What a difference a year can sometimes make in Formula 1. Max Verstappen is still on track for yet another world championship – it will be his fourth consecutive title unless Red Bull faces internal issues.
However, it is no longer a guarantee that Verstappen will dominate the competition and, let’s be honest, many Formula 1 enthusiasts are hoping to see him face some challenges.
This summer, Formula 1 has been full of excitement as Red Bull’s advantage in terms of speed has diminished due to significant improvements from multiple competitors.
The four cars from Mercedes and McLaren have emerged as direct threats to Verstappen’s race success, while Ferrari’s competitive performance should not be overlooked. This has resulted in thrilling and unpredictable races, such as the recent Belgian Grand Prix where Verstappen finished fourth.
Just a week before that, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris secured a one-two finish in Budapest, with Verstappen settling for fifth place. With seven different winners in the 13 races following the Hungarian Grand Prix, this season has proven to be the most fiercely competitive since 2012.
“It’s fantastic for the sport to witness such closely matched teams and drivers,” expressed Mercedes’ Hamilton, who was ultimately declared the winner in Belgium after his teammate was disqualified for a technical violation.
“The current top drivers are truly exceptional and extraordinary,” added the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion.
Last year, Verstappen achieved his eighth consecutive victory by winning the Belgian Grand Prix and headed into the summer break with a 125-point lead over his teammate Sergio Pérez. Verstappen went on to set a Formula 1 record with 10 consecutive wins and a total of 19 victories in 22 races for the season. In 2022, he triumphed in 15 races.
At the beginning of this year, Verstappen seemed poised for another dominant season after winning four out of the first five races. However, in the last nine Grand Prix events, he has only secured three victories and has experienced a four-race winless streak for the first time since 2020, prior to becoming the dominant force in Formula 1.
As the season enters the summer break, Verstappen holds a comfortable 78-point lead over McLaren’s Lando Norris, with 10 races remaining. The action resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25th.
“We are eagerly anticipating the summer break and some time to relax, but we are also committed to improving and becoming faster as we approach the rest of the season,” Verstappen stated after the race in Spa.
“We had a fantastic start to the season, although our recent races have been more challenging. However, we are determined to find solutions and push forward,” Verstappen continued. “The next race is my home race in Zandvoort, which will undoubtedly be a tough battle focused on tire management. Nevertheless, it will be incredible to compete in front of my home crowd once again.”
Mercedes concludes the break on a positive note, securing three victories in the past four races. Hamilton ended a lengthy dry spell dating back to 2021 with a triumph at the British GP in early July. Russell followed suit by claiming a win in Austria. Although they initially believed they had a one-two finish in Belgium, Russell’s disqualification altered the outcome. Consequently, Hamilton, who will be joining Ferrari in the upcoming season, achieved a record-breaking 105 grand prix victories.
“At this stage of the season, we didn’t anticipate being able to compete with the McLarens or the Red Bulls, considering how we started off,” Hamilton remarked. “Therefore, it’s going to be an incredibly exciting second half of the season for us to have closed the gap.”
McLaren has emerged as Verstappen’s primary rival since Norris secured his first F1 triumph in Miami in May. Subsequently, the two papaya-colored cars have secured second place on five occasions, in addition to their remarkable double podium finish in Hungary.
As we head into the fall, the British team is expected to deliver further impressive performances as they challenge Red Bull for the 2024 F1 Constructors’ Title. Currently, McLaren trails Red Bull by a mere 408 to 366 points. However, the underperformance of their other driver, Pérez, has led to speculation about his potential replacement, despite his recent contract extension.
Ferrari is also anticipated to remain in contention. Both Carlos Sainz, who is searching for a new seat for 2025, and Charles Leclerc have achieved victories this season, albeit falling slightly behind the other three leading teams. (Reporting by Joseph Wilson)
