Red Bull can afford to let its huge points lead over McLaren drop this weekend and yet still wrap up the constructors’ world championship with three races to spare.
Last weekend in Japan, Sebastian Vettel needed a single point to beat Jenson Button to the 2011 drivers’ crown, and duly scored 15 with his podium place.
The next step is the teams’ crown, with Red Bull’s lead of 130 points over McLaren able to drop to 129 points in Korea and yet still ensure a winning lead by the time of the chequered flag at Interlagos late next month.
"It is unlikely that it will elude us, but you still have to get it," said team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, according to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
And boss Christian Horner is quoted by Austria’s Kleine Zeitung: "The drivers’ title was the first part, now we want to retain the constructors’ title.
"As a team it’s almost the most important one, relating to the prestige in the pitlane and, of course, the bonus payments," said the Briton, referring to the revenue distribution tables in the commercial Concorde Agreement.