Formula One Teams to Vote on Expanding Points to 12th Place for 2025 Season

Formula One teams are set to vote on expanding the points-scoring positions from 10th to 12th place for the 2025 season. This change would result in just eight cars not scoring points in Sunday races, potentially impacting the midfield and backmarker teams' quest for points. "It's a small gain to address the current situation, where the midfield teams are too far off the frontrunning squads," said Alpine driver Esteban Ocon.

Under the proposed new system, the points for the top 7 finishers would remain the same, but the points for 8th to 12th place would be 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 respectively. This would allow the smaller teams to score points more easily. "I think it would be more meritocratic and provide better motivation for the smaller teams," said Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, who supports the change along with Sauber's Frederic Vasseur.

However, not everyone is in favor of the proposed change. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expressed ambivalence, while legendary F1 commentator Martin Brundle criticized the idea, stating that "Formula One points should be hard won and treasured." Despite the opposition, the proposal is expected to gain the necessary support to pass in the upcoming F1 Commission meeting on April 25.

Why this matters: The proposed change to the points system could have significant implications for the competitiveness and financial viability of the midfield and backmarker teams in Formula One. By providing more opportunities to score points, it could level the playing field and generate more exciting battles throughout the grid.

If approved, the new points system would come into effect for the 2025 season, meaning the 2024 Constructors' Championship will likely be decided on a narrow margin for the bottom five positions. As Vasseur noted, "We understand the frustration of finishing just outside the points." The vote at the F1 Commission meeting will determine whether that frustration will be alleviated in the future.

Key Takeaways

• F1 teams to vote on expanding points-scoring positions from 10th to 12th place.
• Proposed new points system: 8th-12th place earn 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points.
• Aims to address midfield teams' gap to frontrunners and provide better motivation.
• Not everyone supports the change, with some criticizing it as "lucky dip".
• Proposed change expected to pass at the upcoming F1 Commission meeting.