Red Bull Racing are set to face mathematical elimination from 2018 Formula 1 constructor championship contention in the Japanese Grand Prix.
Just three teams are still eligible to win the 2018 Formula 1 constructor championship heading into the 17th race of the 21-race season, the Japanese Grand Prix. Those three teams are Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Scuderia Ferrari and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.
One of these three teams, Red Bull Racing, are set to face mathematical elimination from constructor championship contention in the 53-lap race around the 18-turn, 3.609-mile (5.807-kilometer) Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
Red Bull Racing currently sit in third place in the constructor standings with 292 points. Mercedes lead the constructor standings with 495 points, meaning that Red Bull Racing trail them by 203 points.
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A maximum of 43 points on the table for each team in each race because wins are worth 25 points and second place finishes are worth 18 points. With five races remaining on the 2018 schedule, Red Bull Racing are still mathematically eligible to win the championship because of the fact that their point total is within 214 points of that of Mercedes.
The reason that this point total is 214 points and not 215 points is because of the fact that Red Bull Racing cannot win a tiebreaker with Mercedes.
While Red Bull Racing have earned three victories so far this season and can still tie Mercedes’ win total of eight with five races remaining on the 2018 schedule, they cannot match Mercedes’ total of nine second place finishes so far this season, as they have only earned two second place finishes this year.
To remain mathematically eligible to win the 2018 constructor championship with four races remaining on the scheduled following the Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing must remain within 171 points of Mercedes. This means that they must outscore Mercedes by at least 32 points in this race.
Will Red Bull Racing be eliminated from 2018 Formula 1 constructor championship contention following the Japanese Grand Prix? Be sure to tune in to the live broadcast of that race on ESPN2 from Suzuka Circuit to find out. The race is scheduled to begin at 1:10 a.m. ET from on Sunday, October 7.