McLaren will sacrifice their chances of winning the Formula One constructors’ title to try to ensure Lewis Hamilton becomes world champion in Brazil on Sunday.
Hamilton, who is seven points ahead of his nearest rival, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, only needs to finish in the top five to take the title and become the sport’s youngest champion.
With prize money in F1 awarded for where each team finish in the constructors’ race, a one-two for the British team could see them overhaul their Italian rivals.
But that could lead to Hamilton taking unnecessary risks and McLaren chief Ron Dennis has insisted that the prestige of winning the drivers’ title is far more important than the financial reward for being top constructor.
His team are 11 points behind Ferrari.
Dennis also suggested criticism of Hamilton’s driving style by other drivers and team principals before the last race in Shanghai was an attempt to ‘destabilise’ the 23-year-old.
But Dennis insisted Hamilton will ‘rise above the comments’, and the manner in which he ignored the snipings to lead from start to finish at Shanghai was evidence that his driver had learnt from the experience of last season.
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