Four Formula 1 teams have been mathematically eliminated from 2018 championship contention following the conclusion of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Following the 13th race of the 21-race 2018 Formula 1 season, the Belgian Grand Prix, four of the sport’s 10 teams have been mathematically eliminated from championship contention, meaning just five more will be mathematically eliminated before the end of the season.
All 10 Formula 1 teams entered the 44-lap race around the 19-turn, 4.352-mile (7.004-kilometer) Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps road course in Stavelot, Belgium still mathematically eligible to win this year’s constructor championship.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport entered the Belgian Grand Prix on top of the constructor standings with 345 points thanks to 213 points from points leader Lewis Hamilton and 132 points from Valtteri Bottas through the first 12 races of the season.
With nine races remaining in the season heading into the race, a total of 387 points were still on the table for each team. This was the case because of the fact that teams can score a maximum of 43 points in a race since two drivers compete for each team. Race wins are worth 25 points and second place finishes are worth 18 points.
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Hamilton finished the Belgian Grand Prix in second place and Bottas finished in fourth. As a result, Mercedes scored 30 points. Their point total rose from 345 to 375, and with eight races remaining in the season, the amount of points on the table for each team dropped from 387 points to 344 points.
As a result, all teams that are currently not within 344 points of Mercedes – in other words, all teams that have not scored at least 31 points so far this season – have been mathematically eliminated from championship contention.
Racing Point Force India entered the race with zero points, as they had not yet officially competed in a race this season until last Sunday after being bought by a Lawrence Stroll-led consortium and renamed from Sahara Force India over the summer break. In doing so, they forfeiting the 59 points that they had earned through the first 12 races of the season in the process.
Force India scored 18 points in this race as a result of the fact that Sergio Perez finished in fifth place to score 10 points and Esteban Ocon finished in sixth to score eight points, bringing them to 18 points so far this season.
Williams Martini Racing entered the race with four points, and they failed to score points in it as a result of the fact that Sergey Sirotkin finished in 12th place and Lance Stroll finished in 13th.
Alfa Romeo Sauber entered the race with 18 points, and they scored one point in it as a result of the fact that Marcus Ericsson finished in 10th place, bringing them to 19 points so far this season. Charles Leclerc failed to score points in the race with his 18th place finish.
Finally, Scuderia Toro Rosso entered the race with 28 points, and they scored two points in it as a result of the fact that Pierre Gasly finished in ninth place, bringing them to 30 points so far this season. Brendon Hartley failed to score points in the race with his 14th place finish.
None of these four teams really had a legitimate chance to win this season’s championship to begin with, but they were still mathematically eligible to do so prior to the Belgian Grand Prix. Now they have all been mathematically eliminated. Remaining in championship contention are Mercedes, Scuderia Ferrari, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Renault Sport, Haas and McLaren.
All of the non-Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing teams included in this list will likely be mathematically eliminated from championship contention within the next race or two given their current point totals, and the Formula 1 championship will likely come down to Mercedes and Ferrari like it did last season.