Lewis Hamilton receives F1 BOOST as promotion confirmed after Japanese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Australia, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Japanese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton receives BOOST as promotion confirmed after Japanese Grand Prix

The Japanese GP led to some big changes

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 7 April 2025 17:00

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari leave Suzuka with a boost in the drivers' and constructors' standings, after their promotion was confirmed in an official FIA document.

Prior to the Japanese Grand Prix, Ferrari had only acquired 17 points in the constructors' championship, sitting fifth after Hamilton and Charles Leclerc's disqualifications at the Chinese GP.

However, they have now been promoted up the order after Leclerc and Hamilton's fourth and seventh-place finishes respectively in Japan, and both of them have also been promoted in the drivers' championship standings.

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It followed a Japanese GP that was brilliantly won by Max Verstappen, who was able to hold off the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to take victory and move to within just one point of early championship leader Norris.

Piastri's second podium of the season placed him above Mercedes' George Russell in the drivers' championship, but Mercedes are still holding on to second in the constructors' standings, 36 points behind McLaren.

F1 drivers' standings after the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

F1 constructors' standings after 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

Fastest lap points have been banished for 2025. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, it did lead to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a set of new tyres at the end in order to claim the fastest lap point, or to stop a rival from getting the extra point.

The most famous example of this in 2024 came during Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Norris and helping Verstappen's title bid.

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari McLaren Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka