Sum top 5 values in MySQL

Question

I have a MySQL table where I store results from a racing championship, so that every rows contains -among other data- every driver\'s position in a certain race. I want to get t

Answer 1

Try this:

SELECT driver, SUM(`position`)
FROM (SELECT driver, race, season, `position`, 
             IF(@lastDriver=(@lastDriver:=driver), @auto:=@auto+1, @auto:=1) indx 
      FROM results, (SELECT @lastDriver:=0, @auto:=1) A 
      ORDER BY driver, `position`) AS A  
WHERE indx <= 5 
GROUP BY driver ;

Answer 2

Here's another way...

SELECT a.season
     , a.driver
     , SUM(points) T5
  FROM
     ( SELECT x.season
            , x.driver
            , x.points
         FROM results x 
         JOIN results y 
           ON (y.season = x.season 
          AND y.driver = x.driver) 
          AND (y.position < x.position OR (y.position = x.position AND y.race < x.race))
        GROUP 
           BY x.season
            , x.driver
            , x.race
       HAVING COUNT(*) <=5
     ) a
 GROUP
    BY season
     , driver;