FIA to eliminate fastest lap bonus point from 2025 F1 season
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
In a significant shake-up to the Formula One points system, the FIA has announced that the fastest lap point will be scrapped starting next season. This change was confirmed on Thursday and will take effect from 2024, as per the decisions made by the World Motor Sport Council at a recent meeting in Paris and via video conference.
The fastest lap point, introduced in 2019, has been a notable strategic element, especially in a grueling 24-race season like 2024. This bonus point was awarded only if the driver finished in the top 10, making it a potentially crucial factor in tight championship battles.
However, this point has also been a source of controversy. At September's Singapore Grand Prix, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, likely competing in his final F1 race, pitted for fresh tyres solely to set the fastest lap. Though he did not earn the point due to his position outside the top 10, the move denied McLaren's Lando Norris the point, indirectly benefiting Red Bull's championship contender Max Verstappen.
Norris, currently 52 points behind Verstappen with six races to go, has accumulated four fastest lap points this season, compared to Verstappen's two.
Increasing opportunities for young drivers
Another notable regulation change for the 2024 and 2025 seasons is the increased requirement for fielding young drivers during free practice sessions. Teams will now need to field a young driver twice per car per season, doubling the previous requirement.
Drivers' reactions
Sauber's Valtteri Bottas, whose team has yet to score a point this season, welcomed the change. "I would say probably it's the right thing to get rid of it because it's not really relative to the speed, like who's the fastest out there," Bottas said at the Circuit of the Americas. "It's always depending on strategy, who stops the last basically will get it, so it doesn't tell much. I think even with our car, we could sometimes maybe get it if we stop before the last lap and go all out."
As the F1 community gears up for the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, these changes are set to redefine the strategies teams employ, making for an intriguing 2024 season and beyond.
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