The rules

The regulations that decide results: how points are scored, how qualifying and sprint weekends work, the role of the stewards, and the time and distance rules that determine who is classified. Plain-English explainers, every claim sourced.

• How do F1 points work? The scoring system explained
  Formula 1 awards championship points to the top ten finishers of each Grand Prix on a 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 scale, so...
• How does F1 qualifying work? Q1, Q2, and Q3 explained
  Formula 1 qualifying is a three-part knockout that sets the grid for the Grand Prix. In Q1 (18 minutes) the six slowest...
• How do F1 sprint weekends work?
  On six weekends in 2026, Formula 1 runs a Sprint: a short race of roughly 100km with no mandatory pit stop. The format a...
• F1 penalties explained: time, drive-through, grid, and penalty points
  Formula 1 stewards enforce the rules with a ladder of penalties. In-race offences usually draw a 5 or 10 second time pen...
• F1 stewards and penalties explained
  F1 stewards are a panel of four independent officials at each Grand Prix, including a rotating former driver, appointed...
• What is the 90% rule in F1?
  The 90% rule is the threshold for being classified in a Formula 1 race. A driver must complete at least 90% of the race...
• What is the 107% rule in F1?
  The 107% rule states that any driver who fails to set a qualifying lap time within 107% of the fastest Q1 time risks bei...
• What is the 75% rule in F1?
  The 75% rule decides how many points are awarded when a race is cut short. A race only pays full points if the leader co...
• What is the 3-hour rule in F1?
  The 3-hour rule caps how long a Grand Prix can last. A race can run for a maximum of two hours of green-flag time, but i...
• DNF vs not classified: what's the difference?
  A DNF means a driver did not finish, usually after a crash or mechanical failure. 'Not classified' is a separate status:...
• Safety car vs virtual safety car: what's the difference?
  Both neutralise a race, but the safety car is a physical car that bunches the field together at reduced speed, erasing t...