Formula 1 drivers are reacting positively to the FIA‘s decision to scrap the fastest lap bonus point for the 2025 season, calling it a regulation that didn’t reward specific skills but was more about luck. The bonus point, introduced in 2019 by the FIA, awarded an additional point to the driver who set the fastest lap during the race, but drivers felt it lacked merit.
Charles Leclerc, a strong advocate for the removal, explained that the point didn’t recognize a specific skill but instead depended on race circumstances, such as when a driver could take a pit stop and post the fastest lap. “Honestly, I’ve always felt like this point was very superficial, because it always depends on your race situation,” said Leclerc. “It wasn’t really rewarding a particular skill in a way… So I think it’s good that it’s been taken off.”
George Russell of Mercedes also backed the decision, saying the bonus point was “a bit pointless.” He remarked, “It would always be the driver who was having a tough race in the top 10 would pit, put new tyres on, and gain the extra point. So I never really saw the benefit of that, so sort of glad to see that that’s gone.”
Carlos Sainz, echoing similar sentiments, pointed out that the fastest lap point didn’t always go to the fastest driver, but instead to someone who benefited from race circumstances. “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,” he stated.
The Decision to Remove the Fastest Lap Bonus Point in 2025
The FIA’s decision came shortly after Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull took the bonus point from Lando Norris at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, which allowed Max Verstappen to maintain a stronger title lead. The removal of the fastest lap point aligns with the general consensus among drivers that it was a superficial aspect of the race that didn’t truly reflect the best performance on track.
While it has been a controversial topic in the past, many drivers have agreed that the point system in Formula 1 should be based on skill, rather than luck or pit stop strategies.
As F1 enters the 2025 season, the removal of this regulation is seen as a move towards creating a more accurate and fair representation of driver performances on race day.
