Red Bull claim constructors’ championship

Championship points after Brazil

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Drivers’ championship

PositionDriverPoints
1Fernando Alonso246
2Mark Webber238
3Sebastian Vettel231
4Lewis Hamilton222
5Jenson Button199
6Felipe Massa143
7Nico Rosberg130
8Robert Kubica126
9Michael Schumacher72
10Rubens Barrichello47
11Adrian Sutil47
12Kamui Kobayashi32
13Nico Hulkenberg22
14Vitantonio Liuzzi21
15Vitaly Petrov19
16Sebastien Buemi8
17Pedro de la Rosa6
18Nick Heidfeld6
19Jaime Alguersuari3
20Heikki Kovalainen0
21Jarno Trulli0
22Karun Chandhok0
23Bruno Senna0
24Lucas di Grassi0
25Timo Glock0
26Sakon Yamamoto0
27Christian Klien0

Constructors’ championship

PositionTeamPoints
1Red Bull469
2McLaren421
3Ferrari389
4Mercedes202
5Renault145
6Williams69
7Force India68
8Sauber44
9Toro Rosso11
10Lotus0
11HRT0
12Virgin0

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix

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    Author information

    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    85 comments on “Red Bull claim constructors’ championship”

    1. despite i’m a ferrari fan, Red Bull truly deserved this title. Absolutely the best car of the pack, Newey is a genius.

      1. Yeah, and what if Red Bulls havent crashed in… Silverstone if im right

        1. Congrats to Red Bull, they deserved it, and yes, Newey is worth every penny.

          Congrats to Austria also. Although the team is based in England and is run by British staff, it is registered in Formula 1 as an Austrian outfit, so they become only the fourth country to win a constructor’s title (after England, Italy and France) and also the fourth country to have won both in the driver and constructor’s championship.

    2. Congratulations to everyone at RBR but it took them long enough.

      1. What she said.

        (Redundant text added for length)

        1. What he said.

          (Redundant text added for length)

          1. I’m sorry but I don’t agree. Mistakes from the season aside, they won the championship in the 6th year of existence. With the notable exception of Brawn, how many other teams have achieved this? McLaren won their first constructors (and driver’s championship) in their 8th season (1974), Renault in the 14th season, for example.

            1. Whoosh.

              You seem to be missing the fact that they’ve had the dominant car all season. They should have locked up both titles by now. That is “it took them long enough” comment.

            2. Jarred Walmsley
              7th November 2010, 21:33

              I don’t think anyone is denying that BT52/B, I believe what Steph was reffering to was the time taken this season to secure the championship with the dominance they have shown they possess

            3. Assuming we accept the claim that Red Bull won in their sixth year of existence (and that the time spent as Stewart and Jaguar doesn’t count), which I do not, then the following teams won the Constructors’ title within six years of their debut:

              Vanwall (won 1958, debut 1954)
              Team Lotus (won 1963, debut 1958)
              Brabham (won 1966 and 1967, debut 1962)
              Matra (won 1969, debut 1967)
              Tyrrell (won 1971, debut 1970)
              Williams (won 1980, debut 1978*)

              *assuming you don’t count the previous Frank Williams team or Wolf, but they were separate entities running on a separate licence.

              Brawn don’t count either, since that team made its debut in 1999 as BAR (BAR and Tyrrell were not the same team, BAR just bought the Tyrrell licence to save money).

            4. This team was started in 1997 as Stewart-Ford, became Jaguar in 2000, and was bought by Red Bull in 2005, so the idea that it won in its 6th year is not entirely correct.

              Saying that, who would have thought that when Jaguar was sold that by 2010 they would be the team to beat? Add to that the fact that both Sauber and Jordan/Midland/Spyker/Force India started before Stewart and neither has achieved what RBR has managed. Well done RBR. Imagine what Jaguar might have achieved had Rahal got his man when he signed Newey away from McLaren in 2001???

            5. who would have thought that when Jaguar was sold that by 2010 they would be the team to beat?

              I’m sure many people would have if they knew they would soon acquire Newey.

      2. Precisely.

        I don’t know when a team that has made so many errors still won the championship.

        Webber’s abysmal starts, Vettel’s equally shocking overtaking abilities, add to that the Red Bull’s unreliability, and still they are champs. THAT is how good Newey is.

        Star of the season = Not Alonso, not Webber, not Kubica, not Hamilton, but the Red Bull RB6

        1. Exactly. But for mistakes and the efforts of ferrari and mclaren, this could have been 1996 all over again.

          1. Granted, in that aspect you’re right. They won because they had the best car, but not necessarily the best run team.

            1. “best management”, I meant

    3. Hmm using the championship calculator if the result next weekend is

      1)Vetel
      2)Webber
      3)Ham
      4)Anyone
      5)Alonso

      Then the table will be;
      1st 2nd 3rd
      Alonso 256 5 2 3
      Vettel 256 5 2 3
      Webber 256 4 5 2

      Who will be crowned? win?

      1. they’ll flip a coin :D

        1. Vettel would – he had 4th’s in Monza, Bahrain and Canada, Alonso has only had two 4th’s – in Australia and China.

          1. If wins are equal, it goes to a countback. In which case Vettel would be World Champion, since he won the most recent race.

            1. Countback works in the way Dan explained, it has nothing to do with who won the most recent race.

            2. lol. PM fail! :D…………

        2. who has most wins, if equal 2nd places, if equal 3rd…

      2. That would be the greatest result possible.

        1. I would hate it. I would rather have Webber win it or Alonso get it bang on pole and storm to victory and the championship.

      3. If you’d read the text underneath the calculator you’d know:

        If two drivers are tied on points the driver who has won the most races is placed ahead. If they have won the same number of races the number of second-placed finishes are used, and so on.

        The championship calculator sorts drivers based on their number of first, second and third place finishes in the event of a tie.

        If two drivers have the same number of points as well as first, second and third place finishes consult the complete 2010 season results to see how many times they have finished in fourth place and other lower positions.

    4. Williams is ahead of Force India by 1!

    5. williams finally pass FI :)

      1. big battle in Abu Dhabi….

      2. An important score but pretty disappointing after starting 1st and 6th on the grid.

        1. eh, they couldn;t have done much more. All the cars that finished ahead of them clearly outpace them.

          1. Very true, I thought Hulkenberg drove a good race. After a once in a season pole like that, a solid race result result will end up looking pretty dull. Still an exceptional weekend for him.

            Shame about Ruben’s botched pitstop.

    6. Red Bull win the constructors and Liverpool beat Chelsea

      what a night!

      congrats to the entire team – well deserved.

      1. I’m a Manchester United fan, but even so, well done Liverpool for helping cut the 5 point gap!

    7. I think Red Bull made a bad call, really. They should’ve let Webber win. Look at the points: the way it is now, if Alonso finishes second in Abu Dhabi (which is very likely) Webber won’t win be champion even if he wins. Had he won in Brazil, a win in the final race would secure him the title. Vettel’s chances are even worse… He has to win and hope Alonso finishes no higher than fifth.

      1. spot on. the possibility I raised on the forums two weeks ago has played out – ie. Brasil finishing Vettel, Webber, Alonso – I said then that should this arise, RB must let Webber ahead

        Brundle had a good point during the race though – anything can happen in the last race, but going on what has happen this year so far, chances are WEB ALO HAM and VET will be amongst the top 4-5 in abu dhabi again

        https://www.racefans.net/forum/topic.php?id=583&page=2#post-11178

        1. So wait. If Webber wants to win the championship all he has to do is drive faster than the similarly paced drivers around him? Sounds fair to me.

      2. RBR should have given MW the win, but no! they were ready to give an enhanced upgrade to Vettel in the middle of the championship but not help the driver with most point when it really counts.
        Go figure.
        I hope that MW moves on next year to Ferrari after they bump the dmw of Massa.

        1. They gave Webber what he called for, equal opportunities, they’re giving Sebastian the same. Now they’ll need a team effort to pull off the last one, either way.

          Although they could have made this easier for themselves, I admire the consistency in their sporting philosophy. :)

        2. They have never given a driver better opportunities over the other, only in Silverstone, but they had to and choose the one in front in the standing. They didn’t have to swap the drivers. May the best driver win. If you are not faster you can’t get past. That is how racing is.
          I admire Red Bull for choosing sportsmanship over title chances. We all hated TO in hockenheim and most wished Ferrari DSQ from the race, Red Bull showed that they are better then that.

          1. You have to ask the question, if roles were reversed and it was Vettel needing Webber to move aside, would they have asked Mark to move aside?

            1. I don’t think so. Most of this “Red Bull favors Vettel” is only because of Helmut Marko. And in that case it would be Horner who would take the decision to use TO or not.

      3. Brundle made the point that letting Webber win this one would be putting their eggs in one basket, which will backfire if Webber fails to finish. That will not please the powers that be if they lose the championship because they backed the wrong driver.

        If Alonso comes 2nd in Abu Dhabi, then he will win…but a Red Bull 1-2 looks likely, in which case Webber will win if Vettel lets him through.

        With regards to not letting Webber through at Interlagos, it doesn’t matter because Webber wasn’t within range of Vettel at a time when they could’ve made the switch. Up until the safety car, they were in heavy traffic…after the safety car, they were 4s apart.

        I think RBR did the right thing here (and that’s speaking as a Webber fan). In Brazil, he was mathematically in the hunt, so ending that shot would be cruel. In Abu Dhabi, if Alonso is higher than 5th, then his shot at the title would be over, and he won’t have anything to lose by letting Webber by.

    8. Well they finally got there. Congratulations to all the team, bet they’ll sleep slightly easier now.

      And….Vettel has proved once again he can win from the front row!..

      1. Has to sting for Mclaren, as they let Newey get away from them, and especially after going so long without a WDC even while he was on the team. Newey to McLaren: It’s not me, it’s you.

      2. Because he didn’t have to overtake methinks

    9. I cannot for the life of me imagine that Sebastian Vettel is going to be stupid enough or arrogant enough to let his pride dictate the World Drivers’ Championship. Legard’s comment quoting him springs to mind: “I will do whatever is in my power to see that a Red Bull driver becomes World Champion.” I can only hope he wanted to be the one to deliver Red Bull their Constuctors’ crown by being the first man home because today’s result was imperfect. If Webber had just one more point, he could win in Abu Dhabi and still afford to see Alonso come second because he would win on a countback, but right now, Webber needs someone between himself and Vettel in order to win. I suppose the darker interpretation of this is that Mark Webber absolutely needs Sebastian Vettel more than Vettel needs Webber, and that Webber will only win the race by Vettel’s good graces. The risk is that Vettel will not be able to fend off Alonso in Abu Dhabi. I’m hoping that Vettel will do the decent thing and run interference for Webber and that his ego won’t ruin it for everyone.

      There’s a lot that can be read into Webber’s comments from the post-race press conference, where he kept referring to Red Bull as “the team” rather than “we”. We know that Vettel has the support of the Powers That Be at Red Bull, but Webber seemed to be making a point of his relationship with the staff. What started as the Red Bull Civil War back in June has died down into something much more dangerous: the Red Bull Cold War. And right now, Vettel is the Soviet Union (ironically, he has to fight off the Reds). Even the likes of Helmut Marko and the most ardent Vettel supporter within the team will see that Mark Webber is the fast horse, the one they should be betting on and that while Vettel is ideally placed to take advantage of the situation if it appears, he’s an outsider. Webber, meanwhile, must have the support of the team since he knows most of them from his Jaguar days.

      In a sense, Vettel has done the right thing by the team. He has hedged their bets so that if something goes wrong for Mark Webber, Red Bull can still claim the drivers’ title. But at the same time, he has done the wrong thing in making Webber’s life that much more difficult because Webber’s fate is not entirely within his hands. If I were Christian Horner, the first thing I would do when I got a moment aside with my drivers is tell them the title comes before individual pride and that Vettel should only make a play for the championship if Webber cannot. Because the threat posed by Alonso is simply too great to ignore. The slightest screw-up could hand Alonso a World Championship on a silver platter. I’d like to think Webber and Vettel would listen, too; after all, Horner’s message to them before the race today was simple: “Behave!” That said, I just don’t think that Vettel will have the attitue of “If I can’t have it, you can’t have it either.” Such a move would damn him for the rest of his career. I’d like to think that he’d see the sense in this, that finishing second to Webber is better than finishing third to Alonso. Of course, all of this depends on them dominating in Abu Dhabi again. They did it last year, but the Ferrari F10 is in a different league to the Ferrari F60, and it will be a force to be reckoned with.

      Whatever happens, it’s going to happen behind closed doors. We’re not going to see anything until the race itself, but between now and then I think there is one absolute certainty: the Red Bull Cold War will not remain cold very much longer.

      1. Way to go Prisoner Monkey!!!
        Webber all the way.
        But I don’t think that will happen and again the RBR will implode itself.
        The F10 is truly a contender, see the time in the last part of the race. FA got fastest laps to close in on RBR drivers.

      2. I think after what Vettel said before the race (you reffered to it) and after the race about getting rid of Alonso as well as what Horner said to the BBC after the race is clear.

        If Vettel would be leading a RBR 1-2 next race with Alonso in 3rd he would definetely let Mark past on or before the last lap to give him the title.
        What he will do if Alonso will be more than 15 points behind is a whole other story though.

        1. If Alonso is more than fifteen points behind Vettel, the championship is fair game. This is why I think Vettel is not being an evil, selfish cretin – he’s setting himself up for the best of both worlds. And I think that Webber being Webber (and Australian) would understand what Vettel does if Alonso is a) fifteen points behind Vettel or b) will be fifteen behind if Vettel passes Webber.

      3. Great comment PM, but people on F1F have become hypocrits! Everyone yelled at Ferrari for using team orders in Germany. Now everybody is yelling at Red Bull for not doing it. So people will have to look at themselves and say: Do two wrongs really make one right, or should Formula 1 avoid fixing the result again and thereby harm the image even more?

        1. Why do you think it’s the same people? In any event, as Keith said, why should RBR play by marquess of queensbury rules now when Ferrari’s use of brass knuckles has been ruled fair play?

          1. Ferrari was found guilty and given a fine. Maybe not a big one, but it’s simply not true that TO in Hockenheim were ruled fair play.

        2. Once more it is proven on this site that Hypocrisy is very subjective!

        3. I think the reason why people hated Ferrari for doing it is because they did it so brazenly when there was absolutely no need to do so. There was no championship on the line in Germany, and Alonso would still be elading the World Championship today without those seven points. Granted, his lead over Mark Webber would be just one point (and eight over Vettel), but he would still have the lead and Ferrari would put their faith in Alonso to deliver.

          Here, it’s not really a case of team orders. If I were Christian Horner, I’d just got Pilate on the and wash my hands of it. I’d tell them that I would back whatever play they wanted to make in Abu Dhabi, but they would have to be the ones to decide what that play would be. It’s their destinies that we’re talking about, so they should (and will) be in complete control. And I’d probably threaten to fire either of them if they went Judas on the other.

          I seem to be making a lot of biblical references tonight. But then, it is six in the morning, so I’m not firing on all cylinders right now.

          1. I just do not understand how a wrong can be more wrong when it is done at the wrong moment. You don’t behave nicely to a murderer just because it was winter and he was depressed!

            I could maybe see a point in differentiating the two cases if at one point the number 2 driver was out of the championship. The problem is that Massa was still in the fight, and Vettel is still in the fight. it is two exactly identical situations and people will not admit it.

            Maybe I am just a Red Bull fan that hopes he can be satisfied whatevere the outcome is. If Red Bull choose to let Sebastien win in front of Webber in Abu Dhabi and Alonso wins WDC then, Red Bull won morally. If not then they won the WDC.

            1. I’m not suggesting that Red Bull issue team orders. I’m suggesting that they should let their drivers sort it out between themselves before the race, and then back whatever play they make. Whatever play they make – even if Webber and Vettel can’t agree on what to do.

            2. But Alonso was faster than massa, and i cant imagine than webber will be faster than vettel in abu dabi. so in this last case they will be frauding the real competition.

            3. Alonso being faster than Massa doesn’t make it right. He obviously wasn’t that much faster, since he couldn’t get past Massa on his own.

            4. Exactly …Felipe’s way!

            5. I hope that Vettel gives the WDC to Webber if he is not in a position to take it, but I think he will have most bitter of tastes in his mouth knowing that HE is the fastest guy. No matter how you tunr this championship, the problem has been that Webber has not been able to keep Sebastians pace in qualifying.

          2. The reason why everyone hates Ferrari is team orders.

            So when we hear that Vettel needs to “support” Webber we are not talking about team orders, it is, after all, an appeal to do what is right for the driver in question.

            When McLaren and Red Bull talk about having to make “difficult decisions”, they do not mean team orders, do they? ‘Course not! They simply mean their drivers should be team players.

            When the British and German media talk about Ferrari they mention team orders, when they talk about “doing what is right for the team” they surely mean their drivers must help with tidying up the garage, right?

            Yes. Ferrari are the meanies and the rest of the teams are the essence of what F1 is all about.

            Bring on the next race, the championship could not be more exciting. Let the best driver win!!!
            Forza Ferrari!

            1. The reason why everyone hates Ferrari is team orders.

              No, the reason why everyone hates Ferrari is because they’re arrogant and treat everyone else with complete disdain. Look at their treatment of the new teams this year – it’s been far from fair. Or their response to the WMSC hearing when they were summoned to it: they said they’d take legal action against anyone who tried to penalise them for team orders, despite knowing full well that team orders were and are banned. That’s like a theif threatening to sue someone who files charges against him.

            2. everyone hates Ferrari

              Well, PM, sorry but you are dead wrong. Certainly, not everyone hates Ferrari, even you should be able to see that.
              In all races around the world you can see plenty of tiffosi waving the red Scuderia flag. I still have to see any other team getting that.

              If the ferraristas are a proud lot, maybe that’s because they have reasons to be.

      4. I think you’re looking too much into certain stuff. Bottom line is, they both need each other just as much in the next race. Webber needs Vettel behind him, Vettel needs him and a whole lot more drivers.

        Also, they surely didn’t do the wise thing, but they surely did do the awesome thing. In spite of their miserable reliability and accident rate that would be the thing that will stick to this championship and make Red Bull a truly great victor. An unbeatable car with two stubborn drivers, Webber being the respected likeable WDC, Vettel being the douchy and accident prone but much faster sidekick. Then a fantastic championship, with respectful reconciliation between the two on a happy podium…

        That’ll of course be the picture until probably about 5 laps before the end when Vettel’s gearbox shatters.

        But still, don’t expect too much from the part behind closed doors, this is actually quite a straightforward matter for the team and drivers from all possible angles. :)

        1. I think you’re looking too much into certain stuff. Bottom line is, they both need each other just as much in the next race. Webber needs Vettel behind him, Vettel needs him and a whole lot more drivers.

          But Vettel can do it without Webber. It’s a long shot, probably requiring Massa to develop an attack of the conscience or Kubica/Rosberg/Schumacher to be somewhere they shouldn’t be position-wise, but Vettel does not need Mark Webber. True, Webber can do it without Vettel, but do you honestly believe that in one week’s time, the guy on Webber’s six will be someone other than Vettel or Alonso?

          don’t expect too much from the part behind closed doors, this is actually quite a straightforward matter for the team and drivers from all possible angles

          When I said “behid closed doors”, I meant that we, the public, will not be seeing much (if anything) of it until the race.

      5. If Abu Dabhi finishes Vettel – Webber – Alonso, Red Bull will have dramatically proven their sportmanship and will stand as beautiful losers.

        But if Vettel lets Webber pass on TO, they will look terrible. Ferrari never said they wouldn’t use TO, but Red Bull have declared it once and again. All their holier-than-thou attitude will look like dishonest and hypocritical BS.

        And of course it will be just as illegal in Abu Dhabi as it was in Germany, so they should of course be fined, like Ferrari was. Even if it’s only pocket money for a F1 team.

    10. On a side note, I am fearing Abu Dhabi even more now that Vettel is 7 points from Webber. What happens if Webber leads, Vettel is right behind him, and Alonso is 5th? Will the Red Bulls take each other off again?

      1. That would be sweet.

      2. Never thought of it that way. WOW! That would make very interesting racing, especially if Vettel manages to get by Webber, and suddenly Fernando moves up into 4th on the last lap. If F1 was staged, thats exactly how I would do it.

    11. I love that bull head hat. It’s really funny!

    12. Am amazed how the some people who tore up Ferrari for team orders are tearing up Redbull for no team orders, whats with that? I respect the Redbull brand and team now much more than before, and that means i shall consume those RB cans, with more gusto & trust than before, and at the some time i trust less those Ferarri, Mubaddala, and Santander products, fellow F1nanains, from a marketing and biz perspective , RB are still the winners….for the record am a Mclaren and Chealsea fan,,,& thats how my weekend has cracked

    13. They should have had this done ages ago.

      Still, congratulations to Adrian Newey on making another team champions.

      1. Oh and all credit to the unsung hard workers in the team too. And I guess Horner and the bosses :P

        1. You have to wonder if Horner didn’t owe his sucsess to a backer, with a friend, with an agenda, whether Vettle would have mooved over.

    14. It`s looking more and more like Massa`s seven points gained will be the deciding matter. And this by a Team that want a three car entry.

    15. Congratulations to Red Bull, they truly deserve the constructor’s championship. They had the best car and even though luck did not accompany them they managed to achieve their ultimate goal.
      They showed the incumbent teams what having Adrian Newey in their ranks means.
      Auguri Red Bull!

    16. Congratulation to the team for this achievement, hope they too win the WDC.

    17. Personally, I just don’t think it would be right if Vettel – having not lead the WDC all year – swooped in on the last race & took the title out from under Webber and Alonso’s nose. It would make a bit of a mockery of things.

      Really though, it is highly likely that the positions this weekend will be the same as yesterday, and on that basis RBR will just have to do the switcheroo. It might taste a bit bitter to some, but it would be a lot more bitter if they don’t & Alonso took the WDC.

    18. Hadn’t noticed that Rubens caught Sutil in the championship. Hopefully he can finish well in Aub Dhabi and seal the deal.

    19. Congrats to Newey. RB6 really a masterpiece!

    20. I’m always surprised by the ‘Newey-genius’ comments. True, his designs have won 6 WDCs and 6 WCCs, but all were in the 90s, with Williams and McLaren. Compare Newey’s record to Rory Byrne’s, and the latter is a very close match.

    21. dragon_2712 (@)
      8th November 2010, 12:33

      Yeah, because it’s all Newey and nothing else, right?

      Fools. It takes a huge team effort, the biggest part being from the two brilliant drivers, to take a constructors trophy ahead of a well performing Ferrari and Mclaren team.

      Well deserved, and a Webber WDC would cap it off beautifully!

      1. Two good drivers……..

    22. Newey says rules key in Red Bull Racing’s success…

      Autosport missed the ‘breaking’out of that headline. ;-)

      Well done to RBR though.

      Now for Alonso to win the WDC.
      Order in last race VET, HAM, WEB, ALO

      My prediction (or is it hope?)
      ALO — 258pts
      VET — 256pts 2 behind
      WEB — 253pts 5 behind
      HAM — 240pts 18 ”
      BUT — 209pts 49 ”

      That would be so funny with both RBR drivers less than 7 points behind, I wouldn’t stop laughing until next session

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