Heading into the 2024 season, many followers feared it could be extra of the identical.
was recent off after which a , coming into 2024 as a three-time world champion with Pink Bull showing untouchable. And when it was introduced that the calendar would function a record-breaking 24 races, it was onerous to shake the underlying feeling that this yr would drag on and on and on.
Nevertheless, this season has been something however boring. There was a parity throughout the grid that hadn’t been seen lately, with seven totally different drivers successful a number of races for the primary time ever. Ten totally different drivers additionally completed on the rostrum, and there was a real try at unseating Verstappen.
And whereas the Drivers’ title has already been determined, there’s nonetheless all to play for within the Constructors’ Championship with just one Grand Prix left.
With the ultimate race of the season going down this Sunday in Abu Dhabi, right here’s a glance again at 5 moments to recollect from a panoramic F1 season.
Verstappen victorious… once more
Although Lando Norris put up a valiant combat all through the season, it nonetheless seems that nobody can cease the Flying Dutchman.
After a titanic battle with Lewis Hamilton for the championship in 2021, Verstappen swept to the title in 2022 earlier than successful 19 out of twenty-two races the next yr to win the championship by an virtually 300-point margin.
He received seven out of the primary 10 races in 2024 and it appeared as if he would romp unchallenged to the title for the fourth straight season.
Nevertheless, Pink Bull’s tempo and typical dominance light because the chasing pack, significantly McLaren, started catching up. Verstappen solely received two of the following 13 races after taking victory at Spherical 10 in Spain.
Season-long struggles for teammate Sergio Pérez meant that Verstappen was often left and not using a rear gunner in his fights on the entrance, additional tipping the percentages towards him, however the Dutchman isn’t a multi-time world champion for no motive.
He hasn’t completed exterior the highest six all season and his exceptional present of consistency prevented Norris from making any inroads into the lead that had been constructed up within the first half of the marketing campaign.
A fourth straight World Drivers’ Championship got here with two races to spare in Las Vegas, placing an finish to a title combat that noticed him compelled to supply his greatest.
“It’s been a protracted season and, in fact, we began off wonderful, it was virtually like cruising, however then we had a tricky run,” he stated after the checkered flag in Sin Metropolis.
“However as a crew, we stored it collectively, we stored engaged on enhancements and we pulled off the win. Extremely pleased with everybody, what they’ve completed for me.
“I believe in a means, in fact, I nonetheless choose final season; I loved it lots, however I believe this season, undoubtedly once more taught me lots of classes. I’m very pleased with how we dealt with it additionally as a crew. So in a means, in fact, that makes it additionally very, very particular, and a phenomenal season.”
It appeared as if 2024 couldn’t presumably get sweeter for the Dutchman, however forward of the ultimate race of the season he and his associate Kelly Piquet – daughter of three-time F1 world champion Nelson Piquet – .
Title rivals come collectively in Austria
The Austrian Grand Prix turned out to be a flashpoint within the championship battle.
Verstappen certified for the Grand Prix on pole with Norris behind him in P2 and so they remained in that order for a lot of the race.
The Brit made a number of courageous makes an attempt to take the lead whereas Verstappen fiercely defended – actions from each drivers threatened to enterprise into the ‘reckless’ class.
Issues got here to a head on lap 64, when the rivals collided as Norris tried an overtake across the exterior of Flip 3 and Verstappen tried to chop him off. Norris sustained race-ending harm to his automobile, whereas Verstappen tumbled to P5, permitting Mercedes’ George Russell to swoop to victory, with Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finishing the rostrum.
“It relies upon what (Verstappen) says. If he says he did nothing improper, then I lose lots of respect for that,” a “upset” Norris informed Sky Sports activities throughout his post-race interview.
“If he admits to being a bit silly and working into me and simply being a bit reckless in a means, then I’ll have a small quantity of respect for it.”
“Everybody can have their very own opinion. From the skin, it’s simple to guage and remark,” Verstappen stated to . “After all, we’ll discuss it. It’s simply unlucky that it occurred.”
Hamilton takes emotional Silverstone victory
Arguably, essentially the most surprising F1 second this yr got here earlier than the season, when it was introduced that Hamilton would go away Mercedes after 12 seasons with the crew, in probably the most beautiful driver transfers of all time.
The 39-year-old received six Drivers’ titles with the Silver Arrows and helped them to seven straight Constructors’ championships between 2014 and 2021. Nevertheless, he appeared visibly affected by Mercedes’ downturn in efficiency, struggling some early qualifying exits, often combating race tempo and going all 2022 and 2023 and not using a win, the primary winless seasons of his 17-year profession.
With Pink Bull, McLaren and Ferrari all displaying superior tempo to Mercedes, it seemed as if it could be extra of the identical for Hamilton, till he took a memorable victory on the British Grand Prix in July.
He held off a charging Verstappen in a rain-affected race to clinch his first win in over two-and-a-half years.
“There’s undoubtedly been days between 2021 and right here the place I didn’t really feel like I used to be ok or whether or not I used to be going to get again to the place I’m at the moment, however the necessary factor is I had nice individuals round me persevering with to help me,” an emotional Hamilton stated post-race.
He celebrated on the rostrum draped within the British flag in what was his closing dwelling race as a Mercedes driver.
Group orders drama in Hungary
A lot of the main focus at McLaren was on Norris’ title problem, although his teammate Piastri, driving in his second season after impressing as a rookie final yr, confirmed why he has usually been touted as the game’s subsequent huge factor.
The Australian took his first profession Grand Prix victory in Hungary earlier this yr, although it was not with out controversy.
After overtaking teammate Norris in the beginning of the race for P1, Piastri constructed up a lead and seemed nailed on to attain the win. Nevertheless, McLaren pitted Norris first on the second spherical of stops, ‘undercutting’ Piastri and permitting him to take the lead.
McLaren needed Norris to let Piastri retake the lead that he had earned as soon as the Aussie had closed the hole utilizing his more energizing tires, however he was unable to reel within the Brit. In the meantime, Norris persistently resisted calls from the crew for him to ease up, regardless of his race engineer Will Joseph urging him to “do the precise factor.”
It appeared as if McLaren was headed in the direction of an embarrassing intra-team battle that probably would have been averted by merely pitting Piastri first, however Norris finally eased as much as let Piastri by way of on lap 68 of 70 to present McLaren its first one-two end since 2021 as all the storage breathed a collective sigh of reduction.
The grid says goodbye to Danny Ric
One in every of F1’s most beloved characters appeared to bid farewell to the game earlier this season.
Daniel Ricciardo participated in what’s more likely to be his closing F1 race on the Singapore GP in September, bringing an finish to a glittering 257-race profession that noticed him win eight races and rating 32 podiums.
Although there had been hypothesis over Ricciardo’s future all season, rumors that Pink Bull junior driver Liam Lawson would change the Aussie at RB intensified heading into Singapore. He crossed the road in P18 after pitting for recent tires in the direction of the tip of the race in a profitable try and document the quickest lap of the GP.
Ricciardo was seen taking his time to get out of the cockpit in parc fermé and was visibly emotional in his postrace interview. 4 days later, his departure was made official by RB, with Lawson stepping in for the remainder of the season.
The 35-year-old sat down solely with earlier this yr and mentioned how he seems again on his profession.
“I’m proud. Like, don’t get me improper, if it ended at the moment, I’d be pleased with what I’ve completed,” he stated on the time. “However on the identical word, you’re by no means absolutely happy as a result of the explanation I bought into Formulation One was to attempt to develop into world champion.”
His final aim might have eluded him, however Ricciardo put collectively a resumé that will be the envy of many drivers over the course of his 15-year F1 journey.
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