List of motorsports points scoring systems

This is a list of points scoring systems used to determine the outcome of the seasonal motorsports championships. Points are usually awarded after the placement in the individual races. In addition, there may be bonus points for fastest training laps, fastest race laps, leading laps or other individual criteria. In some racing series, for example the ARCA Menards Series, full time entrys gets additional points after a predetermined number of races. Drivers who do not take part in the series full-time and only take part in certain races do not receive these special points.

The following overview shows the different championship scoring systems sorted by sanctioning body or race organizer.

Shared scoring systems (max. 20 ranks)
Points scoring systems that were used by several championships or sanctioning bodies.

Unique scoring systems (max. 20 ranks)
This is a list of some individual points scoring systems, which were only used for one racing series and distribute points up to 20th place.

Other scoring systems
Points scoring systems of other organizers sorted by first year of introduction.

FIA
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is the largest motorsport sanctioning body in the world and sanctions all types of racing, whether open wheel, touring car, rally or endurance racing. The best known is Formula 1. For this reason there are many points systems for different purposes. However, they are very similar and often use the same basic pattern.

Championship decision
The final result of the championship is usually determined by the sum of the championship points won. If the points are the same, there will be tiebreaker in the form of the number of the highest positions in the individual races, e.g. number of victories, number of second places etc.

An inverted system was used in Europe before World War II. The driver with the fewest points won the championship there. The winner got 1 "penalty point", the second-placed driver 2, the third-placed driver 3, all other drivers got 4. Drivers who did not finish the race received additional "penalty points", based on the percentage distance they run.

In some racing series, especially in NASCAR, there is a playoff system. After a cutoff race determined at the beginning of the season, the points score is used to qualify for the playoff after that race. In the subsequent races, other selection procedures are used to decide the championship, for example a knockout phase in which only a certain number of drivers, determined by points scoring and number of victories, reach the next round. In the last race, only the direct placement against the other competing drivers decides the outcome of the championship.