Unpredictability, drama, an emotional rollercoaster, and mania. These are only a few ways to describe the phenomenon that is the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Few could top the drama on and off the racetrack that took place in the 2024 Formula 1 season. Many marked this year as historic, having featured 24 races, the longest on F1’s calendar.
High Stakes, a quartet at the front, and driver market unpredictability: The 2024 Formula 1 season delivered until the chequered flag
The 2024 F1 season was a major leveller after the dominant 2023 season,
When 2023 saw only 3 different winners from 2 different teams, 2024 saw as many as 7 different winners from 4 different teams on the grid.
It paints a stunning juxtaposition when compared to last season. When reigning champion Max Verstappen won as many as ten on the bounce in 2023, he would win only two in a row in 2024.
Such was the level of unpredictability all season – no driver was able to win more than two consecutive races. It led to a rare instance of seven different drivers winning multiple races in a year.
This bettered the occurrence in the 1981 F1 season when six drivers won multiple races in the season.
The drama wasn’t confined to the white lines bordering the racetrack. The driver market was buzzing with activity, in stark contrast to the line-ups between 2023 and 2024.
When the entire grid remained unchanged in the run-up to this season, the sheer level of changes is why only two teams go into 2025 with the same line-up as this season.
Some decisions taken by the FIA also garnered plenty of attention.
From F1’s infamous swearing ban to the delays in putting out red flags after incidents, the severity of penalties dished out, and track limits, the FIA’s decisions did hog the limelight in 2024.
Yet, you’d look back at the season gone by and doff your hat. Such was the nature of the season.
Sky Sports commentator, and 2016 World champion Nico Rosberg even called it ‘One of the greatest [seasons] of all time’.
A slow start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, though
However, the 2024 F1 season began on a slower note.
The paddock seemed almost disinterested when Max Verstappen dominated to win the Bahrain GP by over 20 seconds from teammate Sergio Perez.
The same repeated in Jeddah, with Verstappen similarly dominating to win from Perez. It looked as though everyone was in for a long 24 races in 2024.
According to a survey conducted by The Race after the first two races of 2024, a whopping 61% of the fans responded that they were ‘less interested’ for the 2024 Formula One season, while a mere seven percent expressed interest for the season ahead.
You couldn’t blame fans, though.
After Red Bull domination in 2023, few would be willing to sit through Red Bull dominating once again in 2024. Even more so given the season had only just started.
As Verstappen looked to match his 10-race winning streak in Australia, he hit trouble.
A smoking rear brake meant he was out of the race. In typical fashion, it was Carlos Sainz who stopped the Red Bull juggernaut. He took a 1-2 for Ferrari, while McLaren finished 3rd and 4th.
Yet, the reigning champion proved infallible. He stormed back to victory in Japan, before dominating on F1’s return to China.
While the omens looked dour, the next race weekend in Miami would change the entire course of the season.
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McLaren strike back with massive upgrades
McLaren had been steadily upgrading their cars across 2023.
Having started at the rear of the grid in Bahrain, the two Papaya cars would have called themselves disappointed to finish fifth and sixth in the finale at Abu Dhabi.
Such was the transformation they had made across the season, with the catalyst being a big overhaul in Austria.
In 2024, however, the next big step would come in the Miami and Imola weekends.
The team’s persistent efforts meant they were able to introduce upgrades to Lando Norris’s car in Miami. This improved performance, coupled with a slice of luck, helped Norris take his first F1 win.
Introducing the upgrades on teammate Oscar Piastri’s car in Imola, the following round, both McLarens were firmly at the front of the field.
The improved competitiveness of the McLaren MCL38 propelled the papaya team to a 13-weekend podium streak. Every European round featured at least one McLaren on the podium.
Hungary and Monza proved the exceptions, with both drivers finishing on the podium.
This stretch of races helped McLaren rise to the head of the Constructors’ championship, a lead they never relinquished.
Despite a slight dip in pace compared to the rest, they were able to hold on from the charging Ferraris, winning the title by 14 points in Abu Dhabi.
This marked their first Constructors’ title triumph in as long as 26 years.
While Norris wasn’t able to challenge Verstappen for the Drivers’ title, he was able to finish second in the standings, his best finishing position in F1.
Oscar Piastri also built on a solid debut campaign to finish fourth, two points ahead of Carlos Sainz in fifth.
Feel Good stories headline the 2024 Formula 1 season
Any great season translates into feel-good stories in abundance, and the 2024 F1 season reflected the same.
Oliver Bearman stepping in for Carlos Sainz at Jeddah and finishing seventh only affirmed Bearman’s true talent. The Spaniard taking victory at Melbourne only 16 days after his appendectomy gave us a glimpse of his sheer talent.
Then there was Zhou Guanyu’s emotional homecoming in China. Being the first Chinese F1 driver, the stage was set for him to soak in the atmosphere and the applause.
Both McLaren drivers started the season with no wins to their name. Yet, Norris was able to win in Miami, before taking three more victories across the season.
Piastri, on the other hand, had to wait till Hungary for his first F1 win, before winning out in Baku later.
Charles Leclerc finally overcame his long-standing ‘Monaco curse’ to win his home event.
Lewis Hamilton finally experienced victory for the first time since his title heartbreak in 2021. The stage once again was Silverstone, a track he’d experienced so much success around.
Leclerc’s win at Monza was built upon excellent tyre wear management, as he pulled off a special victory for the fans to savour.
Sainz, despite announcing his departure from Ferrari at the end of 2024, took a special victory in Mexico, despite regretting he may not be fighting for championships with the team.
Verstappen’s return to the top step of the podium in Sao Paulo, coupled with an Alpine double-podium proved to be a feel-good story for all.
It helped the French team rise from ninth to sixth in the championship. Having held on to sixth in Abu Dhabi, they received an extra $50 Million in prize money compared to what they would have received for finishing ninth.
Then there was the season finale in Abu Dhabi. It was jubilation for McLaren, while Ferrari came up short.
There too, Hamilton ensured he ended a sterling 246-race stint with Mercedes on a high, with a fine overtake on George Russell on the last lap.
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Driver market madness in the 2024 F1 season
After no activity in 2023, F1’s driver market was buzzing for 2025, with news even before the 2024 F1 season had started.
Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari was one that turned heads around the paddock. As a result, Sainz became a central figure in the driver market, with Williams snapping up his services after a hard fight.
KICK Sauber made headlines by snapping up Nico Hulkenberg’s services, before managing to receive F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto‘s services for 2025 and beyond.
Haas, Hulkenberg’s former employer, too went in for a fresh line-up. They signed Esteban Ocon, whilst promoting reserve, and F2 racer Bearman to a full race seat.
Alpine, meanwhile, promoted reserve driver Jack Doohan to replace the outgoing Ocon in 2025.
Another major switch at Mercedes saw young junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli become Hamilton’s successor at the Silver Arrows. The 18-year-old finished sixth in the standings in F2 for PREMA Racing, with two race wins to his name.
Two mid-season swaps saw Williams junior Franco Colapinto make his debut in Monza. Liam Lawson was promoted to a VCARB race seat in the US Grand Prix, in place of Daniel Ricciardo.
All in all, the driver market stories added another layer to the madness in 2024, with even the final race of the weekend not being devoid of changes.
Doohan stepped up prematurely to a race seat in Abu Dhabi, with Ocon released from his contract to test for Haas in the post-season test on 10th December.
Summing up the 2024 Formula 1 season
2024 has probably been the dream year fans have been thirsting for.
As many as four teams have found themselves in contention for race victories. Seven different names stepped onto the top step of the rostrum in 2024.
This is as three of the top four teams, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes each saw both their drivers win at least two races this 2024 season. Only Red Bull had one of their drivers without a race win – Sergio Perez.
It’s almost as though Formula One in 2024 is the gift that keeps on giving.
Fans tuned into every race, excited, not knowing what would happen. Such has been the nature of the season gone by. Which is why it would be best to call it “The Perfect Storm”.
With high expectations, the 2025 F1 season would find it difficult to live up to the hype created by F1 in 2024.
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