Often described as the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1 is an international sport that attracts millions with its blend of tradition and futurism. The competition’s historical methods inform future developments via technology, fuelling the dynamism of its standings and giving rise to fresh opportunities for drivers and teams to make bold strategic calls.

F1 was formed as a world championship in 1950, with the first race staged at Silverstone Circuit – a former Royal Air Force station – on May 13, and Alfa Romeo driver Giuseppe Farina becoming the inaugural World Champion. It took another six years until the constructors’ title was established – with Vanwall triumphing over Ferrari in 1958 – and it is the team titles that have defined Formula 1 for decades, with the current top four consisting of McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Williams.

While the drivers’ championship grabs much of the attention, the constructors’ title is the ultimate goal for all F1 teams. The current system sees each team enter two cars in every Grand Prix, with the top 10 finishing positions counting towards the overall tally. Each driver’s points are added to the total for their respective team, with a maximum of 43 points awarded per race.

With the aforementioned tally revolving around each race’s result, the constructors’ standings reflect the combined efforts of each member of the team, including drivers, engineers and strategists. This is why the team with the most points at the end of the season will have won the championship, even if the drivers’ standings are level.