After McLaren's title: The secret million-dollar war for second place

(Motorsport-Total.com) - The "checklist" for the 2025 Formula 1 season already has a major hitch: McLaren secured the Constructors' World Championship early at the Singapore Grand Prix . From a financial perspective, this is the most important title for the teams, but the more prestigious goal remains the Drivers' World Championship – and the final quarter of the season will decide which of Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, or Max Verstappen will receive the most coveted trophy.

There are also further rewards to be had – especially in the Constructors' Championship . Between the placings, the so-called Column B payouts amount to approximately eight to nine million euros.

The catch: The better a team performs, the less wind tunnel time and CFD computing power it has at its disposal. But in Formula 1, every single employee is a competitor—and everyone wants to end the season on a winning note. Therefore, there's still a lot at stake for the teams behind McLaren...

The battle for second place

Main competitors: Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull

Mercedes currently sits second in the Constructors' Championship , 27 points ahead of Ferrari. George Russell's victory and Andrea Kimi Antonelli's fifth place in Singapore increased the gap between the two teams, after the Silver Arrows had already overtaken the Scuderia following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

After a string of mediocre races and no podium finish since Belgium, Ferrari appears to be slipping back. The instability of the SF-25 is a recurring problem, and both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton feel the team isn't living up to its potential .

The lack of progress against Mercedes and Red Bull has put Ferrari in a dangerous position: They've lost touch with Mercedes, and Red Bull is only eight points behind. If Ferrari wants to have a chance of beating either team, a breakthrough is needed soon.

Red Bull, on the other hand, has rediscovered its form just in time for the decisive phase. Although the team is essentially fighting with only one car—Verstappen has scored all but 17 points—it has tapped into a long-hidden performance source with the RB21.

Thanks to updates and an optimized simulation and setup approach, the car now starts the weekend with a better foundation . This allows for more targeted fine-tuning during Friday's free practice sessions.

Mercedes has also performed strongly recently, with a podium finish in Baku and a win in Singapore. However, the Grand Prix in Austin will be a real test for the W16: The short, tight corners of the last two street circuits have masked the car's weakness in overheating the rear tires—even in Singapore's stifling heat. The long, drawn-out corners in Austin are likely to expose this weakness even more.

The battle for sixth place

Main competitors: Racing Bulls, Aston Martin

Outsider: Sauber

Carlos Sainz's podium finish in Azerbaijan has likely put Williams out of reach – the Grove-based team is aiming for its best constructors' result since 2017. Nevertheless, Williams could be vulnerable if Racing Bulls or Aston Martin manage a surprise podium finish in changeable conditions – similar to Alpine's in Brazil last year. However, the 30-point lead is likely too large to be seriously threatened.

For Racing Bulls or Aston Martin, sixth place would still be a strong result. The VCARB 02 is the more balanced car overall, but Aston Martin has recovered from a difficult start to the season and is once again fighting for better positions.

Fernando Alonso has consistently scored points – often despite, not because of, the material. The AMR25 excels particularly on slower tracks, but Alonso's criticism of the team's strategy has been recurring this season. Lance Stroll consistently performs well in unpredictable conditions, but generally falls flat in normal races.

Racing Bulls, on the other hand, is offering Isack Hadjar the opportunity to prove himself for the Red Bull factory team. His podium finish at Zandvoort was a strong statement. If the reserved Frenchman keeps his cool in qualifying, he can still score some solid points. Liam Lawson, on the other hand, is usually solid when he qualifies well – but his Saturday performances fluctuate considerably.

Sauber is currently 17 points behind sixth place, but could still intervene with a good run.

The battle for eighth place

Main competitors: Sauber, Haas

Outsider: Alpine

After a disappointing 2024 season, Sauber is finally showing an upward trend and aims to finish its final season before Audi's entry with a strong result. A series of underbody updates has expanded the C45's performance window and yielded plenty of points (and even a podium!) in the first half of the season. However, things have been a bit slower since the summer break.

Azerbaijan and Singapore failed to deliver significant returns, but more points could be on offer at classic tracks. Haas shouldn't be written off, though: The US team is planning one last major update for Austin, which should pave the way for a successful final stretch of the season.

Rookie Oliver Bearman has now settled in and regularly makes it into the points, while Esteban Ocon has been struggling in qualifying recently. If the update gives him more confidence there, he could finish in the top 10 more often.

Meanwhile, Sauber is hoping for further highlights from Gabriel Bortoleto, who can occasionally advance to Q3 - and is expected to pull Nico Hülkenberg along with him.

Alpine may be way behind in last place and seems to have no chance of scoring points, but we must not forget the sensation in Sao Paulo last year: With a "double podium" (second and third place) and late updates, the team catapulted itself from ninth to sixth place in the constructors' standings.

The gap to Haas was 32 points back then. This time, they are 35 points behind Sauber. A small miracle would be needed – but it's not impossible.