While the Drivers’ Championship grabs most headlines, the Constructors’ Championship is arguably more important to a Formula 1 team’s bottom line, determining prize money and bragging rights among the sport’s manufacturers. Here’s how it works, and where the 2026 battle currently stands.
How Points Are Calculated
Every point scored by either of a team’s two drivers across a Grand Prix and Sprint weekend counts toward that team’s constructors’ total. Race points run from 25 for a win down to one point for tenth place, while Sprint races award a smaller points haul to the top eight finishers.
2026 Standings After Hungary
- 1. Mercedes: 379 points
- 2. Ferrari: 307 points
- 3. McLaren: 220 points
- 4. Red Bull Racing: chasing hard for third and fourth
Mercedes has built its lead on eight race wins from the opening 11 rounds, with both Antonelli and Russell scoring heavily. Ferrari has stayed close through consistent podiums from Hamilton and Leclerc, even without matching Mercedes’ outright win tally.
Why It Matters Financially
Constructors’ Championship position directly affects a team’s share of Formula 1’s prize fund, making every point scored, even from a car finishing tenth, meaningful to a team’s budget under the sport’s cost cap. This is part of why teams fight so hard over seemingly minor positions in the closing laps.
The battle behind the top three is fascinating too, something we cover further in our Formula 1 team rankings piece. For the individual title fight feeding into these totals, see our Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings coverage, and for context on why 2026 has shaken up the pecking order, our Formula 1 rule changes guide explains the new regulations in full.
The Fight Ahead
With 505 constructors’ points still available across the remaining rounds, Ferrari retains a realistic path to overhaul Mercedes’ lead, particularly if Hamilton and Leclerc can find consistent pace through the European and Middle East legs of the season.