Although the championship has been decided and the top five positions in the Constructors' set, a tight lower-midfield means it's all to play for in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, with many millions in prize money to be won or lost.
The prize money pot is divided into four payments, Column 1 and 2, LST (Long Standing Team) and CCB (Championship Constructor Bonus). Only two of these, Column 1 and 2, are shared amongst all the teams, with the former divided equally and the latter based on a teams championship position.
With Toro Rosso in sixth and Haas in eighth split by just six points, and Renault sandwiched inbetween, four behind STR and just two ahead of Haas, it's all to play for. But few think of the financial implications this battle could have, with each position potentially costing tens of millions in C2 payouts.
As it stands, Haas are currently set for a payout (C2 only) of $20 million, Renault $24m and Toro Rosso $32m – should they finish where they are.
Therefore the difference between finishing sixth and finishing eighth is a whopping $12m. To any team, that's a boost, but for a small team such as Haas and Toro Rosso, it represents a substantial amount of their budget (potentially 10 per cent).
What makes things more difficult for Toro Rosso is their recent run of poor reliability, which has contributed to their paltry one point in five races – the switch to two rookie drivers certainly hasn't helped either.
Renault meanwhile, which supplies engines to Toro Rosso for one more event, ahead of its Honda switch, has scored seven points in the same amount of time and has experienced far fewer reliability issues in those races, but it has suffered some setbacks.
Renault's Cyril Abiteboul recently suggested Toro Rosso's problems were self-inflicted, a comment team boss Franz Tost reacted strongly to and hinted at foul play, suggesting Renault were sabotaging his operation to ensure it can secure sixth place in the standings.
"We mustn’t forget that they are fighting with Toro Rosso for a better position in the Constructors’ Championship, as suggested by Mr Abiteboul the situation may not be a coincidence, but it is certainly not due to STR’s car," he said.
Foul play or not, Toro Rosso need a strong finish to the season – or at least need Renault not to score – if they're to remain sixth and keep that $12m, whilst also keeping an eye on Haas who remain a real threat too having scored ten points in the last five races, more than Toro Rosso and Renault combined!
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