Pitlandia

Rules & Scoring

The Basics

Pick 1 team or driver each Grand Prix weekend. Score points based on their performance, with bonus points for picking unpopular choices and maintaining scoring streaks.


How to Play

  • Pick: Choose either 1 driver OR 1 team before qualifying starts
  • One-time use: Each pick can only be used once per season
  • Total picks: 33 available (22 drivers + 11 teams) for 24 races
  • Independence: Picking Max as a driver doesn't prevent picking Red Bull as a team later

Pick Deadline

Before qualifying starts each weekend:

  • Sprint weekends: Before Sprint Qualifying
  • Regular weekends: Before Qualifying

Miss the deadline? You score 0 points for that race and keep all your picks for future races.


How Scoring Works

Your score each race = Base Points + Rarity Bonus + Streak Bonus

Base Points

For each driver, you score the better of:

  • F1 championship points they earn
  • Position gains (grid position - finish position)

Driver picks: Simple! You get one driver's best score.

Team picks: You get BOTH drivers' best scores added together.

  • Driver 1: whichever is higher (their F1 points OR position gains)
  • Driver 2: whichever is higher (their F1 points OR position gains)
  • Your base = Driver 1's best + Driver 2's best

Examples:

Driver pick:

  • Norris finishes 3rd → 15 championship points
  • Norris started P5 → 2 position gains
  • You get: 15 points (higher of the two)

Team pick (Ferrari):

  • Leclerc: 25 F1 points vs. 2 position gains → 25 points
  • Sainz: 15 F1 points vs. 3 position gains → 15 points
  • You get: 25 + 15 = 40 base points

What counts:

  • Grand Prix points (25 for 1st, 18 for 2nd, 15 for 3rd, etc.)
  • Sprint race points (8 for 1st, 7 for 2nd, etc.)
  • Position gains from grid to finish

Bonus Points

Additional points that are added to your score. Bonus points are earned only when your pick scores base points.

Rarity Bonus

Get bonus points for picking drivers/teams that few others picked:

How Many Picked It?Bonus Points
≤2% of players+4
≤5% of players+3
≤15% of players+2
≤30% of players+1
>30% of players0

Example: Only 1.5% of players picked Haas → +4 bonus points!

Scoring Streak Bonus

Score points in consecutive races to build a streak. You need at least 2 races in a row to get streak bonuses:

Your StreakBonus Points
1 race0
2–3 races+1
4–5 races+2
6–7 races+3
8+ races+4 (max)

If your pick scores 0 in a race, your streak resets to 0.


🎯 Scoring Examples

Example 1: Team Pick

You pick Ferrari for Austria (sprint weekend):

Base points breakdown:

  • Leclerc: Sprint 7pts + Race 25pts = 32 F1 points vs. 2 position gains → 32 points
  • Sainz: Sprint 5pts + Race 15pts = 20 F1 points vs. 3 position gains → 20 points
  • Base: 32 + 20 = 52 points

Bonuses:

  • Rarity: 0 points (45% of players picked Ferrari)
  • Streak: +1 point (2-race streak)

Total: 52 + 0 + 1 = 53 points

Example 2: Rare Team Pick with Long Streak

You pick Haas for Monza:

Base points breakdown:

  • Hulkenberg: 2 F1 points vs. -5 position gains → 2 points
  • Magnussen: 0 F1 points vs. -6 position gains → 0 points
  • Base: 2 + 0 = 2 points

Bonuses:

  • Rarity: +4 points (only 1.5% picked Haas - rare!)
  • Streak: +4 points (8-race streak, maxed out)

Total: 2 + 4 + 4 = 10 points

A tiny base score becomes competitive with bonuses!

Example 3: Driver Pick - Position Gains Win

You pick Gasly (driver) in a wet Spa race:

Base points breakdown:

  • Gasly: 8 F1 points vs. 12 position gains (P18→P6) → 12 points

Bonuses:

  • Rarity: +4 points (rare pick)
  • Streak: 0 points (only 1 race scored - need 2 for a streak!)

Total: 12 + 4 + 0 = 16 points

Example 4: DNF

You pick Verstappen, but he crashes out:

  • Base: 0 points (DNF)
  • Rarity: 0 (bonuses don't apply when base = 0)
  • Streak: 0 (bonuses don't apply when base = 0)
  • Total: 0 points (your streak resets)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I change my pick after submitting? A: Yes! Change it as many times as you want before qualifying starts.

Q: What if I miss the deadline? A: You score 0 points for that race, but you don't lose any picks. They're all still available.

Q: Can I pick the same driver multiple times? A: No, each pick can only be used once per season.

Q: Do bonuses apply if I score 0 base points? A: No. Rarity and streak bonuses ONLY apply when your base points are greater than 0. A DNF or missed pick means 0 total points.

Q: How is the rarity percentage calculated? A: Number of people who picked that option ÷ total people who made picks. Example: 5 picked Haas, 100 made picks = 5% picked Haas.

Q: Does my streak break if I miss the deadline? A: Yes, because you scored 0 base points. Your streak resets to 0.

Q: Do I get a bonus for scoring in just 1 race? A: No, you need at least 2 races in a row to get streak bonuses. A "streak" means consecutive success!

Q: What if my driver gets replaced due to sickness or injury? A: You score the points earned by the replacement driver.

Q: Are teams or drivers better picks? A: Teams can score more base points (two drivers) but are usually more popular (lower rarity bonus). Mix your strategy!


🏁 Strategy Tips

  1. Save top teams for sprints - Sprint weekends = more points awarded
  2. Protect long streaks - After 8+ races, you’ve maxed the streak bonus, so play it safe
  3. Avoid popular picks - Everyone picking Max means 0 rarity bonus