Completely out of nowhere, the 2024 Formula One Season has turned into one of the most thrilling seasons in recent history. What looked to be the third completely dominant year for Max Verstappen and Red Bull, turned out to be a more competitive series of races, producing different race winners from three different teams, including two drivers claiming their first-ever F1 victory. When asked to rate the season out of ten, HHS Junior Oliver McLucas rated it an eight, saying, “It was nice to have a break from a season fully focused on Max Verstappen.”
Red Bull Dominates as Tension Simmers
Winding the clock back to the end of April, Max Verstappen comfortably claimed his fourth driver’s championship win after he took fifth place ahead of his title rival Lando Norris. The start of Red Bull’s season did not go as smoothly however as their team principal Christian Horner was investigated for misconduct as it was rumored that he had been the suspect of some inappropriate behavior towards one of his female employees. This allegation was later thrown out and Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing as there was not enough substantial evidence to back the employee’s initial claim. Red Bull was hit with another striking blow as their designer and architect Adrian Newey decided to leave the team and join grid rivals Aston Martin. This move has the potential to make or break the entire team as much of Red Bull’s success over the past few years can be greatly attributed to the strength and speed of their well-known car. The reigning champions looked especially comfortable in Bahrain’s preseason tests, and the run of easy wins that followed suggested another one-sided season would follow. The suspicions were right as Verstappen took the majority of Red Bull’s wins over the 2024 season.
McLaren’s Breakthrough Year
Everything changed at the Miami Grand Prix. The drama surrounding Red Bull designer Adrian Newey continued to the eve of the race, distracting the media from the lurking threat of young driver Lando Norris. Norris and McLaren were optimistic for this race as their car had just received an update package focused on making the car better at taking high, slow, and medium-speed corners. The first signs of McLaren at Miami were not too convincing as they had a lackluster qualifying and sprint session. As usual, Max Verstappen started first in the race and Lando Norris started a few positions behind him in fifth. The race was going as usual as Verstappen took an early lead, distancing himself from the competition. Lando Norris began to gradually make his way up the grid, as Verstappen and his other rivals pitted in the early stages of the race. The Englishman’s patient approach was rewarded on lap 29 when a safety car was forced to come out after a collision between Logan Sargent and Kevin Magnussen. The safety car, which reduced the pace allowed, allowed Norris to keep Verstappen at arm’s length. At the end of the race, Norris had made his way up to first place, giving him his first win of the 2024 season.
Thrilling Final Race for a Constructors Championship
Ferrari and McLaren had a thrilling final battle for the 2024 constructors’ championship. McLaren entered the final weekend with a 21-point advantage, a point total that could be quickly overcome by a race win and fastest lap. The weekend began stress-filled for both teams as both battled for the chance to win a coveted constructor’s championship at the conclusion of the season. However, a shock was delivered to Ferrari as one of their two drivers, Charles Leclerc, was handed a ten-place grid penalty for having a rule-breaking battery inside of his car. This effectively reduced Ferrari’s chances of winning the title and would end up being the biggest contributing factor to their eventual loss. When the weekend had ended, McLaren came out on top, winning their first constructors’ championship since 1998.
The Season Reveals Many Shocking Moves
The most shocking moment of the 2024 Formula One season was the announcement of famed driver Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari. Hamilton has been at Mercedes his entire career, winning multiple drivers and constructor’s championships for his time as a Mercedes driver. Long-time Lewis Hamilton fan and HHS junior Sean Callahan was asked about his opinions of the striking move, he said, “While I am sad to see a lot of partnerships end, I am also very excited for what next season might bring.” On the other end of this move, Ferrari made the surprising decision to get rid of one-half of their young driver core, removing Carlos Sainz from the team. Sainz would later announce his decision to commit to the Williams F1 team, as driver Logan Sargent had a disappointing season and was promptly dismissed from the team. Some other surprising moves include, both Haas drivers leaving the team and the call-up of many rookie drivers to start in the 2025 season. The loss of both Haas drivers comes as another striking blow for the team as just earlier this year their famed team principal, Guenther Steiner, decided to part ways with the team.
