Formula 1 standings are updated after every Grand Prix race and reveal how a driver or team has performed. At the end of the season the driver and team with the most points are champions. If drivers tie, the team with more wins takes the title.
Drivers and teams earn F1 points based on their position in each race, with a maximum of 44 World Championship points per race. A bonus point is awarded to the winner of the race and the driver who achieves the fastest lap, provided they finish within the top 10. If a driver switches teams during the season, they retain their individual driver points while their previous team keeps the team points.
In recent years, the points structure has changed to award more than just the traditional top six finishers, first switching to a top eight and then top ten structure. This has helped to encourage drivers to fight for the win, and create some separation between mid-pack and backmarker teams.
If a driver is penalised with a time penalty, they will drop down the standings by a certain number of places. If they are also penalised with a drive-through penalty, their overall position will be further reduced. If a driver goes out during a pitstop, they are expected to rise up the standings once they are out of the pits and have re-entered the race. This makes it a little difficult to compare performance between drivers during a race, however you can go to the teammate battles section for more detailed head-to-head comparisons based on both races and quali results.