The 2024 Formula 1 season seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. From Hamilton’s shock announcement as a future Ferrari driver, Red Bull’s inter-team turmoil.
Norris breakthrough/McLaren surge
Lando Norris has been, for several years, poised to launch himself into the upper echelons of F1 drivers. However, he hasn’t been given the machinery to enable this rise. But, in 2024 McLaren have produced a stunning turnaround. Norris’s win in Miami came as something of a surprise with many wondering if the McLaren was simply better on the day. It turns out that the McLaren undeniably a quick car – on any type of circuit layout. Everything appears to be clicking at McLaren, from the car design, the correlation with the wind tunnel, the team dynamic, and, of course, its drivers.
Both Norris and Oscar Piastri have stood on the top step of the podium this season. In truth, each could’ve won a few more races too. There have been several strategic missteps from the team that have cost certain victories. But what a headache to have for Zak Brown. To have the problem of ironing out the kinks that’ll enable you to win more races is a fantasy not many would’ve put their money on, even twelve months ago. It cannot be overstated just what a monumentally impressive job all of those at McLaren have done to not only catch Red Bull but pass them. Especially if one considers the dominance of Red Bull since 2022. It seemed impossible, until McLaren did it.
Ferrari’s fake flattering
Ferrari started the season looking like genuine contenders. But then, we’ve seen this movie before, haven’t we? The car performs well, wins a few races, and then simply fades into oblivion. It’s the type of promise and flattery that is starting to wear rather thin. Ferrari hasn’t won any kind of championship since the 2008 constructor’s title and Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 triumph remains the Scuderia’s last driver’s title. Since then, they’ve had Fernando Alonso, Seb Vettel, and the ultra-talented Charles Leclerc in their cockpit only to produce a handful of wins and a raft of empty promises.
Granted, Leclerc’s win in Monaco will be remembered for a long time to come. But as romantic as it was for him to finally win on home soil it simply isn’t enough for the sport’s oldest and most renowned competitors. There are some good signs under the semi-new leadership of Fred Vasseur and the prospect of Hamilton joining in 2025 is surely going to inject some sort of morale boost.
Mercedes ‘recovery’
The last few years have been unrelentingly bad for Mercedes. From the heights of seven championships in a row to barely getting onto the podium the fall from dominance has been swift and painful. It seemed that whatever Mercedes tried it simply didn’t work. Upgrade after upgrade would produce no improvement and would, undoubtedly, begin to sap team morale. It wasn’t any help either when Lewis Hamilton announced his departure. Perhaps this might have even been the catalyst for finally producing a car that can race. It’s a conspiracy theory, sure. But it isn’t too unrealistic to imagine that those back at base felt a bit abandoned and took Hamilton’s imminent departure a bit personally. He had become a lot more outwardly critical too. So, one can’t help but feel that it evoked a bit of a response. And it’s been an impressive response at that. Yes, George Russell’s win in Austria was fortuitous but he was in the mix, close enough to pick up the pieces. And if Leclerc’s Monaco win was romantic then Hamilton’s return to the top step at Silverstone was that amplified. And they did that on merit too. The win in Spa too was down to the pace of the Mercedes.
It’s taken them a while, but Mercedes have clawed their way back to the sharp end of the grid. Are they going to roar to a stunning constructor’s title win? No, likely not. But they’ve shown an incredible amount of determination and fight to come all the way back from the doldrums. And 2024 is far from over too. There may be more Mercedes triumph in very near future given their current momentum.
The Formula 1 season resumes on 23 August with the Dutch grand prix.
