'Would feel like a victory for us': Piastri, Ricciardo locked in battles for constructors' championship places worth millions
While both the 2023 Formula 1 world championship and the constructors' championship have been tied up since last month, there are still plenty of unknowns ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Max Verstappen secured his third consecutive title following the Qatar Grand Prix, while Red Bull Racing clinched its second consecutive championship at the Japanese Grand Prix — in what was another dominant season for the Milton Keynes-based squad.
But F1 could never be boring and with one grand prix remaining in its gruelling 23-race season, several battles are playing out across the grid with millions of dollars at stake.
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The grid for the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of the formation lap. Dan Istitene/Formula 1 via Getty Images
With only first and sixth in the constructors' standings resolved, the teams and their drivers need to put their best foot forward this weekend, including Australians Oscar Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo.
Following the Las Vegas Grand Prix in which Piastri's McLaren scored just two championship points compared to Aston Martin's 12, the battle for fourth is well and truly alive.
With 11 points separating the midfielders, fourth spot will come down to who has a cleaner race on Monday morning (AEDT).
Aston Martin looked to be the surprise package of the season after driver Fernando Alonso opened with six podium finishes in the first eight races.
However, the team's performance slumped after the sport's summer break just as McLaren mounted a second-half resurgence.
Lando Norris (left) with McLaren team principal Andrea Stella (middle) and Oscar Piastri (right). Clive Rose via Getty Images
Aston Martin has since fallen from third to fifth in the constructors' championship as a streak of podium finishes propelled McLaren ahead to a season-high 21 points.
But after McLaren's Lando Norris crashed out in Las Vegas, while Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll bagged points, the deficit has been reeled back to 11.
"If we go out and do what we're capable of, and what the car's potential is, then we should be okay," Piastri said of the fight.
The weird, wacky and wonderful attractions and experiences of the Las Vegas Grand Prix
The weird, wacky and wonderful attractions and experiences of the Las Vegas Grand Prix
"But we still have to go out there and do our job and get the most out of what we've got.
"Hopefully, we can be quick, fighting well and truly at the front, and the result will take care of itself."
Meanwhile, Ricciardo's season-best seventh for AlphaTauri at the Mexican Grand Prix propelled the team off the bottom of the standings.
Coupled with teammate Yuki Tsunoda's points finishes in both the sprint race and grand prix in Brazil, AlphaTauri is now within seven points of Williams for seventh in the constructors' standings.
Daniel Ricciardo prepares to drive ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Getty
Throwing everything at the feat, which is worth an around an extra $13 million to the team, both cars will trial a version of their 2024 floor in the hope of gaining an advantage.
However, having scored 21 points across the entire season, Ricciardo's final race of the season is still likely to be an uphill battle.
"Now that we have a sniff of seventh in constructors, [my focus is to] try to do everything I can to help contribute," Ricciardo said.
"If we could get seventh, I think the team would be [very happy]. No one really thought that was going to happen pre-Austin, so that would feel like a bit of a victory for us."
