Was anyone better than Max Verstappen?

2024 will go down as probably the most thrilling and aggressive F1 seasons in years. 

There have been seven completely different winners, a three-way scrap for constructors’ championship glory, and loads of shock storylines, nevertheless it was Max Verstappen who as soon as once more prevailed as he claimed a fourth successive world title.

Primarily based solely on their performances by means of final season alone, listed here are the drivers who we expect impressed essentially the most from F1’s class of 2024. 

1. Max Verstappen

It couldn’t have been anybody else. Verstappen made essentially the most of getting a dominant automobile in the beginning of the season to win the primary 5 races as he constructed a wholesome championship benefit over McLaren’s Lando Norris.

But it surely was the second half of the season the place Verstappen was at his most spectacular. As Crimson Bull struggled amid off-track turbulence and on-track efficiency points, Verstappen saved his cool to get most outcomes even when his automobile was troublesome to drive.

Verstappen ended a 10-race winless streak with a surprising comeback drive from seventeenth to first in treacherous circumstances in Brazil, which proved to be the pivotal second within the title race. The Dutchman by no means completed decrease than sixth, recorded eight pole positions and stood on the rostrum 14 occasions.

Whereas he took lower than half the quantity of wins than he did final 12 months with 9, 2024 was arguably Verstappen’s most spectacular F1 marketing campaign to this point given the adversity he confronted alongside the best way.

2. Charles Leclerc

Whereas he completed larger because the championship’s runner-up in 2022, 2024 will go down as Charles Leclerc’s most profitable season in F1.

Leclerc equalled his complete of wins from 2022 with three (together with a memorable dwelling win on the streets of Monaco to finish his curse), claimed extra podiums (13) and scored extra factors (356) regardless of taking fewer pole positions.

The Monegasque ended up simply 18 factors adrift of Norris by seasons finish however loved a extra full season, making fewer errors and capitalising on each alternative that offered itself. Had Ferrari not gone down a growth rabbit gap for a part of the 12 months, Leclerc might have emerged as a championship contender because of his high quality type.

3. Lando Norris

Some could also be stunned to see Norris, F1 2024’s championship runner-up, positioned decrease than Leclerc after having fun with his strongest season in grand prix racing to this point.

There isn’t a denying that Norris had an excellent season. It started with a maiden profession win on the Miami Grand Prix, and three extra victories adopted at Zandvoort, Singapore and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Norris emerged as Verstappen’s nearest challenger in 2024 as his McLaren reworked into the quickest automobile on the grid. However his title hopes had been dashed by driver and group errors at important moments, which in the end prevented a a lot nearer battle.

By his personal admission, Norris “wasn’t prepared” for a title battle with Verstappen this 12 months, but when he can flip take these learnings into 2025, with a automobile that could be a frontrunner from the off, he needs to be a stronger risk to Verstappen.

4. Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz bowed out from Ferrari with class and dignity, having turned in arguably the strongest and most constant season of his profession. A driver with some extent to show as he regarded to safe his future away from Ferrari, the 30-year-old Spaniard claimed two victories and 9 podiums as he and teammate Leclerc introduced Ferrari inside touching distance of their first F1 world title since 2008.

Sainz extremely received the Australian Grand Prix simply 16 days after having his appendix eliminated, an operation which dominated him out of the second race of the season in Saudi Arabia. He impressively transformed his solely pole into victory with a cool, calm and picked up drive in Mexico Metropolis. Sainz fittingly ended his four-year Ferrari tenure on the rostrum alongside Leclerc on the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

5. George Russell

2024 was the 12 months George Russell made his mark at Mercedes and underlined his credentials as the way forward for the Silver Arrows within the post-Lewis Hamilton period. 

Russell comprehensively outperformed his seven-time world champion teammate 19-5 within the qualifying head-to-heads with a mean qualifying hole of almost two tenths of a second over the course of the 12 months. The Briton additionally completed 22 factors and a place forward of Hamilton within the drivers’ championship, taking sixth.

Russell’s qualifying superiority over Hamilton was highlighted by the very fact he put the inconsistent W15 on pole 4 occasions. Whereas Russell’s win in Austria got here moderately fortuitously after Verstappen and Norris took one another out of rivalry, there was nothing fortunate about his dominant victory in Las Vegas, which marked an actual assertion on a weekend his teammate made expensive errors in qualifying.

6. Oscar Piastri

Stepping up a stage from his already spectacular rookie F1 season, Oscar Piastri continued to star in his sophomore marketing campaign in 2024. His robust performances alongside teammate Norris had been essential in serving to McLaren triumph within the constructors’ championship.

The younger Australian notched up two victories in Hungary and Azerbaijan and completed on the rostrum eight occasions. He additionally certified on the entrance trow of the grid on six events. His greatest days had been typically stronger than even Norris might handle, however he lacked the consistency of his extra skilled teammate and ended up 82 factors adrift by seasons finish.

7. Lewis Hamilton

By his lofty requirements, 2024 will go down as being considered one of Hamilton’s poorest F1 seasons. On paper, P7 within the drivers’ championship marked the bottom level of his profession. Hamilton, F1’s all-time document holder for many poles with 104, disenchanted in qualifying and suffered a convincing defeat to teammate Russell. He struggled greater than Russell with taming the difficult W15 and endured a number of below-par weekends.

However, Hamilton’s highs had been larger than most drivers on the grid. An emotional dwelling win at Silverstone – ending a 945-day await victory – was considered one of two spectacular drives that took Hamilton again to the highest step of the rostrum. Hamilton additionally turned in very good comeback drives in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, whereas standout performances in Spain and Hungary went considerably underneath the radar.

8. Nico Hulkenberg

There could possibly be a case for Nico Hulkenberg to be listed larger than Hamilton given the German’s constant performances had been virtually single-handedly liable for Haas claiming seventh place within the constructors’ championship.

Hulkenberg often starred in qualifying and transformed a lot of his good laps on Saturday into factors, scoring 41 of Haas’ complete haul of 58. Two sixth locations had been the excessive factors of Hulkenberg’s season, which ended with a streak of 5 top-10 finishes within the last seven rounds.

One imagines will probably be far more troublesome for Hulkenberg to duplicate such peaks at Sauber subsequent 12 months. 

9. Pierre Gasly

Alpine began the marketing campaign with the slowest automobile on the grid however regardless of their torrid starting, and a usually powerful marketing campaign, Pierre Gasly nonetheless shone. There was little or no to shout about throughout a difficult begin to the season, however within the second half of the 12 months, when Alpine lastly made some progress with their A524, it was Gasly who made essentially the most of it.

It took Gasly eight rounds to get off the mark, however he racked up 42 factors to assist Alpine safe sixth place within the constructors’ championship. The season’s excessive level got here in Brazil, the place the Frenchman translated a surprising third in qualifying right into a podium end, simply behind teammate Esteban Ocon.

Gasly grabbed P3 on the grid with one other sensational qualifying show in Las Vegas, just for a technical challenge to rob him of one other doubtlessly massive consequence. His late run of factors noticed him beat Ocon by 18 factors to complete tenth within the championship, whereas he turned the primary F1 driver to document zero crash harm over an entire season.

10. Fernando Alonso

2024 might not have matched the highs of 2023 for Fernando Alonso with no journeys to the rostrum, nevertheless it nonetheless featured the two-time world champion’s trademark, dogged skill to wring out the utmost from an underperforming automobile.

The 43-year-old as soon as once more had the measure of teammate Lance Stroll and continued to often rating factors in a automobile that not often warranted a spot inside the highest 10 amid Aston Martin’s continued growth troubles in comparison with their midfield rivals.

16 Q3 appearances and 70 factors for Alonso (versus Stroll’s 24) was the principle motive Aston Martin’s P5 within the constructors’ championship by no means got here underneath risk.