The Formula 1 anniversary season is almost over. Of course, there are still races to come in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. But it is already possible to draw some conclusions. So, what will racing fans remember about 2024?
Top Drivers of the 2024 Season
Of course, the pilots are the ones that attract attention first. You can open the 1xBet site in India and check it on your own. Now, we will briefly tell you how the roles were distributed.
Max Verstappen The Defending Champion
(Source: https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/supercars-champ-gearing-up-for-biggest-test-yet-in-eseries/news-story/588b73382cfa38092c6b7dc3445a7e7a?nk=40d8c3147c69bce24a74c71cde45ba5c-1605806330)
It would seem that in the first half of the 2024 championship, Verstappen’s superiority over everyone else was beyond any doubt. Max won seven out of ten Grand Prix and literally dominated the overall standings. But then Red Bull suddenly began to give in, turning from the best car in the championship into the second, third, and, on some tracks, even the fourth fastest car in the championship.
Moreover, unlike 2022 and 2023, where there was practically no intrigue in the fight for the championship, now everything is much more interesting. Yes, three-time world champion Dutchman Max Verstappen from Red Bull continues to lead with an advantage of 52 points, but it is his British pursuer from McLaren Lando Norris, by all accounts, who has the fastest car at the moment. This means that it is quite possible to eliminate the gap in six races and three sprints. But will it work?
Charles Leclerc — A Rising Contender
(Source: https://sport.sky.de/formel-1/artikel/ferrari-pilot-charles-leclerc-will-grand-prix-gegen-fahrtrichtung-fahren/11977404/35311)
The Ferrari driver admitted that he and the team had gone through some tough times, but on the other hand, he was delighted that he had managed to win two races at once, which he had always dreamed of: the Monaco Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
He himself assesses the season as difficult. The team periodically encountered difficulties in setting up the car. And Charles has more than serious rivals. However, the athlete himself believes that his skills are constantly improving and that he learns something new every season. Indeed, one cannot help but admit that the pilot shows great promise.
Lewis Hamilton — A Veteran With a Point to Prove
(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/lewis-hamilton-japan-japanese-grand-prix-a7987866.html )
This season cannot be called the most successful in Hamilton’s career. He has been finishing the last months on the Mercedes team. It seems that his soul has already joined Ferrari. The start of the season did not go well at all. But the reason for this is not only the car. In eight qualifying rounds of the season (if you count the sprints), Lewis lost to his teammate six times.
In the first three Grand Prix, Hamilton was constantly one step behind Russell. The ex-champion was faster than George for the first time, but at the restart, he damaged the car in a fight with Leclerc, and in the end, he suggested the team change the positions of the cars.
In addition, some psychological problems are superimposed. It is not easy to make the world champion seriously fight for fifth and sixth places, especially if this world champion is you.
Lando Norris — The Dark Horse
(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-lando-norris-mclaren-piastri-silverstone-b2372149.html)
This pilot started the season as a real dark horse. Few took him seriously. However, he showed almost immediately that he could be a serious competitor. Lando Norris himself does not believe that he can overtake Max Verstappen. However, he claims that he is not giving up the fight. At the race in Austin, he lost his personal rating slightly due to the stunning Ferrari victory. Nevertheless, he still has not lost second place in the personal standings.
Oscar Piastri — A Fresh Talent to Keep an Eye On
(Source: https://www.fiaformula2.com/Latest/1x8RkSZkhqbM97N3y2vLUZ/qualifying-piastri-takes-pole-at-monza)
Back in the middle of the season, Piastri said that the main goal of his team was the Constructors’ Cup. He himself is ready to make every effort to achieve this. The famous British team McLaren, which has won the Constructors’ Cup 12 times but has not stormed this peak for a long time, returned to the first line in the competition after the 17th stage of the current Formula 1 championship.
It has not been there for more than ten years, since 2014. This happened thanks to the victories of Oscar Piastri. The pilot is not yet a contender for victory in the individual standings. However, his talent cannot go unnoticed. Therefore, we will undoubtedly hear his name in the following seasons.
Key Highlights and Turning Points of the 2024 Season
Of course, this season will be remembered not only for the names of the drivers. As always, Formula 1 is about intense competition between teams, exciting races, and unexpected turns.
Constructors’ Championship Battle
The British team McLaren has returned to first place in the Constructors’ Championship after a break of a whole decade. The Austrian team Red Bull has not given up first place in the team standings for more than two years in a row. Its opponents were rather formal. They have not seriously counted on the championship recently. But even in this category — pursuers — McLaren was not included. But in 2024, the British had improved so much that they now have the best car.
Memorable Rivalries and On-Track Battles
In his 110th race, McLaren’s Lando Norris finally broke through to claim his first Formula 1 victory. The British driver achieved the feat at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix after starting fifth on the grid. Although he was helped a little by the timely deployment of the Safety Car, Norris showed solid pace and focus to take home the trophy.
On 26 May 2024, Charles Leclerc arrived at the Circuit de Monaco with a purpose. The Monegasque wanted to break his drought and win his first Grand Prix at his home. Although the race was not a smooth ride for those around him, the Monegasque delivered.
One of the highlights of the season came at the 2024 British Grand Prix. Having ended his longest winless drought at 56 races, Hamilton won the race at Silverstone ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
Surprises and Upsets
The real surprise this season was McLaren’s results in the constructors’ championship. The team really made a breakthrough.
The debut of 18-year-old rookie Berman at the wheel of a Ferrari was perhaps the most striking performance of the first stages — if, of course, you don’t count Verstappen, who, according to Toto Wolff, is racing in another galaxy.
Oliver Berman’s performance in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was impressive — the paddock is already discussing whether the Briton will get a place as a prize driver of the championship in 2025 or a little later.
The biggest disappointment was the Mercedes team. This year, Mercedes had hoped to return to the title fight, but the team, which had previously held the lead in the Constructors’ Cup for eight years in a row, has been unable to build a decent car for three years. According to Hamilton, the new car is similar to the previous ones, which means that it is capricious, unpredictable, and will only be tuned in certain cases.
Mid-Season Adjustments and Strategic Shifts
The main innovation of the season is the sprints, which have significantly affected the teams’ strategies. They now have to prepare their cars for three different sessions: Friday qualifying, Saturday sprint, and Sunday race. This creates additional complexities in car setup and resource management.
Engineers and strategists are forced to find a compromise between the optimal setup for a short and aggressive sprint race and a longer main race. This opens up opportunities for unconventional solutions and can lead to unexpected results.
The drivers also faced new challenges. They are now required to be maximally focused throughout all three days of the race weekend. The sprints have become a great opportunity for lesser-known drivers to prove themselves and earn additional points, which can significantly affect their position in the drivers’ standings.
Conclusion
There is still time before the end of the season. However, it is difficult to expect any significant changes. The balance of power and distribution of key players are already clear. Max Verstappen has every chance to hold on to first place in the personal standings. Well, we will soon find out what happens in the end.
Mia Luxe 
Andrew schulz