Plans to expand the points system to just the top 10 grand prix finishers have been abandoned at a F1 council meeting.
The proposal was submitted earlier this year with the intention of awarding points to at least the top 12 drivers, thereby providing greater incentive for midfield teams that might otherwise struggle to finish in the top 10. Having more points-paying positions would not only give more meaning to individual battles during the race, but would also give a clearer picture of how teams would rank at the end of the season, as teams would be less likely to finish with ties or zero points.
However, after further investigation, the Formula 1 Commission met in London and “unanimously agreed that there would be no changes to the distribution of championship points”.
The majority of the meeting was focused on the 2026 regulations, with an update given on the progress of the regulations based on team feedback. A further meeting of F1’s Technical and Sporting Advisory Committee will discuss the 2026 issue in more detail before a special F1 Commission meeting is convened on October 2 to discuss the matter ahead of the World Motor Sport Council meeting on October 17.
Due to significant changes to the rules, the 2026 pre-season test will consist of a total of nine days of running, split into three pre-season tests. Currently, there is only one three-day test during the pre-season.
For driver welfare reasons, a minor change has also been confirmed, with the minimum driver weight set to increase by 2kg to 82kg from 2025.
