F1 focus shifts in Qatar as McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull fight for constructors' title
Max Verstappen won big in Las Vegas with his fourth world title but the fight for Formula 1’s biggest cash prize is hotting up this week in Qatar
LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Max Verstappen won big in Las Vegas with his fourth world title, but the fight for Formula 1's biggest cash prize is hotting up this week in Qatar.
The lucrative constructors' championship is still wide open with McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull battling for the title. The contest for teams is worth around $140 million to the winner, though the precise payout depends on variables.
This weekend in Qatar, a sprint race Saturday means extra points are on offer — a maximum of 59 for a team over the whole weekend.
McLaren leads by 24 points from Ferrari, with Verstappen's Red Bull 29 further back. McLaren could seal its first constructors' crown since 1998 this Sunday, wrapping up the title ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi next week, but would likely need either a perfect weekend or for Ferrari to encounter problems.
