F1 to adjust points rule after confusion surrounding Verstappen's title

The FIA has confirmed that it plans to change the points system for shortened Formula 1 races. The change comes after the confusion caused at last year's Japanese Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen won his second world title.

The 2022 GP of Japan was held on a wet track after the race was first postponed for an hour due to heavy rain. Verstappen crossed the line first and won his second world title after Charles Leclerc's time penalty, who had cut the chicane on the last lap to maintain his lead over Sergio Perez.

Leclerc's penalty gave Verstappen an even bigger lead in the driver's championship, but because of the shortened race, confusion arose over the points tally. F1 teams thought no full points would be handed out, but the FIA did give Verstappen 25 points for his victory. Even though it was a shortened race, the Grand Prix was completed.

After the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, new rules on points distribution came into effect. The winner gets six points for less than 25 per cent race distance, 13 points for less than 50 per cent and finally 19 points for less than 75 per cent. Since the Japan GP had a race distance of 52 per cent, teams thought Verstappen would get only 19 points for his victory.

FIA will adjust points scoring for shortened races

Steve Nielsen, the FIA's new sports director, will work on the new points distribution. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Mohammed Ben Sulayem reveals that the regulations will be adjusted, even though he himself does not feel that the FIA did anything wrong in Japan.

"Yes, it's changing. Coming to the points: who chose that? The teams. Who approved them? The teams. We just had to implement them. And who takes the blame? Us. Honestly. Where is the fairness? Tell me. This frustrates [me]," says the FIA president.