Fernando Alonso will wear a special helmet at this weekend's Indian Grand Prix to mark his recent achievement in becoming the biggest points scorer in the history of F1.

"A record is always a record and it has to be celebrated," proclaims Ferrari on its website, referring to the Spaniard's announcement, via Twitter, that the helmet he wears for this weekend's Indian Grand Prix is in celebration of recently becoming the most successful point scorer in the history of the sport.

In addition to the number 1571 - the total points the Spanish driver has won in his F1 career - the helmet will bear the words "F1 points World Record". There is also a thank you to his fans in three languages (English, French and Italian).

The Italian team adds that it hopes its driver might add another 25 points to his tally this weekend.

No disrespect to either Fernando or Ferrari but how sad that it should come to this. While the Spaniard looks to have sewn up runner-up spot in the Drivers' Championship, the Maranello outfit's place in the Constructors' Championship is far from certain with Mercedes and Lotus still very much in the fight.

While Alonso's 1571 points is a record - having overtaken Michael Schumacher's 1566 in Japan - in many ways it is a hollow celebration. Today, a Grand Prix winner receives 25 points whilst between 1950 and 1959 they would only have received 8. In 1961 this increased to 9 before the system was revised again in 1991 and increased to 10.

However, until 1959 only the first five drivers won points though there was another point available for the driver who posted the fastest lap.

From 2003 points were awarded to the first eight finishers, the race winner still earning just 10 points, whilst the current system of points for the first ten, and the race winner being awarded 25 was introduced in 2010.

Also, until 1990 only so many finishes counted towards the Drivers’ Championship, successful drivers, Alain Prost being a prime example, actually losing points, indeed the (1988) title as a result. Graham Hill similarly lost out to John Surtees in 1964.