That’s a wrap. After a record-breaking 24 races, the 2024 season concluded on Sunday in Abu Dhabi with guiding .
What a topsy-turvy, consistently evolving season it has been. From Pink Bull’s dominance on the observe and turmoil within the paddock initially of the season to a number of winners and riveting racing, there was drama at each flip.
For the primary time since 2021, too, we had a real title race and whereas in the end claimed his fourth successive world championship, Norris pushed him to the ultimate three races.
Seven drivers gained races in complete, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri claiming their first F1 victories whereas broke a near-1,000-day win duck with an on the British Grand Prix.
Now, The Unbiased picks the winners and losers of a 2024 season which has already set the tone completely for doubtlessly an all-time 2025 marketing campaign.
Greatest driver
Max Verstappen – It’s boring, I do know. The world champion will get the highest gong. However earlier than November, the reply would have been Lando Norris.
But the – from seventeenth on the grid to a win margin of 20 seconds – modified that. It just about sealed the world title and, in the long run, he claimed 5 extra victories over the course of the season than the McLaren driver.
4 on the spin. 5 in a row – in a Pink Bull which now not seems constantly fast – would put him among the many greats.
Podium locations: Lando Norris, Nico Hulkenberg
Greatest workforce
McLaren – It shouldn’t be understated how monumental an achievement this was for the papaya.
After the primary 4 races, McLaren have been third in complete and already 72 factors off Pink Bull. However from Norris’ win in Miami onwards, they managed to take the battle to the reigning world champions and surpass them, in addition to thwart the late problem from Ferrari.
Full credit score to workforce principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown for his or her hotshot driver line-up choice and their astute mechanical hiring, with ex-Pink Bull engineer Rob Marshall enjoying a number one position in McLaren’s sudden surge in velocity, significantly on the straights.
Podium locations: Ferrari, Haas
Greatest shock
Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari – OK, a tad cheeky given it was previous to the 2024 season commencing, however nothing shocked the F1 (and sporting) world greater than this switch.
It was fairly the day when Mercedes, astonishingly, didn’t deny reviews surfacing from the Italian media that Hamilton had and finish essentially the most profitable partnership in F1 historical past.
Inevitably, subsequent yr’s switch was a consistently current subject within the background all year long. Did it affect Hamilton’s efficiency? Who is aware of. Both means, all of us can’t wait to see the way it unfolds.
Podium locations: Adrian Newey leaving Pink Bull/becoming a member of Aston Martin, Mercedes selling Kimi Antonelli 2025
Greatest disappointment
Daniel Ricciardo – This was a close-run factor between three drivers: Ricciardo, Sergio Perez and Logan Sargeant.
Sargeant’s axing after the Dutch Grand Prix had been a while coming and, given his constant inserting behind the grid, maybe it wasn’t completely shocking.
But Ricciardo’s lack of ability to provide even a glimpse of his prime velocity was a mighty outdated disgrace. It was no secret that Perez’s Pink Bull seat was up for grabs if he might. Due to this fact, the Aussie shades it.
Podium locations: Sergio Perez, Logan Sargeant
Second of the yr
Lando Norris successful the Miami GP – This was a troublesome name. However Norris had been ready for his first F1 victory for thus lengthy that, when it got here, .
It was additionally the primary indication of McLaren’s speedy race-pace, establishing a thriller of a 2024 season.
Podium locations: Lewis Hamilton wins British GP, Max Verstappen wins Brazil GP
Overtake of the yr
Alex Albon, Canada – This was a spectacular manoeuvre.
Down the again straight on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Albon weaved to the skin to surge previous Daniel Ricciardo, earlier than slipping forward of Esteban Ocon down the within earlier than the ultimate chicane.
Beautiful automotive placement in-between two vehicles.
Podium locations: Max Verstappen, Brazil; Oscar Piastri, Azerbaijan
Rising star
Ollie Bearman – A debut of desires for the British teenager in Saudi Arabia, filling in seamlessly for Carlos Sainz to for Ferrari.
From that second on, his 2025 seat at Haas was just about secured. He took his likelihood. It didn’t matter that he completed a lowly twelfth within the F2 standings.
Podium locations: Gabriel Bortoleto; Franco Colapinto
Greatest race
Brazilian Grand Prix – A championship-deciding, drama-inducing weekend in Sao Paulo.
Heavy rain meant we had qualifying on Sunday morning and, such is the grid that shaped, it regarded set to lead to a large factors swing in Norris’ favour. There have been additionally 5 crashes in helter-skelter qualifying minutes.
However the race proved to a masterclass in wet-weather driving from Verstappen. Whereas others slipped and slid throughout the racetrack and into the partitions, the Dutchman was the epitome of perfection.
Podium locations: British Grand Prix; Austrian Grand Prix
Worst race
Bahrain Grand Prix – For all of the soap-opera off the observe on the season-opener in Bahrain, it was enterprise as ordinary for Pink Bull on the tarmac. A one-two end – and a dud of a race.
To a lot reduction, it didn’t set the tone for the remainder of the yr.
On the rostrum: Japan, Monaco
