Written by Jiya Mahapatra, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
14 races in, and seven different drivers have found themselves atop. We’re only halfway through the year, and the 2024 Formula 1 season has shaped up to be an exhilarating one, delivering drama, action and success for various teams and drivers. With the summer break coming to a close, here is a recap of the key highlights the 2024 Formula One season has brought us so far.
A Grand Prix debut to savour for Ollie Bearman
It was only the second race of the season, and Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz already had to forfeit a drive, having contracted appendicitis and revealing he would need to undergo emergency surgery.
Ferrari promptly called on reserve driver Oliver Bearman to replace the Spaniard. Bearman, who currently races for Prema Racing in the Formula 2 championship, had to jump into Sainz’s seat at the last minute, finding himself with one practice session to get acclimatised to his new surroundings, before the weekend kicked into high gear.
It was a huge opportunity for the Briton, not only to showcase his talents, but also to prove to Ferrari and the other teams that he could handle the pressure. He did not disappoint; after a tough fight, the 19-year old managed to secure seventh at the flag, an incredible result for his F1 debut.
Bearman’s performance in Jeddah impressed many, and ahead of the British Grand Prix weekend, his home event, he was announced as a driver for the Haas F1 Team in 2025.
Lando Norris finally claims first Formula One win
In what could be described as the moment that kickstarted the 2024 Formula One season, McLaren’s Lando Norris finally claimed his first F1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year. Norris had been fighting for a win for six years, and 15 podiums later, he finally reached the top step.
Following the race, the Bristol-native reflected on his F1 career and all of the times when he narrowly missed out on a win, stating “I never lost the faith. I never lost the belief to prove to people that I could do it.”
Not only was it a huge moment for Norris’ career, but Miami was also a turning point for McLaren as a whole; The victory was partly caused by new upgrades that made the car quicker than expected, having been brought onto the car a race early.
They were able to outpace every other team, including Red Bull Racing, and have had arguably the car on the grid ever since.
Charles Leclerc finally breaks the ‘Monaco Curse’
In May, Ferrari driver and hometown hero Charles Leclerc finally won the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, claiming victory on home soil for the first time. Leclerc secured pole position in the qualifying on Saturday and maintained that position to bring home the trophy on race day.
It was an immense moment for Leclerc as well as for the whole country of Monaco, seeing as the last Monegasque racing driver to have won the race was Louis Chiron all the way back in 1931.
It was a race to remember, with Monaco’s own Prince Albert II shedding tears during the podium ceremony and Leclerc diving into the Monaco harbour as a celebration, still sporting his race suit and team cap.
Oscar Piastri grabs first race win at Hungary, amidst drama on the airwaves:
Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri also won his maiden F1 race this year, after a controversial team strategy decision sparked a heated debate amongst fans online.
Piastri had been ahead of his teammate for the first part of the race, but McLaren decided to bring Norris in for the second round of pit stops, ultimately giving him the more favourable strategy.
The tables had turned, with Norris now ahead, and extending the gap for the latter part of the race, but the team were able to wanted him to give his position back to Piastri, given the Australian had led for most part of the race.
Norris initially refused, arguing that if McLaren wanted Piastri to win the race, they should have pitted him first, but eventually agreed to swap positions in the last couple of laps.
When asked about his decision, he explained:
“It’s tough, but I know what Oscar’s done for me in the past”, referring to the occasions in which Piastri has followed team orders that have favoured Norris in order to help the team achieve the best result possible.
Piastri winning a race was inevitable, although a number of fans were unhappy with the way that the team’s strategy played out, arguing it was unfair to both him and Norris.
Overall, the 2024 season has been thrilling to watch so far, with plenty of uncertainty over the race winner-to-be each weekend. Let’s see what the rest of the season holds!
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