2024 Formula One Season Preview
Formula 1: 2024 Season Preview
Max Verstappen is targeting a fourth-successive Formula One World Drivers’ Championship and is the overwhelming favourite after a season of unprecedented dominance in which he finished with over twice as many points as his closest competitor, teammate Sergio Perez.
While any team challenging the Milton Keynes-based team is unlikely, there is plenty of competition to look forward to as we look lower down the pack as we count down to the curtain-raiser in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, 2nd March.
Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin are all in with a fighting chance of the silver medal in the World Constructors’ Championship, while Daniel Ricciardo will be hoping to hit the comeback trail and potentially replace the under-pressure Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.
Tip 1 - World Drivers’ Championship winner without Verstappen - Lando Norris at 15/4
After a dismal start to the season, McLaren brought some tremendous upgrades to their car and Lando Norris, long tipped as a future champion, started to show his promise yet again.
Only Max Verstappen has won more points than Norris since the British Grand Prix in July, with the young Brit taking 159 points compared to Serio Perez’s 119 and Lewis Hamilton’s 110.
McLaren were by far the strongest non-Red Bull finishers in the 2023 season, picking up seven podiums in the final eight Grands Prix.
This is equal to Red Bull’s podium count across the same period and two more than Ferrari managed. If they can carry this excellent form into 2024 they could be in contention for race wins and Norris will almost certainly be given strategy preference ahead of the young Oscar Piastri.
Tip 2 - Charles Leclerc not to win a race at 13/10
Red Bull Racing won every Grand Prix bar Singapore in 2023 and, while Ferrari did lead the pack in that outlier, it was Charles Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz who claimed the only non-Red Bull win of the season.
Leclerc’s pace - especially over one lap - is undeniable but a combination of strategy bungles, misfortune and errors mean we have to look all the way back to Austria 2022 to find the Monegasque’s last race win.
Despite claiming some 23 pole positions, he has won just five times since moving to Ferrari in 2019 and with Red Bull’s dominance showing no signs of coming to an end he looks good value to continue his drought in 2024.
Tip 3 - Daniel Ricciardo to win any race at 10/1
At 10/1, backing Daniel Riccardo to win a race in 2024 could be a shrewd move if you expect Sergio Perez’s struggles to continue.
The Mexican came under huge pressure towards the end of the 2023 season and there is a very real possibility he could be out of a job at some point this season, paving the way for the dramatic return of Daniel Ricciardo to a Red Bull seat.
Red Bull are lacking in options when it comes to Max Verstappen’s future teammate and are unlikely to want a rookie to come in mid season. Ricciardo knows the team, gets along well with Verstappen and would provide another marketing boost to a company very much in tune with the commercial side of the sport.
If he returns to Verstappen’s side, there is a good chance he could steal a win or two in the second half of the season.