inside the top 10 of a grand prix. Although drivers outside the top 10 could still claim the prize, they were not awarded the one point for it.

It had previously been in F1 from the first world championship year in 1950 right through to 1959 before being dropped.

On top of this, the FIA have also changed the rules to state that F1 teams must use 'young drivers' in their cars for at least two practice sessions from 2025 onwards, up from the one required session that was in place for 2024.

In a statement, the sport's governing body said: "Minor changes for 2024 and 2025 Sporting and Technical regulations were approved by the World Council, including the removal of the point awarded for setting the fastest lap and the increase in requirement for fielding a young driver during free practice from once per season to two times per season."

Red Bull FIA Formula 1 Christian Horner Mohammed Ben Sulayem