Team Lotus were delighted that the Brazilian Grand Prix results allowed them to wrap up a lucrative 10th place finish in the constructors' championship for a second successive season.

Though the fine details of the Formula 1 prize money system are kept secret, getting into the top 10 in the standings for two seasons in a row unlocks a significant cash boost for a new team.

Lotus, who become Caterham next season, had been comfortably ahead of fellow backmarkers Virgin and HRT all year.

But as they weren't quite quick enough to score points, they couldn't be relaxed about their championship situation.

Teams tied on points - or no points - are ranked in order of their best race results.

Lotus' trio of 13th places therefore put them in 10th in the standings, but had the forecast rain arrived and turned today's Interlagos race into a lottery, it was not inconceivable that HRT or Virgin could have sneaked a 12th or higher amid some chaos, which would have seen Lotus stumped at the last minute.

In the event, Lotus' Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli were 16th and 18th, while the best Virgin and HRT could do was 19th (Jerome D'Ambrosio) and 20th (Daniel Ricciardo).

Lotus technical chief Mike Gascoyne was thrilled with the final outcome.

"I think that is a great way to end the season and secure 10th place," he said.

"It was a tense afternoon for us with all the possible weather changes, but the conditions held off and we had the sort of race we have been putting in for much of this year.

"Both drivers were pushing all afternoon – with Jarno we put him on a two stop race which meant he had to look after his tyres.

"That might have ended up costing him some time, but with Heikki we ran a three stop race and he brought his car home where we thought he could."

Team boss Tony Fernandes said the achievement had left him highly emotional.

“Almost tears for me today!" he said.

"I am absolutely overjoyed.

"Two years of hard work have paid off today and it was great to see both cars home safely, helping us win 10th place."

As Brazil marked the conclusion of the long-running Lotus name row - with Team Lotus becoming Caterham next year and Lotus-backed Renault becoming purely Lotus - Fernandes added that he was pleased to see Kovalainen beat the team on the opposite side of the spat, as Bruno Senna's Renault finished only 17th after a fraught race.

"The icing on the cake was beating a Renault - that meant a lot to me as I have always said the good guys do win," said Fernandes.