Calculated: How Red Bull can clinch the Constructors’ Championship in Japan

Sam Cooper 18 Sep 2023 9:30 AM

Christian Horner's team is close to another title

After missing out in Singapore, Red Bull have another chance at winning the Constructors’ Championship this weekend and here is how they can do it.

Max Verstappen和塞尔吉奥·佩雷斯·have been in all-conquering form this season and something we all knew would happen eventually could finally take place this weekend.

With 597 points on the board, Red Bull could secure their sixth Constructors’ title but just how could they do it?

How can Red Bull win the Constructors’ Championship in Japan?

Provided they solve the gremlins in the car that plagued them in Singapore, Red Bull could win the championship this weekend. The team currently lead second-place Mercedes by 308 points and with 309 points left for a single team to win this year.

This means that should Red Bull score just one more point than Mercedes they will win the title by virtue of the countback rule. Of course if they score two or more, the title will be theirs on points alone.

What is the record for earliest Constructors’ Championship victory?

As has been the case a number of times this season, Red Bull’s form is being compared to the McLaren of 1988 and it is Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna who have the joint-record for winning the Constructors’ title the earliest.

The pair secured the championship with five races to go of their 16-race season meaning there was 31% of the season left to race.

The record is shared by Ferrari whose drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello won the 2004 title after 13 of the 18 rounds. In terms of percentages, that gives them a worse record of 27% left of the season to go.

Should Red Bull win this weekend, they will have done so with six races left in the season but in terms of percentages, they would still be lagging behind.

The Japanese Grand Prix will be the 16th race of the 22-race season meaning Red Bull would win with 28% of the year remaining, just marginally more than Ferrari’s 2004 effort.

If Red Bull want to get one over their rivals Mercedes, all they would need to do is beat the Silver Arrows’ best effort of four races to go so should the Milton Keynes outfit win before the United States Grand Prix, they will have done it.

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When can Max Verstappen win the Drivers’ Championship?

While Red Bull have a chance at the title this weekend, Max Verstappen will have to wait a little longer.

The Dutchman has a 152-point lead over his team-mate with 206 points for a single driver able to score for the rest of the season, making it mathematically impossible for Verstappen to win this weekend.

Should he be victorious in the race and Perez fail to score a point, Verstappen would then have a very realistic chance of clinching the title in Qatar provided he scores three or points more than Perez in the sprint race.