Official 2019 season: The fastest lap in the race will earn the driver 1 point!
It's official, the driver setting the fastest lap during the race will now be awarded one point at the end of each Grand Prix.
The drivers will no longer perform the fastest lap on the track just for honor, but indeed also for earning a point. According to Ross Brawn, this will provide them with extra motivation and make race endings even more interesting. This rule is not new as it first appeared in F1 in 1950 before disappearing in 1959. It should also be noted that this point will not only be awarded to the driver but also to his team in the same way as the usual points recorded in the championship.
CONFIRMED: Bonus point to be awarded for the fastest lap in each Grand Prix from the 2019 #F1 season onwards 👀⬇️ https://t.co/gFhqucjZoA
— Formula 1 (@F1) 11 mars 2019
Only one small downside, the driver must finish the Grand Prix in the top 10, as a driver classified below 10th place will not score a point, nor will their team. This rule might lead teams to develop strategies to snatch that point away or prevent another team from acquiring it. Even though earning one point may seem minor, let’s remember that at the end of the 2018 season, just one point separated Esteban Ocon from Fernando Alonso, and four points stood between Force India and Sauber. A total of 21 points will therefore be at stake thanks to this new rule.
This season, Valtteri Bottas could have scored up to 7 points with this new regulation, which would have allowed him to finish on the lowest step of the championship podium, but ultimately the Finn ended the season in 5th position behind Max Verstappen.
Meet in Australia in a few days to find out who will benefit first from this change…
