Formula 1 standings 2026: drivers and constructors championship
In short
This page shows the Formula 1 standings after the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort (23 August 2026, round 12 of 22): Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) leads among the drivers, Mercedes leads among the constructors. You'll also read how the points system works (25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 for the top 10, plus a separate scale for sprint races) and how the world title is ultimately decided. For comparison: last season (2025) Lando Norris became champion with just 2 points ahead of Max Verstappen, one of the closest title fights ever.
The Formula 1 standings show at any point in the season who is leading the drivers' world championship and which team is strongest among the constructors. Below on this page you'll find the championship standings after the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort (23 August 2026), together with an explanation of how the points system works and how the title is ultimately decided.
A Formula 1 season consists of a long series of Grand Prix races, supplemented by a handful of sprint weekends, and every race moves the standings forward a little further.
Drivers' championship standings 2026
After 12 of the 22 races on the calendar, the standings among the drivers are fairly clear. The table below shows the championship standings after the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort (23 August 2026), this season's most recent data point.
Snapshot: championship standings after the Dutch Grand Prix (23 August 2026). Points and positions shift again after every Grand Prix.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the standings by 59 points over his closest challenger, after seven wins this season. George Russell is second and the biggest threat to the top spot; Lewis Hamilton has the same points total as Russell but sits third because he has won only one race this season against two for Russell. Lando Norris climbed to fourth place thanks to two consecutive wins around the summer break, with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen behind him. Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly round out the top 10.
Notable further down the field: between 6th and 10th place, the points are much closer together than at the top of the standings. That makes the fight for places just outside the top 5 often at least as interesting as the title fight itself, especially with quite a few races still on the calendar.
Constructors' championship standings 2026
Among the constructors too, the standings give a clear picture of the balance of power this season.
Snapshot after the Dutch Grand Prix (23 August 2026).
Mercedes leads comfortably among the constructors, with an 87-point advantage over Ferrari, unsurprising with both Antonelli and Russell in the top 3 of the drivers' championship. Ferrari follows in second place, carried by the points of Hamilton and Leclerc, and McLaren completes the top 3.
The constructors' standings are in effect a sum of the points both drivers of a team collect over the entire season. That immediately explains why Mercedes, with both Antonelli and Russell high in the drivers' standings, also leads so comfortably among the constructors.
How does the F1 points system work?
Formula 1's points system directly determines how the Formula 1 standings come about. Only the first ten drivers to complete a Grand Prix score points. The winner gets 25 points, second place earns 18 points, followed by 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point for third through tenth place respectively.
This system has been the basis of the championship for years and ensures that a win counts considerably more than a place just outside the podium. The gap between P1 and P2 is 7 points, bigger than the gap between P2 and P3 (3 points).
Points in a sprint race
Alongside the regular Grand Prix, the calendar also includes a number of sprint weekends. In a sprint race, a separate, shorter points scale applies: only the first eight drivers score, with 8 points for the winner, descending through 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 to 1 point for eighth place. These sprint points simply count towards the overall Formula 1 standings.
An extra bonus point for the fastest lap of the race no longer exists: that rule was abolished with the introduction of the current points system from 2025.
How is the world title decided?
The rule behind the world title is simple at first glance: the driver with the most points after the season's last race becomes world champion. There are no play-offs or a separate title race: every point a driver collects across the whole season counts towards the final standings.
As long as there are still races on the calendar, the Formula 1 standings can therefore still change considerably. In the event of a tie in points, the regulations provide for tiebreaks based on, among other things, the number of race wins.
Last season: the 2025 title fight
In 2025 Lando Norris (McLaren) became world champion with 423 points, against 421 points for Max Verstappen. A difference of just 2 points made it one of the closest title fights ever in Formula 1.
This season's Belgian GP
The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps has already been held this season, from 17 to 19 July 2026. For the full result and background: check out our guide to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Dutch Grand Prix (Zandvoort)
The Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort, from 21 to 23 August 2026, was the most recent race of the season and also the final ever Formula 1 race at this circuit. Lando Norris (McLaren) won the race, ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Max Verstappen didn't get far: on a wet track he lost control in the final, banked corner at the end of the first lap and crashed hard, bringing out a red flag. Antonelli extended his lead in the Formula 1 standings further thanks to his second-place finish.
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Frequently asked questions
How many points does the winner of a Grand Prix get?
Do you also get points in a sprint race?
Does the fastest lap still count for an extra point?
How is the world champion decided?
Who was world champion in 2025?
How many Formula 1 races does a season have?
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