2019 · SPORTING
2019 Sporting Regulations
2019 brought two crowd-pleasing changes: the return of the bonus point for fastest lap (set by a top-10 finisher), and the simplification of Pirelli's compound naming from the seven-name system (Superhard to Hypersoft) to five numbered compounds (C1 hardest to C5 softest) applied race-by-race. Twenty drivers across ten teams, standard FP1/FP2/FP3/Qualifying/Race weekend, two-compound rule in the dry.
Fastest-lap bonus point returns
One point was awarded to the driver who set the fastest lap of the race, provided they finished in the top 10. The bonus had last been used in F1 in 1959. It was reintroduced to add late-race strategic intrigue and give back-of-field teams an additional scoring avenue (initially — in practice lead-group drivers almost always claimed it with a fresh-tyre stop).
Key changes
- Fastest-lap 1-point bonus reintroduced (first time since 1959).
Pirelli — C1 to C5 naming simplification
Pirelli switched from seven named compounds (Superhard, Hard, Medium, Soft, Supersoft, Ultrasoft, Hypersoft) to five numbered compounds (C1 hardest to C5 softest). Each race weekend Pirelli chose three adjacent compounds from that range and they were presented to teams under the simplified Hard (white) / Medium (yellow) / Soft (red) colour scheme regardless of underlying number. The backend allocation remained three dry compounds per weekend.
Race format & points
GP points 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 for P1-P10 + 1 for fastest-lap top-10 finisher. Standard weekend FP1/FP2/FP3/Qualifying/Race. 10 teams × 2 drivers = 20 cars.
Last updated: 2026-04-24
This summary is editorial material prepared by F1pedia for general F1 audiences. It is not a legal reference. For binding rule text, consult the official FIA document.