How The Scoring Works
Every race is scored out of 10 using eleven signals split across three groups. A Monaco 6/10 means something different to a Monza 6/10 — because circuit-relative signals are always judged against that track's own history.
Circuit-Relative Signals
Scored against each circuit's own historical average using a sigmoid curve — so a high-overtake track like Austria is judged against its own baseline, not against Monaco. From 2026, separate baselines account for the new regulations.
Overtakes — 2.5pts max. The biggest single factor. How many times did cars actually swap positions on track?
Lead changes — 1.5pts max. How many times did the race lead change hands? Even one or two decisive moments score well here.
Pit strategy variance — 1.0pt max. Did teams diverge on strategy, or did everyone follow the same script?
Absolute Signals
These add fixed points regardless of circuit — a red flag at Monaco is as significant as one at Monza.
Safety cars / VSC — 1.5pts max. Interventions compress the field and reset strategy windows.
Red flags — 1.0pt max. A race stoppage almost always produces chaos on the restart.
Retirements — 0.8pts max. More attrition generally means more unpredictability.
Late-race drama — 0.7pt. Did the lead change in the final laps? Worth staying to the end.
Rain / wet conditions — 0.5pt. Wet races produce variance by default.
Enhanced Signals (2026+)
Three additional signals added with the 2026 algorithm, calculated automatically from live timing data after each race.
Close racing at the front — 0.8pts max. Two measures combined: how often the top 3 were all within 5 seconds of each other (capturing 3-way podium battles), and how often any consecutive pair in P1-P4 were within 1 second (capturing close P3 vs P4 fights for the last podium spot). A Mercedes 1-2 runaway scores low even with a tight P3 vs P4 battle — unless that battle is close enough.
Order shake-up vs grid — 0.7pts max. How much did the finishing order differ from the starting grid? Bigger shuffle = more unpredictable race.
Tyre strategy variety — 0.5pts max. How many different compounds were used across the field? More variety suggests more strategic divergence.
| Score | Verdict | What it means |
|---|
| 1–3 | Processional | A quiet one. Fine for the dedicated fan, but manage your expectations going in. |
| 4–5 | Has Its Moments | Not a classic, but there were moments worth seeing. Go in with realistic expectations. |
| 6–7 | Decent Watch | Solid racing with enough variety to hold your attention throughout. |
| 8–10 | Instant Classic | One of the good ones. Find two hours and watch from lights out to podium. |
A note on the 2026 regulations
The 2026 technical regulations produced a significant jump in overtaking numbers due to the new manual boost system, smaller cars and revised energy deployment. To account for this, all 2026 races are scored against separate circuit baselines calibrated for the new era — so a 120-overtake race in 2026 is judged against what's normal for 2026, not against 2025 or earlier seasons.