Despite the season having multiple winners over the races, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has ruled supreme and secured an unassailable lead in the World Drivers’ Championship.
BHPian Aditya recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
The 2024 Formula 1 season is nearing its end. With 24 races in total, it has been a long one for the constructors and drivers.
There is still 1 race remaining, but the World Drivers’ Championship has already been wrapped up. Despite the season having multiple winners over the races, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) has ruled supreme and secured an unassailable lead in the World Drivers’ Championship. In a distant second place is Lando Norris (McLaren) with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) just 8 points behind, which means second place will be decided in the final race of the season. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), George Russel (Mercedes), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) complete the top ten. This season also saw veteran Daniel Ricciardo exiting Formula 1.
Coming to the World Constructors’ Championship, it is still up for grabs. Ferrari is trailing leaders McLaren by just 21 points with Red Bull in a distant third place with Mercedes and Aston Martin in fourth and fifth places respectively.
Image Source: RN 365
So who was your F1 driver of 2024?
Here’s what BHPian AtheK replied:
Max for me while he had the dominant car for early part of the season, he still continued to be on podium and kept the challenge to the other cars and drivers. We all know how Perez has fared in the same car, talks volume about Max’s talent.
And the race win in Sao Paulo, the way he drove like mad max in rain is a race that will be remembered for a very very long time.
Here’s what BHPian It’s Magic replied:
I voted for Lewis Hamilton.
He’s been around for a while and is still competing with the new kids on the block.
He has won in 30 different countries and holds the joint record for Formula One World Driver’s Championship titles. He also holds the record for the most wins as well as pole positions.
There are many names that make the news for a while, but only a few remain in one’s mind for a long time, and he is one of them.
Here’s what BHPian VW2010 replied:
To me, it has to be Max followed by Hulkenberg followed by actually Piastri.
Max’s epic race while being Brazil, his ability to drive that car which definitely was not the fastest and yet avoided losing many points in between.
Brazil made him a legend in the likes of Senna and Schumacher.
Max made this season watchable for me.
Here’s what BHPian PetrolHead2272 replied:
Well I started watching Formula 1 back in 2011 when I was just 4 years old, Lewis has been the obvious choice ever since. Seeing him win championships after championships just became a habit and I was one happy F1 viewer every weekend until the incompetence of Michael Masi snatched away my goat’s 8th WDC.
However as much as I hate Max, he has clearly been the best driver this year. The car Checo (hope it was his last ever time wasting that Red Bull seat) couldn’t even reach Q3 with during qualifying, Max took it to pole at times. Despite having at times the 4th most quickest car, he still managed to minimise the damage in the drivers championship.
The drive in Sao Paolo was a testament to the fact that Max has got to be the most skilled driver on the grid currently.
But as always, I’d love to see Lewis on top again. Another person I am looking forward to is Kimi, I feel he’s Max 2.0.
Here’s what BHPian Vikki@Hyderabad replied:
Voted for Carlos Sainz. To know that he’s been kicked out of the team, which would be the biggest demotivator apart from the uncertainty of being able to secure a seat for 2025, 3 DNFs and one race less, his score was just 2 points shy of Piastri – whose feat of completing and scoring in every race (at least sprint) is admirable in itself.
Although Max’s performance in an inferior car (unless Checo has forgotten how to drive) is praiseworthy, he’s not the driver for me because his racing wasn’t clean, at least to me. I cheered for him when he scored his first championship, but he’s not the same driver. If points alone were the criterion, then he would be it. But this being subjective, my vote goes to the Smooth Operator.
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