11 burning questions for the second half of the 2024 F1 season

The second half of the 2024 Formulation 1 season is right here.

The primary half was full of twists and turns that we didn’t see coming, reminiscent of Lando Norris’ first win, Charles Leclerc lastly tasting victory at dwelling, and a Mercedes back-to-back to shut out the primary half.

May the second half of the season have much more twists and turns?

Listed here are the 11 burning questions that might be answered over the second half of the 2024 F1 marketing campaign.

Will Sauber get on the board?

The final time an F1 crew was points-less on the break? That got here again in 2021 when Haas reached the midway level of the yr with out both Nikita Mazepin or Mick Schumacher scoring a single level.

Sadly for Haas, they ended the yr in the identical vogue, as neither driver was in a position to crack the highest ten in any respect that season.

That was 2021. Now? Sauber is dealing with that very same state of affairs. Nonetheless, whereas each Mazepin and Schumacher had been rookies that yr, Sauber has two skilled drivers in Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Gunayu.

And nonetheless, not a single level to point out for his or her efforts up to now.

Their finest outcome up to now got here again within the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, when Zhou completed in P11. Nonetheless, the early a part of the marketing campaign for Sauber was marked by issues within the pits, as they endured cross-threading of their wheel nuts, resulting in prolonged stops:

Whereas the crew made the requisite upgrades to enhance within the pits, as famous above, they nonetheless lack enough tempo to constantly problem for factors. Silverstone was one more instance of the deficit they face. “This race confirms that we lack tempo, and we had been sadly not in a position to attain any of the targets we had set for ourselves earlier than the weekend,” stated Sauber Group Consultant Alessandro Alunni Bravi following the British Grand Prix.

Sauber has dedicated to bringing the upgrades they should problem for the highest ten over the second half of the season. “We have to make a step ahead, and for this reason we have to preserve working exhausting to deal with our weaknesses by means of a continued and

dedicated program of improvement, beginning already from the subsequent rounds,” added Bravi following the British Grand Prix.

Will that program be sufficient for Sauber to keep away from the dreaded goose egg?

Can Haas catch VCARB?

The combat on the sharp finish of the grid would be the battle that captures the eye of the F1 world over these subsequent few months.

However that isn’t the one combat price keeping track of, in addition to writing about.

An interesting battle is shaping up between Visa Money App RB F1 Group and Haas for sixth, and that combat has tightened in latest weeks. When the F1 tripleheader started only a few weeks in the past, VCARB loved a 28-7 benefit over Haas within the Constructors’ Championship standings, due to an eighth-place end (and the corresponding 4 factors from that outcome) from Daniel Ricciardo on the Canadian Grand Prix.

Nonetheless, whereas each groups had been shut out on the Spanish Grand Prix, a pair of P6 outcomes from Nico Hülkenberg at each Purple Bull Ring and Silverstone banked 16 large factors for Haas. Whereas Yuki Tsunoda received VCARB on the board on the British Grand Prix with a tenth-place end, and Ricciardo added two extra factors in Austria, Haas is now simply 4 factors behind VCARB, with the margin 31-27:

Who will emerge victorious on this battle is one other enormous storyline to trace over the second half of the F1 marketing campaign.

Together with who might be driving for VCARB down the stretch, however we are going to deal with that bullet level shortly.

Can Ferrari flip issues round?

On the Sunday of the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was lastly in a position to stand on the highest step at his dwelling race. After years of heartbreak and shut calls, the Ferrari driver might lastly benefit from the podium celebration after conquering the streets the place he realized to drive.

And on that Sunday, Ferrari was simply steps behind Purple Bull.

Leclerc’s victory, coupled with a podium end for Carlos Sainz Jr., pulled the Scuderia to only 24 factors of Purple Bull atop the Constructors’ Championship standings. It was the closest the crew had been to Purple Bull since after the Australian Grand Prix when an early-lap failure sidelined Max Verstappen, opening the door for Sainz to storm again from an appendectomy and seize the victory.

Since Leclerc’s hometown triumph, nevertheless, Ferrari has faltered. Leclerc has managed simply 12 factors since Monaco, and whereas Sainz has carried out higher — together with a podium end within the Austrian Grand Prix — as a crew Ferrari has added 50 factors since that day in Monaco.

Not solely has that allowed Purple Bull to increase their present lead over Ferrari to 71 factors, however now McLaren is sizzling on Ferrari’s heels. Whereas the Woking-based outfit left Monaco 68 factors behind Ferrari, McLaren is now simply seven factors behind.

And they’re closing quick.

Can Ferrari discover their kind over the second half of the season, or will McLaren — and potential Mercedes — catch them earlier than all is alleged and performed?

Who else can breakthrough with a win?

Six completely different drivers — Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz Jr., Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton — have tasted victory already this season.

Will anybody else be a part of that checklist over the ultimate 12 race weekends?

The highest contender on the checklist of potential race winners begins with Oscar Piastri. Not solely is the MCL38 one of many prime vehicles on the grid this season, however Piastri has put himself in rivalry a number of occasions this marketing campaign, with a pair of P2 finishes. He began second for the Monaco Grand Prix and completed there, and as he advised me within the days after the race, he did have a second the place he might have caught Leclerc in entrance of him, however there was simply not sufficient room on the tight Monte Carlo streets.

Nonetheless, Piastri believes that McLaren has improved their automotive this season, together with figuring out a few of the “weaknesses” that they had a yr in the past.

“I really feel like this yr we’ve undoubtedly tightened up a few of the weaknesses,” stated Piastri to me in Could.

“I really feel like different groups are caught up on our strengths. However we’ve undoubtedly caught up on our weaknesses as properly. So I feel for me that’s a extremely encouraging signal,” continued the McLaren driver. “And the truth that we’re not too far behind within the Constructors’ Championship in the mean time is encouraging to see what we will try to do for the remainder of the yr.”

It does really feel like Piastri’s first Grand Prix victory is a matter of time.

Then there’s Sergio Pérez, who has a trio of P2 finishes of his personal. However these got here a lot earlier within the yr, and as we are going to talk about in a second the Purple Bull driver is underneath substantial strain because the second half of the season begins.

However Pérez remains to be one of many seven drivers over the previous year-plus in F1 to win a Grand Prix, and whereas the RB20 just isn’t the dominant pressure final yr’s RB19 was, it’s nonetheless one of many faster vehicles on the grid.

Given how the primary have of the season unfolded, we’d see one more winner earlier than the yr is thru.

Will Sergio Pérez preserve his seat?

Purple Bull thought a brand new contract for Sergio Pérez would put to relaxation the continued hypothesis about his F1 future.

However right here we’re, two race weekends forward of the summer season shutdown, and there’s renewed hypothesis about Pérez’s future at Purple Bull.

As was the case a yr in the past, a mid-season hunch from the motive force — coupled with a tighter-than-anticipated title combat for Purple Bull — has kicked these rumors into gear. Pérez has scored simply 15 factors for the reason that Miami Grand Prix, the bottom whole among the many eight drivers from the highest 4 constructors.

Over that interval Carlos Sainz Jr., who’s seventh on that checklist, has scored 52 factors. Nico Hülkenberg from Haas has scored 16.

It’s a string of performances that Purple Bull Group Principal Christian Horner referred to as “unsustainable” following the British Grand Prix.

Pérez went by means of an analogous robust stretch a season in the past, however whereas it led to hypothesis about his Purple Bull future, the truth that Verstappen was so dominant meant that it was not a right away concern. However with Ferrari, McLaren, and now Mercedes nipping at Purple Bull’s heels, the longer this swoon persists for Pérez, the extra probably it’s a crew catches Purple Bull on the entrance of the sector.

These subsequent two weeks are important for Pérez as a result of if we get to the summer season shutdown and one among Purple Bull’s rivals has closed the hole even additional, the crew may look to solidify their championship hopes by making a change.

How does the remainder of the motive force market shake out?

Whether or not Sergio Pérez retains his spot at Purple Bull over the second half of the season is simply one of many questions dealing with the motive force market.

However with six spots left to be confirmed for subsequent yr, there are nonetheless some drivers ready to finalize their plans for the 2025 F1 marketing campaign.

Carlos Sainz Jr. tops that checklist, as the present Ferrari driver wants a brand new dwelling when Lewis Hamilton arrives subsequent yr. Sainz has been linked with a number of groups in latest weeks, together with Williams, Sauber, and most lately Alpine, and is probably going the main domino left to fall.

As soon as Sainz makes his resolution — which might come at any time — the remainder of the motive force lineup probably falls into place.

Past Sainz’s selection, one of many different main items left to be determined is who will take Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes. Will or not it’s the younger phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as many anticipate, or will Toto Wolff go down a unique highway with a veteran choice? Has Mercedes’ latest flip of fine kind modified Wolff’s considering in that matter, or solicited his resolution?

Sure, there are tons of storylines to observe on the monitor, however with six seats left to be confirmed, there’s a lot to observe off the monitor.

The place will Adrian Newey land?

On Saturday on the Goodwood Pageant of Pace Adrian Newey, the legendary F1 designer and engineer, climbed into Niki Lauda’s 312T for a trip up the legendary Hill.

Was that only one second over a weekend of motorsport, or one thing extra?

When Newey introduced forward of the Miami Grand Prix that he can be leaving Purple Bull in early 2025, it touched off breathless hypothesis concerning the place he would land subsequent. Within the weeks since, Newey has been linked with a couple of completely different groups, together with Aston Martin, Williams, and sure, Ferrari.

Nonetheless, a brand new contender emerged lately, with reporting out of Italian media holding that McLaren might be in line for his companies.

Why may this hypothesis, and eventual touchdown spot, matter? As a result of Newey will go into the historical past books as one of many sport’s most pivotal figures. The engineer has been a part of 12 completely different Constructors’ Championships, in addition to seven completely different Drivers’ Championships. A few of his designs have been dominant forces on the grid, together with final yr’s RB19.

And with Newey doubtlessly arriving at his subsequent cease in time to finalize the event of his new crew’s 2026 challenger — the primary underneath the upcoming set of regulation modifications — that crew might be in a really advantageous place as that yr begins.

How excessive can Mercedes climb?

The most popular crew over the past 4 race weekends?

Mercedes.

As now we have identified earlier than, upgrades to the W15 the crew began rolling out on the Miami Grand Prix haven’t solely begun to blossom, however they’ve completely borne fruit. The primary signal was pole place for George Russell on the Canadian Grand Prix, and whereas he couldn’t convey dwelling the win Russell scored the crew’s first Grand Prix podium of the season with a third-place end in Montreal.

That was adopted by a third-place end from Lewis Hamilton on the Spanish Grand Prix, and whereas these had been two welcome outcomes for the crew, the true progress got here over the past two race weekends. Russell was in place to pounce when Max Verstappen and Lando Norris got here collectively late in Austria, to take a win on the Austrian Grand Prix. Whereas that victory got here expectantly, Hamilton’s win at Silverstone got here on benefit.

And over these previous 4 weekends, Mercedes has introduced dwelling 125 factors, probably the most of any crew on the grid.

They nonetheless face a prolonged climb to the highest of the grid. Not solely do the Silver Arrows path third-place McLaren by 74 factors, however they path Purple Bull by 152 factors.

This can be a case of “too little, too late” for Mercedes. However the Silver Arrows are not less than again within the combat, and when you concentrate on each nice comeback story in sports activities, getting again within the combat is normally step one.

Can anybody catch Max Verstappen?

For the time being, Max Verstappen enjoys an 84-point lead over Lando Norris within the F1 Drivers’ Championship.

Is one other title for Verstappen a formality at this level? In all probability not. F1 has seen comebacks earlier than, with maybe probably the most well-known coming in 2012 when Sebastian Vettel got here again from 39 factors down over the ultimate seven races to win his third straight title.

However 84 factors? That may be a enormous benefit for Verstappen.

Think about the 2022 season. Following the Austrian Grand Prix, the eleventh race of the season, Verstappen was simply 38 factors away from Charles Leclerc with 11 race weekends to go.

He completed 146 factors forward of Leclerc that season.

What could be completely different this yr? That hole in 2022 had rather a lot to do with Ferrari’s struggles down the stretch. Whereas Leclerc took dwelling P1 on the Austrian Grand Prix for his third race win of the 2022 season, it could even be his final win of the yr. Verstappen received 9 of the ultimate 11 races to tug away because the season wound down, and whereas Mercedes got here on late that yr, their eyes had been on P2, and never Purple Bull on the entrance.

This yr, nevertheless, is completely different. As famous earlier six drivers have already received this yr, and as we noticed on the British Grand Prix typically even when Purple Bull will get all the things proper with Verstappen, as they did at Silverstone with a number of technique calls, the day ends with him not on the highest step of the rostrum.

So whereas he stays the prohibitive favourite, this combat just isn’t but over.

Can Purple Bull maintain on?

Whereas Verstappen seems to be just like the clear favourite within the Drivers’ Championship, the Constructors’ Championship is a unique story.

A yr in the past, Verstappen’s dominance was sufficient to energy Purple Bull to their second-straight title. However as now we have mentioned all through this piece, 2024 is a unique story. Purple Bull wants each Verstappen and Pérez to carry out at a excessive degree to win their third title in three years, and proper now they don’t seem to be getting that degree of efficiency from Pérez.

Consequently Ferrari, McLaren, and now Mercedes are inching nearer to Purple Bull on the sharp finish of the grid.

Right here is the place these 4 groups stand forward of the second half of the season.

Standings on the midway level (12 races) this yr:

Purple Bull: 373
Ferrari: 302
McLaren: 295
Mercedes: 221

On the midway level a yr in the past, how did issues stand?

Standings on the midway level (11 races) final yr:

Purple Bull: 452
Mercedes: 223
Aston Martin: 184
Ferrari: 167
McLaren: 87

This yr groups can put strain on Purple Bull, and it’s altering issues on the entrance of the grid. Add to that Pérez’s struggles, and you may see how the sport is altering this yr. Think about the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen received, bringing dwelling 25 factors for Purple Bull, however with Pérez ending exterior the factors, these had been the one factors Purple Bull earned within the Constructors’ Championship combat. So that you may think about that an important weekend for Verstappen, and a mean one for Purple Bull.

In the meantime, McLaren noticed Lando Norris end second, and Oscar Piastri fifth, for 28 factors. They outscored Purple Bull and pulled three factors nearer to them on the prime.

As for Mercedes, in addition they scored 28 factors, due to a P3 for George Russell, a P4 for Lewis Hamilton, and a bonus level for Hamilton for posting the quickest lap.

Now, one race doesn’t a season make, however the Canadian Grand Prix illustrates what Purple Bull is dealing with proper now: A tighter area on the entrance of the grid, and three rivals that may chip away at their lead.

What might assist Purple Bull down the stretch is the truth that these three rivals could find yourself splitting the factors accessible, sufficient that not one among them emerges to really take the combat to Purple Bull.

However proper now, it does seem like a title combat is shaping up.