Red Bull could win the constructor’s championship title as early as Austin

After Suzuka and Max Verstappen’s second world championship title in the midst of general confusion, it is his team that could well be crowned next weekend in Austin. With 619 points collected so far, Red Bull indeed enjoys a comfortable lead over its runner-up, Ferrari, which remains at 454 points. Carlos Sainz’s retirement in Japan following his slip-up in the first lap did not work in favor of the Scuderia, while Charles Leclerc finished behind the two Red Bull drivers, marking their fifth double of the season.

Several scenarios are now possible for the Milton Keynes team to secure its title at the United States Grand Prix. There are still 191 points to be distributed in the constructors’ standings for the last four races of the season, which take place in Austin, Mexico, Brazil (which offers additional points during the Sprint race), before the conclusion in Abu Dhabi.

To put it simply, Red Bull must have a minimum of 147 points advantage over its pursuer after the United States Grand Prix to put an end to the suspense (if there is any left). In other words, if we look at the problem the other way around, Ferrari must surpass its rival by 19 points in the next race if they want to delay the Austrian team’s title. It would probably require hoping for the retirement of at least one of the two Red Bull drivers, while Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz must finish high in the points. Let’s recall that a 1-2 finish and the fastest lap bring a total of 44 points for a team.

A first crown since 2013?

With a current lead of 165 points, Red Bull would “only need” to score 27 points in Austin to clinch the title. This would be the case, for example, if their two drivers finish in 3rd and 4th position. It also means that if Max Verstappen wins the race, Sergio Pérez can settle for a 9th position, and vice versa. And that’s not even considering the additional point for the fastest lap. Without a double finish from Scuderia, it is enough for one of the Red Bull drivers to win the race and set the fastest lap to secure the title for their team.

In conclusion, it is highly likely that we will see Red Bull celebrate their title on American soil. This is indeed the wish of the Dutch and Mexican drivers, who declared, following the confusion over the first driver’s title in Suzuka, that they would be very happy to have a celebration in the United States. “I think they messed up, I still need one more point,” said a particularly confused Max Verstappen after the race in Japan, covering his mouth to not be heard. To which his teammate responded, « I think it’s better to have a party in Austin ».”

This crown has been eagerly awaited at Red Bull since their last victory in 2013, after a – very – long drought marked by the total dominance of Mercedes and their eight consecutive titles. Before the strong comeback of the German team, the Austrian team had itself dominated the championship with four consecutive titles won between 2010 and 2013, with their controversial duo Sebastian Vettel – Mark Webber, the former also being crowned four-time world champion during this period.