Mercedes are on the verge of securing the Formula 1 Constructors' Championship at the São Paulo Grand Prix, with the title winner expected to receive a substantial share of the sport's commercial revenue. The team currently leads the standings by 126 points over second-placed Ferrari, with four rounds remaining on the calendar.
How F1 prize money is distributed
Formula 1 pools its commercial income from broadcasting, race hosting fees, and sponsorships, allocating around 50% into a collective prize pot governed by the Concorde Agreement. A baseline portion is divided equally among qualifying entrants, while the remaining performance-based share is scaled progressively according to each team's rank in the Constructors' Championship.
Finishing first in the Constructors' Championship earns the title winner the largest slice of the performance column. For winning the championship in 2024, McLaren were estimated to have earned $140m (£110m), so Mercedes are set to receive a similar sum.
Sliding scale and timing scenarios
That number decreases by roughly $9m (£7m) for each position lower down the order. The champions' share is approximately 14 per cent, with last place taking just six per cent.
Mercedes' earliest opportunity to mathematically clinch the crown is at this evening's São Paulo Grand Prix, provided they outscore Ferrari by at least four points. If Mercedes fail to outscore Ferrari by the required margin in Brazil, the title contest extends into the season's closing triple-header. Under that scenario, Mercedes can confirm the championship at the subsequent Las Vegas Grand Prix or, at the latest, during the final rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
