F1: Red Bull’s Constructors' Championship lead dwindles as McLaren surges

The difference between the first 10 races of the season and the last six has been night and day. Max Verstappen, who won seven of the first 10 races, hasn’t won since late June. His teammate Sergio Perez certainly hasn’t picked up the slack any, leaving the door wide open for new contenders in the Constructors Championship.

What has been a somewhat rapid decline in Red Bull’s results has all but toppled the massive lead they built up in that early season stretch. What was almost a 100-point lead after Verstappen’s last win (the Spanish Grand Prix), is now shredded to a mere eight points.

The six-race decline has led to the rise of McLaren and Ferrari. Both are on hot streaks, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc winning the most recent race in Italy, and McLaren’s Lando Norris winning just a week before in the Netherlands.

With an eight-race sprint being all that remains to decide this race, the question still remains of whether Red Bull can fend off these hard-charging challengers. First, let’s look at the challengers to Red Bull.

Ferrari is currently third in the Constructors' Championship, 39 points out of the lead. They could quite honestly be in the lead right now if it wasn’t for a rough stretch of races in June and July, where driver Carlos Sainz and Leclerc only scored one podium apiece.

They seem to be getting their feet back under them, and this past weekend’s win at their home track will certainly help. The deciding factor for this team will be if Sainz can get back on the podium, a feat he’s struggled to do since the Austrian GP on June 30th.

Next on the docket is McLaren, who’s breathing down the neck of Red Bull in second, eight points removed from the lead. While Norris was carrying most of the load for McLaren early in the season, Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri has started to break out, winning in Hungary and scoring podium finishes in three of the last four races.

With Mercedes running a distant 154 points out of the lead, it’s safe to say that the Constructors' Championship will more than likely be determined by that trio.

Looking ahead to the next eight races, there are some races where McLaren and Ferrari could have a very real opportunity to take over the lead.

After looking back at the Constructors' Championship from last year, Ferrari and McLaren made up a ton of ground in the races in Mexico, Singapore and Qatar. In these races, Red Bull either struggled to score their usual points, or Ferrari and McLaren had exceptional performances.

If either team is to overtake Red Bull this season, look for it to be one of those races. But as always, anything can happen, for that is the beauty of racing.

Ethan Ellis is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email ece5133@psu.edu.