The FIA decided to drop the fastest lap point from 2025 onward after decision taken at WMSC and the F1 drivers were mostly in favour with some against it.
Having brought the fastest lap rule in 2019, overall it has been a hit and miss in the larger scale of competition. It hasn’t made a huge difference in the title picture, but often the leading teams have pitted their drivers to take the extra point when they are not in podium contention or have a healthy gap to their rivals behind.
Even the lower rug teams have chanced upon it at odd times, but not often. In the last two races, it has made headlines, though. In Singapore, Daniel Ricciardo denied a point to Lando Norris, which made the 2024 F1 title harder by one point for the Brit, thereby favouring Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
In Austin, Esteban Ocon’s late stop allowed him to take a point away from Williams and Franco Colapinto, in their constructors’ fight. But from 2025 F1 season onward, the fastest lap point will go away after the decision was taken during the recent FIA WMSC meet.
The general consensus among the F1 drivers is a positive one in terms of it going away, as they think it never made any sense or difference – some would like to see a point for pole position rather. There are some, though, who think it was a good rule to have and was beneficial as well.
Here’s what the F1 lot thought –
Carlos Sainz: “I always was of the opinion that it was a not-needed point in the points system of Formula 1, mainly because of how it is achieved. 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 keep a lot of importance to know. And obviously as drivers in qualifying, we like being the fastest because it shows you’ve maybe have 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 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.”
Esteban Ocon: “I think for us drivers, being on pole is something very important to us and I think to all of you guys. it’s something that we put a lot of effort on and that is very rewarding. On the race, we race to win. You don’t necessarily race to be fastest on one lap. I never thought that this is 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.”
Kevin Magnussen: “Not a whole lot to add from the perspective of a midfield team. I think it’s something that very rarely is on our mind. If we’re in top 10, even if you’re P6, P7, it’s very rare that you will have a pit stop gap. For us, it’s never been relevant.”
Lando Norris: “I have no idea. I don’t know why they’ve done it. kind of liked how it is now. I mean, you know, there’s an opportunity to go for something else. Sometimes you pay the price for risking such a thing, and it’s always been a risk in certain scenarios. if your pit stop goes wrong, you know, different reasons. The thing is, if it’s such a case, then it’s like we had in Singapore or something like that. that’s repetitive, then I think it’s the correct thing to do. But I don’t know. I don’t feel like they should change it just because of people questioning it after Singapore. So I don’t know. It’s got nothing to do with me. It was all a team manager thing. So yeah, it’s got nothing to do with us. I wouldn’t look at that as the reason. I’d probably put the blame down to other things this season that could have been better, rather than Daniel in his final race getting a fastest lap.
“It might come down to that in the end of the year. And if that’s the case, then so be it. But I don’t think that’s… People have done that for years. I know it’s just odd timing and people are quick to jump on things, but it depends if it’s… The circumstance of how it happened, I guess, is a unique one. Daniel knew it was his last race. And I wouldn’t say it’s a nice way to go out, because I don’t think any way to go out is a nice one. But yeah, if it wasn’t and it was just him going for fastest lap, then it’s a bit more of a question mark and something, I think, we probably would have questioned more as a team. And I know they’re changing the rules for next year and these kind of things. But if it was a repetitive thing, if it was to happen again this weekend or next weekend, then I think that’s where we would probably classify it or question it in a much deeper manner.
“But considering how things were and, I don’t know. I don’t want to just say I accept it because it was his final race because it’s got nothing to do for his championship or their championship. You know, it was something to take away from me, but I would never blame Daniel. I would never blame them. But if it’s done with intent to do such a thing, then it’s obviously not what we agree with. And I don’t think something that Formula 1 would agree with either. So the answer is no, I wouldn’t blame it on this. It would be down to other reasons.”
George Russell: “I always thought the point for fastest lap was a bit pointless because it would always be the driver who was having a tough race and would pit, put new tyres on and gain the extra point. I never really saw the benefit of that, so sort of glad to see that’s gone.”
Sergio Perez: “I don’t really agree. It gave a lot. There were races especially when the championship is pretty tight between teams and drivers, where that could really make a difference. We are talking about 24 points a season. I don’t know why it changed, I just felt like it was quite good. When you go for it, it is quite a lot of pressure for the mechanics to deliver the right stop, for you to deliver the right lap. I don’t think it was the best move.”
Valtteri Bottas: “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. 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.”
Oscar Piastri: “I don’t mind either way really, but I think it takes away from any kind of games that can be played. 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.”
Charles Leclerc: “Honestly, I’ve always felt like this point was very superficial because it always depends on your race situation, and it wasn’t really awarding a particular skill, in a way, because it was more about finding yourself in a lucky position where you could pit and do that fastest lap, so I think it’s good that it’s been taken off.”
Max Verstappen: “Not really [a loss for me], I think. If it would have stayed, also fine. But for me, that doesn’t really matter a lot.”
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