How is the winner decided in motor sports like Formula One and bike racings?

Is it based on who finishes first or who timed the minimum lap timings? Why are the participants given different positions while starting which seems like biased?

@trey9860

Does this mean that the podium places are awarded or decided based on who finished first, second and third?

Then what is the importance of pole position? A driver may time the fastest lap but may not be able to finish the race first, second or third?

In racing it's who came in first, second, third and so on. As far as who get the pole position, it's who has the fastest lap time around the track. At the end of the race, points are awarded according to that sports point rating. At the end of the season, the racer with the most points is the winner of that season, in NASCAR additional points are awarded for other factors.

Positioning on the starting grid is determined by qualifying times. Whoever puts up the fastest time during qualifying gets to be in first and and slowest, last. Whoever finishes the race first wins. At least that how i think it works...

couldnt have explained better thn lullaby

For F-1 and NASCAR and similar races it's whoever crosses the finish line 1st
For endurance races, like 24hrs at LeMans or Daytona etc.,
the winner is determined in EACH class by total miles driven in a given amount of time ..24 hrs/12 hrs. etc

easy! Someone who finishes first of course

In F1, whoever finishes first wins the race. It's that easy.
Your times in qualifying determine your position on the starting grid.

Starting grid positions are determined during qualifying. Whoever has the fastest time will start from pole. Currently F1 has 3 qualifying stages. On race day, the cars line up according to their quali positions and after racing a predetermined number of laps, whoever reached the finish line first is the winner.

points are awarded as such (F1):
10 pts Winner
8 pts runner up
6 pts-3rd place
5 pts- 4th place
4 pts- 5th
3 pts- 6th
2 pts- 7th
1 pt- 8th

The race positions on the starting grid are decided on the qualifying timings ,achieved in qualifying sessions, of the team.In qualifying whoever is faster will get the top slot to race the next day.On the race day whoever finishes first will get the first position.On race day being faster doesn't serve any purpose.Who have to come first to win it.

Yeah Purpleca is right.
And the driver who collects the maximum number of points in a year is declared as the champion.

start position : you can put all 21 drivers in first position, costly caus u need a 21 lane track. so they run, a day before for lap times. position is decided based on fastest lap time.

winner : is decided on time taken to cover a fixed number of laps of the track

I think this year its the number of races you win will decide who wins the F1.

It will solely be decided on who finishes first..
pole position is given for the person to start the proceedings as his car/Bike has set the fastest time in qualifying. This is done in order to reduce the number of accidents in the start lap...even though accidents do happen in the start lap.