Because the 2024 Formulation One season attracts to a detailed, this weekend’s season finale in brings into focus the final 9 months of thrilling, dramatic and typically contentious wheel-to-wheel racing.
From a 2023 marketing campaign the place Purple Bull , this 12 months has seen seven completely different winners – with a number of victories – and a real struggle on the high of each championships.
masterfully claimed his whereas are the as they give the impression of being to assert the constructors’ championship forward of .
However who has overperformed and which drivers haven’t been as much as the duty?
Now, forward of the twenty fourth and closing race, The Unbiased grades all 23 drivers to have taken half in multiple race this 12 months, so as of the present constructors’ standings.
McLaren
Lando Norris – B+
Whereas the overriding sense by the top was ‘what may have been’ when it comes to a primary world championship, it shouldn’t be forgotten the brand new heights Norris has reached this 12 months. Prone to be guiding his group to a primary constructors’ title in 26 years, he claimed his first F1 win and three victories in whole. A handful of wins, nonetheless, did slip by his fingers. He can have discovered loads, in fight with Verstappen, as he eyes a 2025 title cost.
Oscar Piastri – B
The Australian has confirmed himself able to difficult the main stars of the game, in simply his second season in F1. Two wins – in Budapest and Baku – communicate to that. He does, nonetheless, want to enhance his race-by-race consistency. The large query heading into 2025 is: will he settle for No 2 standing at McLaren? (The reply is not any).
Ferrari
Carlos Sainz – A-
Full credit score to the Spaniard for performing, on the entire, so nicely after the crushing information which preceded his season in shedding his seat to Hamilton. With two wins in Australia and Mexico, Sainz has absolutely earned the respect of his friends for his professionalism. You are feeling for him, in some ways, forward of his transfer to ninth-placed Williams subsequent 12 months.
Charles Leclerc – B
Dream weekends in Monaco and Monza have overshadowed some decrease moments this 12 months for Leclerc, reminiscent of lacking out on the top-10 in three out of 4 races from Canada to Silverstone. If he needs to genuinely win a world title, notably with Lewis Hamilton’s arrival, his Ferrari group must eradicate these horror reveals.
Purple Bull
Max Verstappen – A+
A near-flawless 12 months for the world champion, who gained his fourth title in a automotive which is able to end third within the constructors’ championship – the primary time that has occurred in 41 years. With 9, he has treble the quantity of race wins to anybody else, too. Can he win ?
Sergio Perez – F
Whereas his teammate gained the title, Perez lies in eighth place – 277 factors behind Verstappen – together with his spot at Purple Bull in severe doubt. His seemingly axing is ready to convey the curtain down on what has been a extremely commendable 14-year profession in F1.
Mercedes
George Russell – B+
Was 2024 the season he grew to become the group chief, a 12 months sooner than anticipated? Two victories – one by luck in Austria, one by talent in Vegas – and a stunningly spectacular qualifying file in opposition to Hamilton (18-5 in his favour) present how the Briton has made essentially the most of one other inconsistent breed of Mercedes automotive.
Lewis Hamilton – C
A decrease grade could be on the horizon if it wasn’t for Hamilton’s , the place he reminded the world of his enduring expertise and racecraft. Saturdays have been woeful, even he admits, with a mixture of the nice, the unhealthy and the ugly on race-day. Wants a contemporary begin at Ferrari.
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso – B
13 top-10 finishes in a automotive in no man’s land in fifth place within the constructors’ championship signify one other stable 12 months for the veteran. He will probably be praying Adrian Newey can work his magic; if not for subsequent 12 months, then for 2026.
Lance Stroll – D
Whereas his teammate is bang on par in ninth within the standings, Stroll is down in thirteenth. Astonishingly, he has not scored a single level because the summer season break, a run stretching again 10 races to Hungary in July. And for the sixth season operating, he will probably be outperformed by his teammate.
Alpine
Pierre Gasly – B-
From the worst automotive on the grid early on this season, Alpine are on the cusp of sixth place within the constructors’ championship and have been spearheaded by Gasly in latest weeks. He has earned eight top-10 finishes this season, lies eleventh within the drivers’ standings, and can have the accountability of lead driver subsequent 12 months. The 28-year-old seems prepared.
Esteban Ocon – C
A second-place end in Brazil apart, an underwhelming 12 months for the Frenchman – his final with Alpine. Pastures new beckon at Haas in 2025 and, such is his deal with subsequent 12 months, he’ll for the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Trails Gasly by 13 factors, regardless of that second-place in Sao Paulo.
Haas
Nico Hulkenberg – A
What a return to F1 it has been for the 37-year-old German. After scoring factors in three of the primary 5 races, amid a Ayao Komatsu-inspired Haas renaissance, Hulkenberg landed a seat at Sauber (soon-to-be Audi) subsequent 12 months. He has completed within the top-six twice and is a degree forward of Gasly as he seems to complete within the top-10 within the standings.
Kevin Magnussen – C+
The Dane has usually hovered simply outdoors the top-10 however has nonetheless recorded a decent 16 factors. Not sufficient, nonetheless, for the 32-year-old to retain his seat for subsequent 12 months – he’ll make approach for British teenager Ollie Bearman – as his ninth and closing season in F1 nears its finish.
Ollie Bearman – A
Most drivers solely get one shot at touchdown a seat within the pinnacle of motor racing – and British teenager Bearman . Deputising for an ailing Carlos Sainz for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, he completed seventh – above Lewis Hamilton – and appeared the half. He additionally scored a degree in Baku for Haas however by this level, his was already secured.
RB
Yuki Tsunoda – B
One other stable if not spectacular 12 months for the Japanese driver, who will file his highest-ever factors tally if he can end within the top-eight on Sunday. Maybe lacking a standout consequence which may nicely have solidified his possibilities of touchdown the Purple Bull seat subsequent 12 months.
Liam Lawson – B+
Promoted with six races remaining to trigger a storm, Lawson is to the mothership subsequent 12 months. He ruffled feathers in Mexico and he’s scored factors in variable circumstances. The New Zealander now appears in pole place to land Perez’s Purple Bull spot.
Daniel Ricciardo – E
What may have been for the Honey Badger. Other than one dash race in Miami, he didn’t impress and definitely not sufficient to reclaim the prized Purple Bull seat. He was after September’s Singapore GP.
Williams
Alex Albon – C
It’s not been nice for Williams this 12 months. After a season of promise in 2023, they’re set to complete ninth within the constructors’ standings and their lead driver solely has 4 top-10 finishes to point out for his identify. Albon additionally has not completed a race since Baku in September, a run of kind he will probably be determined to finish in Abu Dhabi.
Franco Colapinto – B-
Issues evolve rapidly in F1. From being mooted as a potential Purple Bull goal to 3 crashes on the spin, the Argentine has revitalised help for the game in South America. Sadly, his latest kind means his 2025 seat possibilities now look .
Logan Sargeant – F
His axing, after a fiery crash in Zandvoort, was a very long time coming. The American failed to attain a degree all 12 months and recorded only one level in 37 F1 races in whole.
Sauber
Zhou Guaynu – D
Three years and out for the Chinese language driver in F1, however he has not been helped by a wretched automotive this season. Nevertheless, he did rating his group’s first factors of the 12 months with a drive to eighth in Qatar on Sunday.
Valtteri Bottas – E
This isn’t the way it was meant to finish, Valtteri. A genuinely unhappy conclusion to a massively respectable 13-year profession in F1, with no factors on the board in any respect this season. Admirably, he has stored his sense of humour all through all of it.
