Max Verstappen could have gained a fourth consecutive drivers’ title but it surely has been removed from a predictable System 1 season.
and so they, Ferrari and Mercedes gained 15 of the 24 races between them – a distinction to 2023 when Purple Bull gained 23 grands prix.
The BBC Radio 5 Stay F1 workforce have picked out their highlights – and lowlights – from 2024, in addition to looking forward to what 2025 may convey…
Favorite race?
F1 commentator Harry Benjamin: The second for me must be Silverstone: 5 vehicles within the hunt, combined situations and I’ve by no means been emotional earlier than throughout a commentary however this was one thing that was simply actually particular to witness.
BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson: The British Grand Prix had every thing. A battle for the lead between three groups, a number of overtaking manoeuvres, technique mishaps, errors, changeable climate, an enormous crowd and nice ambiance and a win for Lewis Hamilton, which not solely set a brand new report for wins at a single circuit, but additionally marked the top of a two-and-half-year drought for the seven-time world champion. Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff described it as a “fairytale” and he wasn’t improper.
Presenter and reporter Rosanna Tennant: It’s laborious to look previous the place Max Verstappen began from seventeenth on the grid and drove by the torrential rain and unattainable situations to the highest step of the rostrum. It was a important second for his championship and I feel the second the place he felt Lando Norris was not a risk.
Presenter and reporter Jennie Gow: Max Verstappen in Brazil was such an completely gorgeous and devastating exhibiting of what he can do. That day proved how laborious it’s to be on the prime of your recreation when it is moist and situations are terrible.
System E driver Sam Fowl: Silverstone. Simply an thrilling race. First 30 laps glided by in a flash.
Former F1 mechanic Marc Priestley: The British Grand Prix. On a private stage. I used to be doing commentary on the Saturday for qualifying and there was an actual feel-good vibe across the place. The on the Saturday and it felt prefer it was now over to the British drivers to do their factor. We had a British prime three on the grid and the race on Sunday was type of extra of the identical, actually nice vibes.
Finest second?
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer: My favorite second is extra of a moments: it is the on-track battles between two title rivals, Lando Norris and Max Vestappen. Whether or not it is proxy wars in Imola and Barcelona or actual all-out battles in Austria, Austin and in Mexico, it is nice to see title rivalries play out on monitor.
AB: to take the lead from Charles Leclerc in Baku. It was a victory-defining second, and it was intuitive, improvisational, daring, courageous and sensible.
RT: He missed the earlier race, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, due to an appendicitis. Positive, Max Verstappen didn’t end the race in Melbourne however what a fully unimaginable feat for an F1 driver to seek out themselves on the working desk one week after which prime of the rostrum the subsequent. F1 drivers are on one other stage in terms of excessive efficiency.
HB: The 2 Alpines getting on to the rostrum in Sao Paulo was fairly a second, helped massively by the loopy race – purple flag, moist situations. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly stored their noses clear and the workforce who had been plum final at the beginning of the yr rocketed up the standings in what was a brilliantly executed race.
SB: ending the Verstappen onslaught.
MP: Miami. As an ex-McLaren mechanic and worker, it was an enormous second for the workforce. That they had been getting nearer and nearer to it. A variety of constructing and work occurring within the background for a few years. It felt like the purpose the place all that onerous work had lastly yielded a correct good end result. The texture-good issue it generated in McLaren was huge and naturally from there they went on to do nice issues too.
Largest disappointment?
AB: A toss-up between Sauber’s lack of progress – Audi has a lot work to do to be respectable once they enter in F1 in 2026, and appears to have recognised it too late – and Lewis Hamilton’s ultimate season for Mercedes. What has occurred to his qualifying tempo? Nobody appears to have a solution.
HB: This has to go to Sergio Perez for me. Sadly his poor performances are the explanation Purple Bull slipped to 3rd within the constructors’. It is such a disgrace to see such a succesful driver be completely annihilated and be unable to bounce again, or hold their head above the water. The curse of the Purple Bull quantity two seat continues. It is nonetheless not 100% confirmed if he’ll keep on for 2025 but it surely’s robust to construct a driver again up when you possibly can clearly see his head has gone.
MP: Has acquired to be Sergio Perez. We have recognized he is not been a match for Max Verstappen for a while however the stage to which he has upset this season has been fairly dramatic.
Largest controversy?
AB: Two apparent contenders right here. The allegations of sexual assault towards Purple Bull workforce principal Christian Horner and Horner has all the time denied the allegations and has been however there may nicely be be additional developments, though the story has gone quiet. And the FIA controversy simply retains on giving, with a number of sackings, questionable governance and widespread discomfort in F1 on the conduct of president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
HB: It is laborious to look previous that started to rear its head round Austin. Nobody desires to see unfair racing however on the identical time we would like drivers battling on monitor and for outcomes to not be determined as soon as the chequered flag has flown. Clear-cut guidelines have to be communicated and for now it appears to be like like issues are being addressed for 2025.
JG: I’ll go together with Hungary when They did not get it proper in hindsight however once they look again at this season, I feel they’ll develop from that incident. For them, it was not the appropriate method to deal with issues and
RT: Even earlier than a wheel had turned, Purple Bull Racing had been making headlines with workforce principal Christian Horner. This was to do with allegations made towards Horner by a feminine worker, allegations he’s all the time denied and two inner investigations have dismissed. Nonetheless, it’s been an ongoing subplot in the course of the season which I’m certain has been a distraction for Max Verstappen. On the first spherical of the championship in Bahrain individuals within the paddock had been beginning to query whether or not Horner ought to stay in place and whether or not it was finest for the workforce if he stepped down; he didn’t. Verstappen clearly managed to maintain his focus and took his fourth title, however I’m certain he’d have most popular a season with much less noise occurring behind the scenes.
SB: Overtaking guidelines. We began to see some misdemeanours with Max Verstappen forcing Lando Norris off the monitor in Austin first after which in Mexico Metropolis. Not one of the drivers had been significantly pleased with the foundations and laws. Max, by the letter of the regulation, was truly doing nothing improper however the drivers quickly tried to vary that and in impact that rule has now been modified by the FIA.
Largest shock?
RT: Lewis Hamilton saying he’d be leaving Mercedes on the finish of the 2024 F1 season to affix Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton is within the twilight stage of his profession so certainly it will be too late if he waited any longer to make a transfer. Who is aware of what’s going to occur subsequent yr however after such a disappointing finish to Hamilton’s time at Mercedes, certainly a recent begin is what he wants proper now.
HB: We had been all slowly waking up from the slumber of our winter break after which increase, Lewis Hamilton is introduced as becoming a member of Ferrari in 2025, nonetheless having to race another season with the Silver Arrows earlier than transitioning into the scarlet purple automotive. Will probably be one of the intriguing System 1 years but. Honourable point out too for Williams for selecting Franco Colapinto as a alternative for Logan Sargeant mid-season. I do not suppose anybody noticed that coming.
MP: Simply how good McLaren had been capable of be from the Miami end result to actually change into the strongest workforce in F1, by some margin in lots of races within the second half of the season.
In F1 in 2025, I would prefer to see…
HB: An absolute dogfight for the world title. Most groups now are on the higher limits of upgrading the present era of vehicles. We’ll have pure convergence in terms of the pecking order as a result of there is not an enormous regulation change for subsequent yr, So I wish to see eight drivers within the combine – the 2 at McLaren, Purple Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes preventing for the title, together with the standard midfield chaos.
JP: A drivers battle that goes all the way in which all the way down to the wire, hopefully with greater than two drivers nonetheless in competition.
AB: A four-way title battle between McLaren, Ferrari, Purple Bull and Mercedes.
RT: I’d prefer to see extra individuals difficult for the championship title. It’s been implausible that we’ve had seven completely different winners throughout this season however wouldn’t it’s nice if there could possibly be a steady and sustained battle between extra than simply two drivers for the last word reward in F1. I’d additionally prefer to see fewer workforce orders. Clearly groups do it to guard themselves within the constructors’ championship however typically it leaves followers of the game and even the opposite drivers wanting extra unadulterated racing.
SB: McLaren once more battle for the constructors’ championship, Lando Norris battle for the world drivers’ championship and a quick and comfortable Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari purple.
MP: Extra of the identical, please. I wish to see the likes of McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Purple Bull all hit the bottom operating and begin the season from the place the place they’ve left off in 2024, which could be very, very shut. If that occurs we could possibly be arrange for a 2025 championship which may go down within the historical past books as one of many greats.
