2026 season

The rules

The short version first. Tim's full rules are below — his decision is final.
£45mTo spend on your team
3 + 1 + 1Drivers, a chassis and an engine (at least 1 reserve driver)
+5Bonus on top of real F1 points, whenever they score
+1For every place gained from the grid (drivers)
+5For starting on pole
−5 … −1For the first 5 cars to retire
−5For a time, drive-through or stop/go penalty
+30If you own the World Champion
+30If you own the champion team's chassis
From the Dungeon Master

The game

You are an F1 team principal with £45 million to spend. Buy:

  • 3 drivers — at least one must come from the £1m reserve drivers
  • 1 chassis
  • 1 engine

Your team scores points from the real Grands Prix. Most points at the end of the season wins. We play just for the glory!

Fair play

If two or more people pick the same (or very nearly the same) team, as judged by Tim and Candida, the person who registered first keeps it and the others must change.

To stay impartial, Tim and Candida pick their own teams before anyone else, and nobody's team is shown until every team is in.

Drivers

  • Real F1 points for the weekend (25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 — plus any sprint points), plus a bonus 5 when they score.
  • +1 point for every place gained from the starting grid to the finish.
  • +5 for starting on pole.
  • Lose 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 points for being the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th car to retire.
  • Lose 5 points for a drive-through, stop/go or time penalty in the race.
  • Disqualified? You lose everything gained that weekend, but still keep any points lost.
  • Excluded from the championship? You lose the points from the races you're excluded from.
  • If your driver wins the World Championship: +30 bonus.

Chassis

Scores like a driver for the finish — but only for the better-placed car in the race (plus the bonus 5). Loses points if one of its cars is among the first five to retire (only the first car out counts).

If your chassis wins the Constructors' Championship: +30 bonus.

Engines

Scores like the chassis for the best-placed car using that team's engine — but no points are lost for retirements.

If an F1 team is thrown out of the points, its chassis and engine owners lose those points too. (Remember McLaren in 2007!)

The judge's decision is final

Tim is the Dungeon Master and keeps the scores, based on the official FIA results. The biggest swings come from drivers, so it's probably worth spending more on them — but that's your call as team principal.

Enjoy the season, and I expect plenty of unsporting abuse of your fellow players.