Text: José Caetano
In the starting grids of the World Championship, 20 “aces of the wheel.” Almost 75% have their future to be decided during the championship that starts on March 2nd, in Bahrain.
In Formula 1, countdown to the start of the 2024 World Championship, the 75th season of the World Championship created by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in 1950. In the “starting shot”, on March 2nd, at the Sakhir Circuit, in Bahrain, which was also selected for the pre-season tests to be held between February 21st and 23rd, 20 drivers, with the particularity that 14 have contracts valid only until the end of the season with the record number of 24 grand prizes (plus six Sprint races)! The list includes “heavyweights” like Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) or Sergio Pérez (Red Bull).
This situation contrasts with the one experienced at the end of 2023, with all the drivers in the “roster” of the premier category of motorsport having valid contracts for 2024, which happened for the first time in Formula 1 history and “closed the door” to the possibility of having a “rookie” in the World Championship in sight, like the last two champions in Formula 2: Théo Pourchaire (2023) and Felipe Drugovich (2022). The first, French, works for Sauber as a reserve and test driver for the Stake F1 Team and has a sports program in Japan, participating in the Super Formula with the support of Toyota, while the second, Brazilian, performs the same roles at Aston Martin since last year.
Considering this situation, a very busy year is expected behind the scenes. Sergio Pérez, for example, finished the 2023 World Championship in second place, but it is assumed that he does not have a future at Red Bull, especially since he lives under the pressure of Daniel Ricciardo and the Austrian team has New Zealander Liam Lawson under contract with the promise of accelerating in Formula 1 in 2025, either in the reigning champion team or in the satellite team. The Mexican’s adaptation speed to the RB20, after a season with many misfortunes and blunders at the wheel of the RB19, will decide (almost) everything.
Charles Leclerc’s situation is different. Recently, the Italian sports newspaper (“La Gazzetta dello Sport”) guaranteed that the Monegasque driver and Scuderia Ferrari have reached an agreement to extend their relationship for another five years, but the truth is that neither party has confirmed the agreement. However, after the news was published, Leclerc said: “I aspire to stay red forever. Ferrari is every driver’s dream. I am and want to continue living it!”. The maintenance of Carlos Sainz in the team is also likely, with the announcement of the extension of the connection expected to happen even before the start of the season, in Bahrain.
The other “free” drivers after the end of the 2024 World Championship are Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant, Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, and Nico Hulkenberg. Max Verstappen is a member of Red Bull until 2028 (signed a seven-year agreement in 2021, after the first title), Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have contracts with Mercedes until 2025, Lando Norris is linked to McLaren until 2025, and Oscar Piastri until 2026, and Lance Stroll’s agreement with Aston Martin is in the hands of the Canadian’s father, Lawrence, the team boss and owner of the British sports car manufacturer!
At the same time, it is known that there are six drivers very committed to fighting for a place in 2025: Liam Lawson, Mick Schumacher, Théo Pourchaire, Felipe Drugovich, Pato O’Ward, and Colton Herta.
