MotoGP Points System Explained

The premier class of motorcycle racing, MotoGP has a distinctive points system which rewards riders across two races in a Grand Prix weekend.

Riders will battle for points in a sprint race on Saturday before they reconvene on Sunday in the main feature race. Points that riders accrue from both races will be added to their season total.

With Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia locked in a finely-poised fight for the title, every point is precious.

Here's everything you need to know about the MotoGP points scoring system.

MotoGP points system

In comparison to many other motorsport classifications, MotoGP has a unique points scoring system which rewards riders from 1st down to 15th.

The winner of a race is awarded 25 points, which is five more than the rider who finishes second and the margin provides greater incentive to take the chequered flag.

With points on offer in the lower positions, battles are fierce across the track with every point extremely valuable.

Position	Points
1st	25
2nd	20
3rd	16
4th	13
5th	11
6th	10
7th	9
8th	8
9th	7
10th	6
11th	5
12th	4
13th	3
14th	2
15th	1

MotoGP sprint race points system

Sprint races were introduced at all Grands Prix in 2023 as organisers attempted to enhance the appeal of MotoGP to a wider audience.

The sprint sessions are roughly half the distance of the main race on a Sunday, which means only half the amount of points are on offer. The winner of a sprint receives 12 points, while the rider who finishes second is awarded nine points.

With 20 Grands Prix in a season, the maximum points a rider can accrue from sprint races is 240, which can have a significant bearing on the title race.

Position	Points
1st	12
2nd	9
3rd	7
4th	6
5th	5
6th	4
7th	3
8th	2
9th	1

How are MotoGP constructors points calculated?

Points for the Teams' Championship are calculated by adding the total number of points from each rider on the same team.

For instance, in the Ducati Lenovo Team, Francesco Bagnaia is on 305 points and his teammate Enea Bastianini is on 250 points. Combining the two gives the Italian constructor 555 points.

Do MotoGP riders receive points for qualifying?

No points are awarded for the outcome of a qualifying session.

Qualifying is used simply to determine the grid for the sprint and main race.

Do MotoGP riders receive points for the fastest lap?

Unlike Formula 1 where the driver who posts the fastest lap in the race is awarded a point, MotoGP riders do not receive any additional points for achieving the fastest lap of the race.

MotoGP points record

Francesco Bagnaia set the record for most points in an individual season in 2023 when he accumulated 467 points to claim his second MotoGP title.

The record was previously held by Marc Marquez in 2019 when he amassed 420 points. That figure is made all the more phenomenal by the fact that the maximum number of points on offer that season was 475, with Marquez taking the chequered flag 12 times and finishing second on six occasions in a 19-race campaign.

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