Red Bull’s championship spoils are worth tens of millions of euros, according to a report.
Germany’s Sport1 claims the 2011 constructors’ champions will earn EUR 60 million for the feat, even though the detail of the sport’s income distribution system is protected by the confidential Concorde Agreement.
But "The difference between first and second places is around ten million euros," the team’s consultant Dr Helmut Marko is quoted as revealing.
The Spanish newspaper El Pais claims the world championship is worth as much as EUR 72 million to Red Bull in official F1 income.
The report said second place gets EUR 50 million, and third 36m, with the amounts then dropping proportionately by several million dollars for the lower placings down to tenth.
"For the small teams, a higher place in the constructors’ championship is very important because it means a lot of money," said Spanish engineer Toni Cuquerella.
As for Red Bull’s millions, a lot of that money is already assigned to the development of next year’s single seater, demonstrated by designer Adrian Newey’s absence in Korea.
"He’s in the UK and focused on the RB8," revealed team boss Christian Horner last weekend.