Formula 1 Season Preview 2024: Drivers, Schedule & More
With the 2023 Formula One (F1) season reaching its climax in Abu Dhabi last month, attention has quickly shifted to the upcoming 2024 campaign.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominated once again proceedings this year, while McLaren and Ferrari improved their cars towards the end of the season.
Verstappen has signed a new deal with Red Bull, keeping him tied to the F1 team until 2028, although speculation persists about who will join him on the roster.
Sergio Perez is expected to keep his seat until the end of the 2024 campaign, but a change in personnel is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Alfa Romeo is poised for a name change in 2024 after its current title sponsorship expires, adopting the Sauber brand before transforming into the Audi Works team in 2026.
Red Bull’s junior team, AlphaTauri, will also undergo a name change in 2024, aiming to return to a non-branded identity like its former Toro Rosso guise – rumours suggest it may be called Racing Bulls.
While there are not many significant changes heading into the new season, the introduction of a record-breaking 24-race calendar makes 2024 the biggest year in the championship’s history.
F1 Drivers Line-Up 2024
The F1 grid remains unchanged for 2024, with every team retaining their drivers from the previous season, although several contracts will expire at the end of the year.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has been linked with a move to Red Bull, has secured his place at AlphaTauri after the team axed Nyck de Vries midway through 2023.
While the grid maintains stability from the latter part of last season, the prospect of a more intriguing 2024 looms as drivers strive to secure new deals.
F1 Schedule 2024
The first race of the F1 2024 season is the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2, which kicks-off an unprecedented 24-race calendar.
To enhance sustainability, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has regionalised the schedule, with notable changes such as moving the Japanese GP from its traditional September slot to April, creating a more defined Asian leg.
Anticipation surrounds events such the Australian GP in Melbourne and the Hungarian GP in Budapest, which take place in March and July respectively.
Verstappen secured victories at both tracks last season and will likely be the bookmakers’ favourite to repeat the trick in 2024. Another win in Hungary would be particularly noteworthy as it would complete a hat-trick of successes at the iconic Hungaroring.
The Chinese GP is set to make a return after a four-year hiatus in Aprill, and it will be intriguing to see how the drivers fare in Shanghai.
The Qatar GP is the penultimate race, addressing heat concerns from the previous year and facilitating easier transportation of cars and equipment for the Abu Dhabi finale.
Conversations are still ongoing within the F1 hierarchy regarding the potential incorporation of a reverse grid feature into the modified sprint weekend format in 2024.
At a recent F1 Commission meeting, an agreement was reached to tweak the format for the upcoming season, focusing on a more logical sequencing of various sessions. However, not all stakeholders are on board with the final details.
The F1 Commission is set to deliberate on additional changes to the sprint format in its upcoming meeting in January, with the consideration of a reverse grid proposal still on the table.
F1 Drivers’ Championship Preview 2024
Mercedes were one of the notable disappointments from last term, as none of their drivers managed a race win.
However, there were significant positives to take from the campaign, especially considering their appalling performance in the previous season.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will have his eye on the grand prize, although his 12.00 odds of success suggest he will struggle to dethrone Verstappen.
Given the Dutchman has won the last three World Drivers championships in a row, it comes as no surprise that he stands as the bookmakers’ favourites to land a fourth successive triumph with odds of 1.25.
Speculation regarding who joins Verstappen on Red Bull’s roster persists amid reports the F1 team are gunning for Australian driver Ricciardo.
As rumours linking Ricciardo with Red Bull hit fever pitch, punters using the sportsbooks on this list of online bookmakers in Australia will be keeping a close eye on the team set-up during the close season.
While the Australian would be unlikely to knock Verstappen off his perch, he could be much more competitive than current Red Bull driver Perez.
The prospect of Ricciardo driving a Red Bull would spark massive interest in online betting circles in Australia, particularly for punters who like wagering on the ‘podium finish’ market.
The 2023 season may have started in the worst possible way for McLaren, but their subsequent rise was fascinating to watch and they should be competitive next season.
The opening race of the year saw Lando Norris massively struggle for pace, but he went on to take multiple podium finishes. Rated at 7.50 odds, he could be in the mix for the 2024 championship.