Source:REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal
[Saba Sports News] The FIA World Motor Sport Council officially announced that starting from the 2025 season, drivers will no longer receive an additional point for achieving the fastest lap if they finish in the top ten during an F1 race. At a pre-race media event for the US Grand Prix, drivers were asked for their opinions on this decision. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz stated that he has always believed that the point for creating the fastest lap is unnecessary, mainly because of how this point is earned. Currently, this point belongs to those who can pit freely for tire changes before the last lap of the race. Mercedes driver George Russell expressed his happiness at seeing this scoring system abolished. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez believes that when drivers compete for this fastest lap point, mechanics must provide the correct pit timing to allow them to achieve it at the right moment, which adds significant pressure; he does not think cancelling the fastest lap point is the best choice. Kevin Magnussen from Haas believes that from a mid-tier team’s perspective, this point is rarely considered. If a mid-tier team manages to enter the top ten, they seldom have opportunities to pit late in the race; for mid-tier teams, this point has never been significant.