The Three Constructors’ Championship Fights Heading Into The Abu Dhabi GP

Posted on November 26, 2023 | by Dre Harrison Yes, we know, the actual big F1 title fights have been over for some time in 2023, but there are still three title battles in the constructors’ championship that could still swing either way in the final round of the year! These fights do still matter in terms of prize money, and in terms of windtunnel time, which sits on a sliding scale of 5% more or less depending on a constructors’ finishing position, So, let’s break down the contenders. BATTLE FOR P2: MERCEDES VS FERRARI Current standings – Mercedes (392), Ferrari (388) The most high-profile fight is between old rivals Mercedes and Ferrari, with just four points between them. Both teams had errors in qualifying, with Carlos Sainz eliminated in Q1 after losing time in the session to fix a front wing issue and then dealing with traffic on his final lap. Not long after, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 with the seven-time champion struggling with his Mercedes W14. “Something’s not right with the car, mate,” he said. Charles Leclerc leapt to the front row with his final run in Q3 for Ferrari, with George Russell starting fourth directly behind him. If the race plays out like qualifying does, it would be enough for Ferrari to take second… BATTLE FOR 4TH: MCLAREN VS ASTON MARTIN  Current standings – McLaren (284) vs Aston Martin (273) A lot of people (us included), thought McLaren winning this one was a foregone conclusion with their surge in the second half of the season, but Aston Martin have found some late form to make it an 11-point gap with one race left. McLaren has the upper hand from qualifying, though, as Oscar Piastri starts third and Lando Norris fifth, with Fernando Alonso seventh and Lance Stroll just 13th. It’s going to be a big ask for the team in green to make up the difference. BATTLE FOR 7TH: WILLIAMS, ALPHATAURI, ALFA ROMEO, HAAS Current Standings – Williams (28), AlphaTauri (21), Alfa Romeo (16), Haas (12) Yes, it’s the battle to avoid the wooden spoon. Here’s a fun fact for you: whoever ends up bottom will have the highest point total of any last-placed team ever!  Williams holds the advantage for seventh with a seven-point lead over AlphaTauri, but the Italian team have a potential ace up their sleeves as Yuki Tsunoda’s best-ever qualifying performance has him sixth on the grid, with Alex Albon down in 14th and Logan Sargeant at the back of the grid after failing to set a time. Haas vs Alfa Romeo feels more like a fight for ninth – with Nico Hulkenberg starting eighth and in the mix, depending on whether his Haas’s tyres can hang on – but mathematically all four teams can still finish seventh if results fall their way! Who finishes second? Fourth? And who gets avoids the bottom?