In a season that has reignited the thrill of Formula 1, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull are locked in a ferocious, three-way struggle for the Constructors’ Championship. After years of Red Bull dominance, 2024 has turned the sport on its head, with all three teams vying for the title in one of the tightest races in recent memory. The stakes couldn’t be higher as we head into the final three races of the season, with McLaren sitting at the top—a position they haven’t held since 1998!
The shift began early. Red Bull, led by powerhouse Max Verstappen, appeared unstoppable with wins in the season’s opening rounds. But in a shock twist, mechanical failures struck Verstappen’s car in Australia, handing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz a win and sparking a seismic shift in the championship. The unexpected victory was followed by Lando Norris’s landmark win for McLaren in Miami after a fortunate safety car played into his hands. For the first time in years, three different constructors celebrated race victories in the same season—a sign of things to come.
With McLaren’s engineers delivering powerful upgrades, Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri began racking up wins and podiums. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s duo of Sainz and Charles Leclerc surged forward, each racing with newfound energy. The result? Red Bull’s era of 20-second leads was gone, and their top spot in the standings disappeared.
Red Bull’s struggles continued through the summer, with Verstappen managing only one win since June, a drought unthinkable just a year ago. Sergio Perez’s inconsistent form, coupled with Verstappen’s struggles, has put the team in an unfamiliar third place with 544 points—a far cry from their 2023 dominance, when they clinched the championship by a 451-point margin. Now, with Verstappen back on form after his Brazil win, Red Bull has one final chance to claw their way back.
Ferrari, meanwhile, has clawed their way to second in the standings, boasting 557 points, thanks to five wins and a solid string of podium finishes. With Ferrari’s latest successes, including Sainz’s recent win and Leclerc’s third-place finish, the Italian giants are poised to challenge McLaren for their first title since 2008. Ferrari’s consistency and sharp strategy have kept them within striking distance, even as Red Bull scrambles to make up ground.
But McLaren holds the edge going into the Las Vegas GP on November 24, leading the pack with 593 points and an 85.7% chance of clinching the title, according to top sportsbooks. With Norris and Piastri delivering 19 podiums and five wins, McLaren is on the brink of breaking a 26-year championship drought. The duo’s remarkable teamwork and McLaren’s upgrades have placed them as the team to beat. But can they fend off the charging Ferrari and resurgent Red Bull to hold onto their lead?
This F1 season finale promises to be a nail-biter as Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull battle it out for the Constructors’ title. Will McLaren claim glory for the first time since 1998? Can Ferrari pull off a late-season upset? Or will Red Bull’s powerhouse duo rally to defend their crown? In three races, the asphalt will settle it all.
