F1 Sprint points: who scores and how they count
F1 Sprints award 8 points to the winner and score the top eight. See the 2026 table, championship totals, bonus rules and shortened-Sprint threshold.
An F1 Sprint winner earns 8 championship points in 2026. The top eight in the final classification score, with awards decreasing by one point per position to 1 point for eighth. Ninth and below receive none. Sprint points count towards both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, separately from the Grand Prix points awarded on the same weekend. FIA 2026 regulations, Article A2.2.2
F1 Sprint points table
| Final Sprint position | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 8 |
| 2nd | 7 |
| 3rd | 6 |
| 4th | 5 |
| 5th | 4 |
| 6th | 3 |
| 7th | 2 |
| 8th | 1 |
| 9th and below | 0 |
That is 36 points distributed across the field, not 36 available to one driver. The allocation remains unchanged for 2026. Sky Sports’ 2026 Sprint guide
How Sprint points add to championship totals
A driver adds their Sprint award to their existing championship total. Their team receives the points earned by both cars: a third-place finish earns 6 points, and a sixth-place finish by the teammate adds 3, giving the constructor 9 Sprint points.
Grand Prix points are then added separately. For example, a driver who finishes third in the Sprint and second in a full-points Grand Prix earns 6 + 18 = 24 points over the weekend. Winning both gives the maximum driver total of 8 + 25 = 33 points under the 2026 scoring system. FIA Articles A2.1.4 and A2.2
There are no championship-point bonuses for Sprint pole position or the Sprint’s fastest lap. Sprint Qualifying determines the Sprint grid; it does not award points. Nor does the Sprint finishing order set Sunday’s grid in 2026: a separate Grand Prix qualifying session follows the Sprint. FIA championship points rules and sporting regulations, Articles B2.3.4 and B2.4.1
What if a Sprint is shortened?
Sprint scoring is all-or-nothing, rather than a reduced-points scale:
- Below 50% of the scheduled Sprint distance: no points.
- At least 50%: the normal 8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1 table applies.
In either case, points cannot be awarded unless the leader completes at least two complete, consecutive laps without a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car procedure. Reaching halfway alone is therefore insufficient. These thresholds use the distance completed by the leader between the start and end-of-session signals. FIA Article A2.2.2
Use the official classification, including any subsequent amendments, rather than simply the order at the chequered flag. The sporting regulations expressly allow amendments to the published Sprint result. FIA Article B2.3.5
Why older Sprint results show fewer points
The top-eight scoring system was introduced in 2022. In the inaugural 2021 season, only the top three scored and the winner received 3 points. That explains why an older Sprint victory can carry a different award from a current one. Formula 1’s explanation of the 2022 change
For the separate question of how remaining Sprint points affect title chances, see the F1 mathematical elimination formula.