When Red Bull smashed Mercedes' constructors' championship points record in 2023, who would have thought it would be in danger just two years later?
But that is exactly the position Red Bull finds itself in at the halfway point of this captivating campaign, with McLaren on course to set a new mark.
The Woking-based team, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the wheel, have already racked up 460 points after 12 grands prix, and it is a case of when, and not if, it retains its constructors' title after being pushed to the wire by Ferrari last year.
There is a small possibility, with another 12 races and four sprints remaining, and with 576 points up for grabs, that McLaren could even break the 1,000-point barrier, although that would take some doing, with a lot of one-two finishes required.
Nevertheless, Red Bull's record from 2023 of 860 points, labelled "a unicorn year" by former team principal Christian Horner after the team won 21 of 22 grands prix, with Verstappen 19 of those, is there for the taking. Red Bull beat Mercedes' previous mark of 765 set in 2016.
Admittedly, there were two fewer grands prix that year than this season, so the record is subjective, but it will still count.
And even after 22 races this year, there is a very strong chance McLaren will have surpassed the 860 anyway.
So what do you think? Will McLaren set a new points tally record in the constructors' standings? Vote now in the poll below, and thanks for taking part.
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