F1 drivers split over 2025 points revamp as Sainz puts forward new idea

F1 drivers have shared mixed reactions to the announcement that the fastest lap bonus point is to be removed from 2025 onwards, as Carlos Sainz put forward a new proposal. 

After a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council ahead of this weekend's United States Grand Prix, it was announced that the extra point for those who score fastest lap and are classified in the top 10 would be axed, having been re-introduced in 2019. 

Since the point was adopted, teams engrossed in a title fight have often used its second car to snatch the extra point away from a title rival or the accolade has gone to the driver from the leading teams who has had a bad race and can make a free pit-stop without losing position in the closing stages. 

One proposal put forward by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz would be to keep the bonus point for drivers, but award it for pole position instead of race fastest lap, but not all of his colleagues felt the current point should have been cut.

"I always was of the opinion that it was a not-needed point in Formula 1, mainly because of how it is achieved," Sainz told media including RacingNews365.

"Right now, that point goes to the one that has a free pit stop one lap to the end of the race. So it's not showing who is the fastest guy in the race, and he deserves one point for being the fastest guy.

"It's a point that goes to the guy that by chance or by luck or by race situation has a free pit stop at some point of the race. It's not always the case. Not always, but in a lot of occasions, most of the times.

"Pole position is something that, at least in Formula 1, is given a lot of value. Qualifying is something that media people put a lot of importance on.

"As drivers in qualifying, we like being the fastest because it shows you've maybe done the cleanest lap. You've taken maybe more risks. You've put everything on the line to go on pole. And a point for that in a tight field makes sense.

"In a field where only one car is going to get all the pole positions, it makes less sense. But in the ideal scenario of a tight field and one guy going for it in qualifying and getting that pole position, I think it could make more sense than the fastest lap of the race."

Those glad to see the point axed

Sainz's idea was backed enthusiastically by Esteban Ocon, believing a point for pole would be "much more rewarding."

"It's something that we put a lot of effort into and that is very rewarding. In the race, we race to win. You don't necessarily race to be fastest over one lap," observed Alpine racer Ocon. 

"I never thought that this was a good thing, to have one point, for the race. But for pole position, it would be much more rewarding and that's something I would prefer."

GPDA director George Russell also offered his thoughts, branding the extra point as "pointless."

"I always thought the point for fastest lap was pointless," the Mercedes driver added.

"It would always be the driver who was having a tough race, pit for new tyres and gain the extra point so I never saw the benefit of that. I'm glad to see it gone."

Stake driver Valtteri Bottas is yet to score a point in the current season, and felt the soon-to-be-ditched system was not truly reflective of the ultimate pace.

"I would say it is probably the right thing to get rid of, because it is not really relative to the speed, like who is the fastest out there," he explained.

"It always depends on strategy, who stops last basically gets it so it doesn't tell you that much about performance, and so it makes things simple. 

"For us, it could only help if [the point] goes outside the top 10, so I'm pretty neutral."

The undecideds

"I don't mind either way really, but I think it takes away from any kind of games that can be played," noted Oscar Piastri of McLaren.

"I'm not saying games have been played in the past, but it just removes any doubt of it.

"When we saw a dominant car, it would just go and get the fastest lap, so it wasn't a benefit for other cars. For me, it's absolutely fine to get rid of that again, it doesn't change the world."

Kevin Magnussen of Haas chipped in to add that the extra point was "something that was very rarely on our mind", whilst reigning world champion Max Verstappen succinctly summed up his views as "it doesn't matter if it is in or not."

Against the axing

However, the news was not met with universal acclaim, as Lando Norris and Sergio Perez voiced doubts about the decision.

"I have no idea. I don't know why they've done it," Norris explained.

"I kind of liked how it is now. I mean there's an opportunity to go for something else, and sometimes you pay the price for risking such a thing, and it's always been a risk in certain scenarios, like if your pit stop goes wrong for different reasons."

Perez agreed with Norris's assessment and rued the fact that 24 points - nearly an extra grand prix worth - were about to be scrapped.

"I don't really agree. I think it gave a lot to know there were races where, especially if the championship is pretty tight between teams and drivers, you could really make a difference," the Red Bull driver said.

"You know, you're talking about 24 points a season. So, I don't know why it changed.

"I just felt like it was quite good. When you go for it at the end of the race, it's quite a lot of pressure for the mechanics to deliver the right stop, and for you to deliver the right lap. 

"So I don't think was the best move."

What is your opinion of the extra point for fastest lap, should it have been axed? Let us know what you think by voting in the poll below and in the comments!