The 2024 Method 1 constructors’ championship battle was the most effective in current historical past, with McLaren beating Ferrari to the highest spot in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren entered the weekend on prime with 640 factors, leaving it 21 factors forward of its Italian rival, whereas the earlier weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix noticed reigning champion Pink Bull eradicated from competition.
The finale got here right down to the wire, with McLaren’s Lando Norris taking the win from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, securing the British squad’s first title since 1998 when its star Mika Hakkinen additionally gained his first of two back-to-back drivers’ championships. It took the title by simply 14 factors, with Pink Bull in third behind by 77 factors.
It was additionally fairly a shock given the yr began with Pink Bull because the dominant power trying more likely to declare a 3rd title on the bounce.
Pink Bull gained seven of the opening 10 grands prix however had been then outdeveloped by its rivals mid-season, leaving McLaren and Ferrari with the strongest vehicles.
That is the 67th constructors’ championship having began in 1958, eight years after the collection commenced, as F1 needed to recognise those that construct and design the vehicles.
So right here is all to know in regards to the F1 constructors’ championship.
Which F1 crew has gained essentially the most titles?
Ferrari has gained essentially the most F1 constructors’ championships with the Scuderia having clinched 16 titles, which is nearly double that of nearest challengers Williams and McLaren.
Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2004, celebrates victory as he crosses the end line and takes the chequered flag, to the delight of the crew who wave Italian flags.
Picture by: Motorsport Pictures
The Scuderia took its first crown in 1961, a yr that was dominated by Ferrari because it gained 5 of eight grands prix which means it clinched the title with three rounds remaining. Lotus completed runner-up successful the opposite three races, however nothing was a match for the 156 that yr as Phil Hill gained the drivers’ championship taking two of Ferrari’s victories.
Ferrari gained one other constructors’ title within the Nineteen Sixties, however 1964 was way more intently fought because it claimed the crown on the ultimate day pipping British rivals BRM and Lotus.
It continued to win titles within the following many years, however then a 16-year drought adopted, ending in 1999, as Ferrari with the assistance of Michael Schumacher started a record-breaking run.
The crew gained six constructors’ championships on the bounce, an unprecedented streak that was not surpassed till Mercedes took eight consecutive titles from 2014 to 2021.
Given the constructors’ championship didn’t occur when Mercedes was first within the collection (1954-55), they’re the one eight titles it has gained for the reason that Silver Arrows made a comeback in 2010. Meaning Williams and McLaren have collectively the second-most championships with 9 every, having dominated a lot of the Nineteen Eighties and ‘90s between them.
Williams has not gained for the reason that flip of the century although, with Ferrari, Renault, Brawn, Pink Bull, Mercedes and now McLaren all taking crowns from 2000. Pink Bull was on track for its seventh championship this yr till it immediately dropped down the pecking order, whereas Lotus is the sixth crew to have gained 5 or extra championships.
The British outfit was based by the late nice Colin Chapman and made its F1 debut in 1958, 5 years earlier than it took its first constructors’ championship with 1963 being a double-winning season as Jim Clark claimed the drivers’ crown.
Race winner Mario Andretti, Lotus 79, Ronnie Peterson, Lotus 79
Picture by: David Phipps
That was the primary of seven constructors’ titles throughout twenty years for Lotus, as its final championship got here in 1978 with Mario Andretti on the wheel. However Chapman’s deadly coronary heart assault in 1982 noticed the demise of Lotus with the crew leaving the championship altogether in 1994.
In complete, there have been 15 winners of the F1 constructors’ championship with Mercedes being the final first-time winner in 2014.
5 years earlier than additionally noticed Brawn GP, which later grew to become Mercedes, change into a first-time winner with 2009 remaining the one season wherein a crew has taken the title in its debut marketing campaign, because the revolutionary double-diffuser helped the British squad win eight grands prix with world champion Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.
Constructor
Titles
Yr(s)
Ferrari
16
1961, 1964, 1975-77, 1979, 1982-83, 1999-04, 2007-08
McLaren
9
1974, 1984-85, 1988-91, 1998, 2024
Williams
1980-81, 1986-87, 1992-94, 1996-97
Mercedes
8
2014-2021
Lotus
7
1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972-73, 1978
Pink Bull
6
2010-13, 2022-23
Cooper
2
1959-60
Brabham
1966-67
Renault
2005-06
Vanwall
1
1958
BRM
1962
Matra
1969
Tyrrell
1971
Benetton
1995
Brawn
2009
Why do F1 drivers’ and constructors’ title wins differ?
The drivers’ title is essentially the most high-profile championship in F1 as followers pay extra consideration to it, however it’s really the constructors’ crown that has a much bigger affect on a crew’s future.
That’s as a result of a squad earns cash for the place it finishes within the constructors’ championship, which provides collectively the factors tallies of the drivers competing for that crew within the yr. For instance, Pink Bull gained the 2023 title with a record-breaking 860 factors, 575 of which got here from world champion Max Verstappen and 285 from Sergio Perez.
Whereas a driver will understandably care extra in regards to the drivers’ championship, they’re nonetheless contributing to the constructors’ crown and typically, in Pink Bull’s case, they’ll hurt their crew’s likelihood.
In 2021, for instance, Verstappen clinched his maiden drivers’ title but Mercedes really gained the constructors’ championship as a result of it had sturdy performances from each vehicles.
Whereas Lewis Hamilton completed simply eight factors behind Verstappen, the seven-time world champion’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas was 36 factors forward of Perez which means the Silver Arrows pipped Pink Bull to the constructors’ crown by 28 factors.
An identical state of affairs has occurred in 2024. As ever, Verstappen has been sturdy for Pink Bull however the Austrian outfit has did not retain its constructors’ title on account of poor performances from Perez, who completed eighth within the drivers’ standings whereas his team-mate clinched a fourth title.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB20
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
It additionally means Verstappen has joined Nelson Piquet as the one drivers to have twice gained the drivers’ championship in a yr their crew did not declare the constructors’ title. For Piquet it occurred in 1981 and 1983 as his Brabham squad completed second and third respectively.
In 1981, Piquet’s team-mate was Hector Rebaque who had a really poor season contributing simply 11 factors in the direction of Brabham’s tally of 61, permitting Williams to comfortably win the championship due to Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann, who scored 46 and 49 factors respectively.
Two years later in the meantime, Piquet’s team-mate was Riccardo Patrese who scored simply 13 of Brabham’s 72 factors. It resulted in world champions Ferrari and Renault coming forward of the British squad due to all of their drivers ending contained in the championship prime seven.
So, that exhibits why you will need to have a robust driver in each vehicles as a result of groups arguably care extra in regards to the constructors’ title and a poor season from one facet of the storage can hurt a squad’s general marketing campaign.
How a lot prize cash will groups earn after the 2024 F1 season?
Perez’s underperformance this yr has confirmed expensive for Pink Bull, because it means the crew is now going through an approximate $20million loss in prize cash for its third-place end within the championship and never first.
Each place counts in F1, whether or not it’s first, fifth and even final, as a result of the upper up a crew finishes the extra money it should obtain. And regardless that F1’s actual prize cash cut up is secret, it’s potential to realize a superb estimation based mostly on info within the public area.
Based on the Concorde Settlement, the contract which governs the championship, the crew prize pot is 50% of F1’s industrial rights revenue.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing RB20, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, the remainder of the sphere in the beginning
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
Groups don’t all the time obtain 50% although, as after a sure level of income it’s believed that Method One Administration’s share share rises. In 2022, for instance, F1 generated revenues of $2.57 billion ensuing within the prize pot being $1.157b which is roughly 45%.
The funds should not cut up equally both as Ferrari, for instance, receives an additional cost, about 5%, for its historic significance having competed in each season since F1’s first in 1950.
There are additionally bonuses for previous success like successful the championship, so it’s understood that the bonus funds equate to an estimated 25% leaving the remaining for 10 groups to separate.
So based mostly on final yr, the place crew funds are anticipated to have totalled $1.25-1.3b which means the prize pot was $1b, Pink Bull acquired round $140m for successful the championship forward of runner-up Mercedes on $131m.
The prize pot then went all the way in which right down to Haas, which completed final which means the American squad is anticipated to have acquired $60m and the same quantity ought to go to Sauber in 2024.
Place
Prize cash
Crew
1
$140m
McLaren
2
$131m
Ferrari
3
$122m
Pink Bull
4
$113m
Mercedes
5
$104m
Aston Martin
6
$95m
7
$87
Haas
8
$78m
9
$69m
Williams
10
$60m
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