Red Bull’s 17-point lead over McLaren could be worth about $10 million

Red Bull has moved ahead of McLaren into third in the 2026 constructors’ championship, with a 17-point lead and three races remaining. The fight is not only about the order: the final constructors’ standings determine the teams’ prize money.

McLaren held third for much of the season, but Red Bull’s late surge, helped by three Max Verstappen wins, has put it in front before the final triple-header in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Both titles are already settled: Kimi Antonelli clinched the drivers’ championship in Mexico, and Mercedes secured the constructors’ title a week later.

Lower down, Haas has 31 points in seventh, with Audi on 28. Audi has scored 11 points over the last four races, compared with four for Haas.

Mercedes, as constructors’ champion, receives the largest share of the prize money; the payout falls by about $10 million for each position down the order. Fourth place offers a different benefit: the team that finishes there gets 5% more wind-tunnel time than the third-placed team in the first half of 2027.