Red Bull have clinched the 2023 Formula 1 constructors’ championship after winning the Japanese Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen’s victory in today’s race ensures they can no longer be overhauled by their rivals in the standings.Red Bull have secured the title for the sixth time since they entered the series in 2005. Having dominated the 2023 championship, they have ended the title fight with six races remaining.
This is earlier than any team has ever won the title. McLaren and Ferrari won the constructors’ title with five races to spare in 1988 and 2004 respectively.
“For us the most amazing year,” said team boss Christian Horner. “It’s all testimony to these guys and all the men and women back in the factory in Milton Keynes.
“To Red Bull, to all our partners, it’s the collection of an incredible effort of everybody doing their bit to achieve results like we’ve done and of course Max is just on another level at the moment. So today was an incredible performance.”
Only five teams in F1 history have won more titles than Red Bull. One more will see them match Lotus’ tally of seven.
This was Red Bull’s most dominant success yet. They have won 15 of the 16 grands prix so far. Verstappen, who can clinch the drivers’ title at the next race, has won 13 of those.
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“Unbelievable weekend and to win here was great,” said Verstappen. “I think the car was working really well on every compound, but of course most important to win the constructors.
“So, very proud of everyone working at the track but also back at the factory. We are having an incredible year and I’m very proud of everyone.”
Soon after pre-season testing concluded, it became clear Red Bull were in for another dominant year. They scored three one-twos in the opening four races, giving them a 93-point lead after Baku.
Then Verstappen rose to a level team mate Sergio Perez could not match. The reigning world champion set a new record for the most consecutive grand prix victories with 10.
That came to an end last week in Singapore, where Carlos Sainz Jnr won at Marina Bay to end Red Bull’s record-breaking 15 straight wins which dated back to November last year.
Red Bull failed to finish on the podium in Singapore as they largely struggled with set-up and track characteristics, but the team were straight back to form in Japan. Verstappen was fastest in all three practice sessions, before claiming pole position by over half a second ahead of his 48th career victory.
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History of F1 constructors’ champions
| Rank | Team | Championships | Year/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferrari | 16 | 1961, 1964, 1975-77, 1979, 1982-83, 1999-2004, 2007-08 |
| 2 | Williams | 9 | 1980-81, 1986-87, 1992-93, 1994, 1996-97 |
| 3 | McLaren | 8 | 1974, 1984-85, 1988-91, 1998 |
| 3 | Mercedes | 8 | 2014-21 |
| 5 | Lotus | 7 | 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972-73, 1978 |
| 6 | Red Bull | 6 | 2010-13, 2022-23 |
| 7 | Cooper | 2 | 1959-60 |
| 7 | Brabham | 2 | 1966-67 |
| 7 | Renault | 2 | 2005-06 |
| 10 | Vanwall | 1 | 1958 |
| 10 | BRM | 1 | 1962 |
| 10 | Matra | 1 | 1969 |
| 10 | Tyrrell | 1 | 1971 |
| 10 | Benetton | 1 | 1995 |
| 10 | Brawn | 1 | 2009 |
Timeline of F1 constructors’ champions
This article will be updated.
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2023 Japanese Grand Prix
- Norris: Red Bull’s dominance down to ‘small things which make a big difference’
- Mercedes must halve deficit to Red Bull before 2024 season starts – Hamilton
- Mercedes expect “tight” fight for second in championship after Ferrari gains
- Norris breaks Hulkenberg’s record for most points without a win in F1
- Transcript: What Alonso really meant by being “thrown to the lions” at Suzuka
Illusive (@illusive)
24th September 2023, 9:00
RedBull really is a one of the legendary teams, the litmus test would be after Newey, Max , Christian retire.
MichaelN
24th September 2023, 13:07
How so? Horner, Verstappen and Newey were all there in the same roles in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 and they won just a handful of races and were never a factor in the championship.
A lot of this success is down to Honda finally making a good engine, and a big part of that is that the other teams, for reasons entirely unclear to anyone but themselves, decided to let the engines become effectively ‘harmonised’ and then frozen.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th September 2023, 13:45
Because it is one thing to be able to run a streak of success with basically the same crew / team at the top. But a different ask to be able to repeat that with a wholly new team.
It shows whether the TEAM as such is the real deal, nursing, schooling and maintaining a talent pool for the long run or it is “only” the people currently running it that make things tick.
SteveP
24th September 2023, 10:39
I don’t see any record having been broken, in 2004 the title was settled with 5 races remaining of a total of 18 (18 – 5 = 13)
This year the WCC is settled with 6 remaining of a total of 23 – 24 but one cancelled (23 – 6 = 17)
Sounds to me like this one is very much a last minute event, in that in 2004 it would have been the penultimate round.
Compare with 1988 and the situation goes further away as there were 16 rounds 16 – 5 = 11
Billy Rae Flop
24th September 2023, 12:34
Nobody cares. Cheating slimy cu** groomers
Maciek (@maciek)
24th September 2023, 16:58
Bit sensationalist there: the 1998 championship was decided with nearly a third of the season still to go or 31%, today there’s still 26% of the current season left (for 2004 it was 27%). To echo Toto Wolff, counting the number of races left in the season as a record is… irrelevant if the proportions have changed drastically.
SteveP
24th September 2023, 19:48
Yeah, I checked the percentages too.
Basically a failed record break here.
The Dolphins
25th September 2023, 15:16
I agree, it’s a misleading title. I do wonder if Perez were on form how much sooner Red Bull could have won the championship, they certainly had/have the car to beat the record.
Eduard Stro
24th September 2023, 17:59
Red Bull racing are a den of jackals.
GeeMac (@geemac)
25th September 2023, 5:32
Nice to see my beloved WIlliams clinging on to second place in this list…