A racing championship gives points by finishing position in each round and adds them up. Points tables are usually steep at the top, so a win is worth noticeably more than second. Many series add a point for pole position or fastest lap, and many let drivers drop their worst round or two.
A driver who does not start or does not finish usually scores nothing — which is why reliability decides as many championships as speed.
Ties are broken by countback: the driver with more wins goes ahead, then more second places, and so on.