Fastest lap point to be scrapped in 2025 after latest FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting

The fastest lap bonus point is to be dropped from the 2025 season following a meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council. The council convened on Thursday with minor changes to the existing Sporting and Technical regulations being approved, as well as a restructuring of the 2026 ruleset.

Chaired by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, with members joining in person at the FIA offices in Paris and via video conference, it marked the third time the World Council had gathered in 2024 to discuss various matters.

More new alterations are, the abolition of a bonus point for the provision of the fastest lap in a Grand Prix, and the raising of the quota of the ‘young driver’ participation in a free practice from once within a season to twice.

At the same time, changes to the 2026 regulations were introduced as a “major improvement”, “The nature of structural shifts in the format of the regulations is a splitting into thematic sections, which is planned to be completed within several subsequent months.”

The 2026 Technical Regulations, which were originally approved in June, have been subject to “extensive enhancements” in terms of aerodynamics, thanks to effective collaboration between the FIA, F1 and F1 teams.

These adjustments will lead to higher car performance “while maintaining management of the wake characteristics to promote close and exciting racing”.

A significant update has also been made to the 2026 Sporting Regulations, with the aim being “to simplify and modernise their structure”.

Further control strategies were implemented to control the energy consumption from the power units, as well as the management of the variable drag (‘Running mode’ for low drag and ‘Circuitry mode’ for high downforce).

The following three things have also been confirmed regarding the usage of power units: three pre-season power unit tests of three days each for the 2026 season.

Last, using the expertise accumulated since 2021, “some serious work; has been done as part of streamlining the 2026 Financial Regulations – changes in the scope of exclusion and/or adjustment and measures available to the FIA to ensure compliance.

However, it is also pointed out that there are still general levels for cost reduced, and their modifications can be considered to remain at the current level “by converting cost cap ‘in effect’, to reflect changes of exclusion and adjustment perimeter and impact of cumulative inflation”.

Additional components for the constitutive 2026 regulation package are still expected to be tendered to the World Council for endorsement in the months to come, while the enhancements to the approved parts will be pursued in cooperation with the FIA, F1 and the F1 teams.

The new regulation adjustments for Formula 1 in 2026 would make the sport financially stable and more closely related to roads besides implementation of enhanced safety capabilities that are not at the cost of creation entertaining races,” said Ben Sulayem after the meeting.

“I also want to thank [F1 President & CEO] Stefano Domenicali for our further cooperation in implementing the first mutual plan for the development of Formula 1.”