A three way fight for the Constructors' title

The battle in the Constructors' championship is really getting spicy with three teams in the hunt with two thirds of the season completed. Having dominated the first third with five wins and three one-two finishes, Red Bull has faded and so its pursuers are closing in. With 16 of the 24 rounds put to bed, the team led by Christian Horner now only has an eight points lead over McLaren (446 to 438) with Ferrari now rapidly joining the fray on 407. 

If we look back as far as the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, Red Bull's advantage over Ferrari, then in second place, was 71 points, the biggest lead of 2024. In four races, Hungary, Belgium, Holland and Italy, the reigning champions have only picked up 73 points. McLaren on the other hand collected 143, almost double that and Ferrari 32 more (105). 

Since 2010, when the current points system was introduced, the only modification being down to the arrival of Sprint races and the novelty of the addition of a point for the fastest race lap, the battle in the Constructors' championship has never been this close. For example, in 2021, Mercedes and Red Bull were split by 36 points and only in three years has the championship leader been on fewer points than Red Bull this year. In 2021, Mercedes was leading with 433.5 points, in 2010 the Milton Keynes squad topped the table with 426 and two years later led by “only” 367. 

It seems like Verstappen and Co. are facing an uphill struggle, especially if you make a comparison with last year: in 2023 after 16 races, Red Bull had accumulated 623 points, more than double second-placed Mercedes on 305, with Ferrari third on 285. It's not yet over for the leaders, but let's say it might not be far off. If the trend established in July continues, Max and Red Bull could be deposed quite soon.