Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport clinched the 2018 Formula 1 constructor championship in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport entered the penultimate race of the 21-race 2018 Formula 1 season, the Brazilian Grand Prix, at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, with a 55-point lead (585 to 530) in the constructor standings over Scuderia Ferrari in second place.
A total of 43 points are on the table for each team in each race, as 25 points are awarded to each race winner and 18 points are awarded to each second place finisher.
Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished the 71-lap race around the 15-turn, 2.677-mile (4.309-kilometer) Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace road course in Sao Paulo, Brazil in first and fifth place, respectively.
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As a result, the 33-year-old Briton and the 29-year-old Finn scored 25 points and 10 points, respectively, giving the Brackley-based team 35 points in this race.
Meanwhile, Ferrari teammates Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel finished the race in third and sixth place, respectively. As a result, the 39-year-old Finn and the 31-year-old German scored 15 points and eight points, respectively, giving the Maranello-based team 23 points in this race.
This allowed Mercedes to extend their lead over Ferrari in the constructor standings by 12 points. As a result, they lead Ferrari by 67 (620 to 553) heading into the season finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, at Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
This means that there is no way by which Ferrari can pass Mercedes for the lead in the constructor standings in the season finale. As a result, Mercedes have clinched their fifth consecutive constructor championship.
Mercedes remain the only team to win a constructor championship in the V6 turbo hybrid era. Ferrari were the last team and they are the only other team to win five consecutive championships. They won six consecutive constructor championships from the 1999 season through the 2004 season.
Will Mercedes win a sixth consecutive constructor championship in the 2019 Formula 1 season? The 21-race 2019 season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 17, 2019 with the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia.