Fast Cars, Faster Drama: F1 2024 Retold

by Dara Morgan

Fast Cars, Faster Drama: F1 2024 Retold

10 Dec 2024

This year’s Formula 1 season ran for twenty-four races, across dozens of countries, and delivered more drama than a soap opera. McLaren, one of the sport’s oldest and most famous teams, won the biggest trophy — the Constructors’ Championship — for the first time since the 1990s. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen once again proved unstoppable, taking his fourth drivers’ title in a row.

Formula 1 is about speed, strength and skill, multiplied by one hundred, with plenty of glamour and controversy added in. If you didn't watch every race, don't worry. We have gathered the most special facts of 2024 so you can drop them nonchalantly into small talk and look impossibly well-informed. You are welcome.

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The biggest win: McLaren

McLaren’s victory in Abu Dhabi gave them their first teams’ title in 26 years. Lando Norris led the race from start to finish, leaving Ferrari’s strong double podium powerless to stop him. It was the moment McLaren fans had been waiting for since the 1990s.

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Champion of the year (we all know his name): Max Verstappen

He is the Dutch driver who has now won four championships in a row. He may not have been the headline every weekend, but across the season he still racked up nine race victories, becoming the first driver in 41 years to lift the drivers’ crown while his team finished only third in the constructors (the last time was Nelson Piquet in 1983 with Brabham). He finished the year comfortably ahead of everyone else in points.

Photo: Steffen Prößdorf. Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Farewell of the year: Lewis Hamilton & Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton, Britain’s seven-time world champion, said goodbye to Mercedes after 12 years. He still managed to win two races in 2024 — at Silverstone and Spa — and signed off by overtaking his team-mate George Russell on the very last lap in Abu Dhabi. Next year, he moves to Ferrari. Expect fireworks.

Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian fan favourite, also ended his Formula 1 career. His last race was in Singapore, where he grabbed the fastest lap before handing his seat to younger talent.

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Scandal of the year: Red Bull

Red Bull, the team that dominated last year, were at the centre of controversy. Team boss Christian Horner faced a misconduct investigation (he kept his job), while famous car designer Adrian Newey announced he was leaving. The team lost Sergio Pérez at the end of the season and promoted young driver Liam Lawson. The result: Red Bull still won races, but gossip was the real headline.

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The most stylish pilot: Lando Norris

Lando Norris again. Off the track, he works with fashion brands like TUMI and Richard Mille. He blends casual and streetwear with touches of luxury — a Formula 1 driver who knows exactly how good he looks.

Instagram: @lando

The rookie invasion

Formula 1 has rarely seen so many new drivers in one season. Several new names appeared this year:

Oliver Bearman
Liam Lawson
Franco Colapinto
Jack Doohan

Other hits of 2024 — in short

Charles Leclerc finally won his home race in Monaco — a dream come true.
George Russell won in Austria after Verstappen and Norris collided.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s other young star, won two races in only his second season.
Lewis Hamilton added two more wins to his record, bringing his career total to 105.
Ferrari collected five victories but still lost the championship by just 13 points.
Alpine, usually stuck in the middle, shocked everyone with a double podium in Brazil.
Williams, sadly, crashed often and spent millions on repairs.

The season in one sentence

McLaren finally returned to the top, Verstappen kept his crown, Ferrari came close, Mercedes stayed in the fight, rookies grabbed the spotlight, and the drama never stopped.

by Dara Morgan