A lot has been made recently about Bernie Ecclestone's claim that he is going to replace the current points system with medals.
Inevitably that has led to discussion on what is the best points system.
Below is a list of all the various scoring systems that have been in place since 1950.
I expect most of us will be surprised at just how often the scoring was changed.
1950 - 1953
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 4 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps
1954 - 1957
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps, unless one of the drivers was deemed to have completed "insufficient distance"
Drivers who shared more than 1car during a race received points only for their highest finish
1958
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared fastest laps were divided equally between drivers
Points were no longer awarded for shared drivers
1959
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared fastest laps were divided equally between drivers
Points were no longer awarded for shared drivers
1960
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
1961 - 1962
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
1963 - 1964
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
1965
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1966
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
Drivers who were not classified did not get points even if they were in the top 6
1967
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 5 races counted towards the championship
Drivers who were not classified did not get points even if they were in the top 6
1968
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
1969
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 5 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1970
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores from the first 7 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1971
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 5 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1972
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1973 - 1974
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 6 scores from the remaining 7 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1975
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1976
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 7 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1977
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 8 scores from the first 9 races and the best 7 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1978
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 7 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1979
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 4 scores from the first 7 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
1980
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 7 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
1981 - 1984
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
Second drivers of teams that officially entered only 1 car were not eligible for points (1984)
1985 - 1990
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 11 scores counted towards the championship
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
Second drivers of teams that officially entered only 1 car (e.g. Lola) were not eligible for points (1987)
1991 - 2002
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
2003 - 2009
Points awarded for the top 8 finishers: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
2010 - Present
Points awarded for the top 10 finishers: 25, 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
Inevitably that has led to discussion on what is the best points system.
Below is a list of all the various scoring systems that have been in place since 1950.
I expect most of us will be surprised at just how often the scoring was changed.
1950 - 1953
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 4 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps
1954 - 1957
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps, unless one of the drivers was deemed to have completed "insufficient distance"
Drivers who shared more than 1car during a race received points only for their highest finish
1958
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared fastest laps were divided equally between drivers
Points were no longer awarded for shared drivers
1959
Points awarded for the top 5 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2
1 point for the fastest lap
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
Points for shared fastest laps were divided equally between drivers
Points were no longer awarded for shared drivers
1960
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
1961 - 1962
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
1963 - 1964
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
1965
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores counted towards the world championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1966
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores counted towards the world championship
Drivers who were not classified did not get points even if they were in the top 6
1967
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 5 races counted towards the championship
Drivers who were not classified did not get points even if they were in the top 6
1968
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
1969
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 5 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1970
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 6 scores from the first 7 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1971
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 5 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1972
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 6 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1973 - 1974
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 6 scores from the remaining 7 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1975
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 5 scores from the remaining 6 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1976
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 7 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1977
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 8 scores from the first 9 races and the best 7 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1978
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 7 scores from the first 8 races and the best 7 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Points only counted for the top placed car for each constructor
1979
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 4 scores from the first 7 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
1980
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 5 scores from the first 7 races and the best 4 scores from the remaining 8 races counted towards the championship
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
1981 - 1984
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
Second drivers of teams that officially entered only 1 car were not eligible for points (1984)
1985 - 1990
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Only the best 11 scores counted towards the championship
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
Second drivers of teams that officially entered only 1 car (e.g. Lola) were not eligible for points (1987)
1991 - 2002
Points awarded for the top 6 finishers: 10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
2003 - 2009
Points awarded for the top 8 finishers: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance
2010 - Present
Points awarded for the top 10 finishers: 25, 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1
Half points were awarded for races stopped before three quarter distance