Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari in F1 promotion after Japanese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari received some good news at last after the Japanese Grand Prix, as their promotion up the drivers' and constructors' standings respectively was confirmed in an official FIA document.

Having picked up just 17 points from the opening three grand prix weekends, including a disqualification for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton after the main race in China, Ferrari sat fifth in the constructors' championship.

However, they have now been promoted up the order after Leclerc and Hamilton's fourth and seventh-place finishes respectively in Japan, and both of them have also been promoted in the drivers' championship standings.

It followed a Japanese GP that was brilliantly won by Max Verstappen, who was able to hold off the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to take victory and move to within just one point of early championship leader Norris.

Piastri's second podium of the season took him above Mercedes' George Russell in the drivers' championship, but Mercedes are still holding on to second in the constructors' standings, 36 points behind McLaren.

F1 drivers' standings after the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

1. Lando Norris | McLaren | 62 points
2. Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 61
3. Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 49
4. George Russell | Mercedes | 45
5. Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 30
6. Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 20
7. Alex Albon | Williams | 18
8. Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 15
9. Esteban Ocon | Haas | 10
10. Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 10
11. Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 6
12. Oliver Bearman | Haas | 5
13. Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 4
14. Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 3
15. Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1
16. Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 0
17. Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 0
18. Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 0
19. Jack Doohan | Alpine | 0
20. Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 0

F1 constructors' standings after 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

1. McLaren | 111 points
2. Mercedes | 75
3. Red Bull | 61
4. Ferrari | 35
5. Williams | 19
6. Haas | 15
7. Aston Martin | 10
8. Racing Bulls | 7
9. Sauber | 6
10. Alpine | 0

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

Fastest lap points have been banished for 2025. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, it did lead to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a set of new tyres at the end in order to claim the fastest lap point, or to stop a rival from getting the extra point.

The most famous example of this in 2024 came during Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Norris and helping Verstappen's title bid.

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