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Everything you need to know about the 2024 Formula One season
With 10 teams, 20 drivers and a record 24 races in 21 countries, here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Formula One season.
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The 2024 Formula One season has a tough act to follow. Last time out, Max Verstappen drove to his third consecutive World Driver’s Championship, dominating motorsport’s premier series as no other had done before with a record 18 wins, 21 podiums, 12 pole positions and breaking Alberto Ascari’s long-standing win percentage – 86.35 percent versus 75 percent for Ascari in 1952.
Oracle Red Bull Racing took their sixth Constructors’ World Championship winning 20 of the 21 Grands Prix – blitzing McLaren’s record from 1988 in the process. 2024 sees the counter reset and Oracle Red Bull Racing have to do it all over again, knowing that their rivals will do everything they can to close the gap.
01
What’s new in the driver market?
Having committed his future to Oracle Red Bull Racing until at least 2028, Verstappen carries the No1 into the new season and the odds are he’ll keep it there for 2025. Retaining the three-time World Champion gives the driver and team the stability to build on their winning momentum and in the absence of major rule changes, they should be confident of staying out in front. He will be capably partnered by Sergio Pérez.
At 34, the Mexican brings calm and authority to the team and his smooth driving style is a contrast to Verstappen’s attacking approach. It also provides the strategists with more options when approaching races. Notably Pérez delivered Red Bull Racing’s first ever 1-2 in the Driver’s World Championship.
Pérez and Verstappen shared 17 wins among them last season
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
In Faenza, Italy, a new name but the Visa Cash App RB team carry on with the harmonious pairing of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo with the capable support of Liam Lawson. While all three might have an eye on landing a race seat alongside Verstappen, their focus in 2024 is to steer those eye-catching blue and white cars further up the final table after finishing in P9 and P8 in 2022 and 2023.
"The team has always taken itself seriously, but I feel like this is another step up now," said Ricciardo. "It's no longer just a platform for Red Bull Racing. It's a time for us to fight at the front of the midfield.”
Daniel Ricciardo and Laurent Mekies of Visa Cash App RB
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
02
The same drivers with the same teams as in Abu Dhabi last year
While there’s no change in driver line-ups along the paddock, watch this space because 2024 could be dramatic with 13 out of 20 seats up for grabs at the end of the year. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are committed long term at McLaren but a certain seven-time World Champion has well and truly shaken things up with his move to Ferrari for 2025. Lewis Hamilton is displacing Singapore Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz. But the Spaniard has the experience, skill and backing to tempt most teams.
While a straight swap with Mercedes is the easiest fit, he says he is at the peak of his powers and will be exploring every avenue to maximise his chances. Add to the mix a wealth of young talent coming through the feeder series pushing for a place at motorsport’s top table and the drivers who haven’t got a new contract will be feeling the heat in their seat. Plus there’s the question of how long two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso will want to continue past his 42nd birthday. The rumour mill is already in overdrive.
The Visa Cash App RB Team pitwall
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
03
What’s new with the teams?
Arguably the biggest changes for 2024 are on the pitwall. As well as that new name, Visa Cash App RB Team start with a new team boss as Laurent Mekies returns to Faenza to replace the retiring Franz Tost. While he will be steering the team into a new chapter, he will enjoy continuity with Technical Director Joddy Egginton. And VCARB are strengthened by the arrival of the experienced Alan Permane from Alpine as racing director and Guillaume Cattelani joining from Red Bull Technology as deputy technical director. In October, the ranks will be swelled by new chief technical officer Tim Goss.
Laurent Mekies, team boss of Visa Cash App RB
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Further along the paddock, Haas have parted ways with long-time team principal – and former Red Bull NASCAR team boss – Guenther Steiner. The plain-spoken but likeable Italian has been box office for the American team and a stabilising presence. He’s followed out of the door by technical director Simone Resta which leaves several big pairs of shoes for the former Director of Engineering Ayao Komatsu to fill.
Williams start the season with Pat Fry in place as Chief Technical Officer after a year of gardening leave from Alpine and he will look to continue reviving the team’s fortunes guided by the reliable feedback of the proficient Alex Albon. Meanwhile Alfa Romeo are gone – but in name only as Sauber morph into Stake F1 prior to becoming Audi in 2026.
The new Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20
© Will Cornelius/Red Bull Content Pool
The new Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 looks aggressive from the front
© Will Cornelius/Red Bull Content Pool
Same familiar colours, but lots of new details
© Will Cornelius/Red Bull Content Pool
Expect to see the RB20 at the front of races very soon
© Will Cornelius/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Have the cars changed dramatically?
The short answer is yes – at least as far as arch-rivals Oracle Red Bull Racing and Mercedes are concerned. As per the rules for 2024, the cars are continuation from 2022 – applying what the teams have learnt over the past two seasons to the new iterations. But Oracle Red Bull Racing’s RB20 builds on not only on two World Championships but also on the most successful car in F1 history. The question for the team is how much their rivals have closed the gap and whether to continue along the same path or spin the dice and try something new.
The amazing RB19 takes is place in the archives
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
The RB20 is new and radical. It has a sharper nose leading to two long galleys extending down from the halo and new side pods to channel air around the car. On the appearance of the RB20, Verstappen said at the launch: “It does look a bit different. I think the team definitely pushed on quite a bit from last year and I think that’s very positive.”
The 2023 RB19 Oracle Red Bull Racing
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
The 2024 Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Speaking on the Talking Bull podcast, Adrian Newey suggested they could have gone even further. "This year's car is the third evolution of that original RB18. Is the third evolution too conservative, while others have done something different? You just don't know."
The Visa Cash App RB VCARB 01 breaks cover
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Meanwhile interested eyes are also on a frustrated Mercedes team who have taken an even most radical approach by scrapping a design that they felt was a misstep in favour of a new body shape.
What are the main changes to the rules?
The grid is still busy maximising the designs following the major rule change that saw the return of ground-effect cars in 2022. This new generation of F1 cars grip the track and corner more quickly thanks to superior aerodynamic downforce.
There’s some tightening up on in-season testing and the way teams can introduce new components – these are essentially aimed at levelling the playing field by reducing expenditure for teams. Check out our guide to the 2024 F1 rules and how they affect the races.
They'll be more Sprint races in 2023
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
05
How does a race weekend work?
There are two types of race weekend: the regular race weekend and a Sprint Race weekend. In 2024, 18 Grands Prix will use the regular race weekend format in which the drivers have three 60-minute practice sessions before Qualifying.
Qualifying also lasts one hour and opens with all 20 cars taking to the track for an 18-minute session. At the end of that 18 minutes, the slowest five cars are eliminated from qualifying and form grid slots 16-20 for the race. Another 15-minute session follows; at the end of that, the slowest five cars are parked and placed in grid slots 11-15 for the next day's race. And then it's the final 12-minute shootout for places 1-10 on the grid, with pole position the goal.
The races are held to however many laps are required to achieve 305 kilometres/190 miles, and World Championship points are allocated on a sliding scale from first to 10th places, the winner receiving 25 points. An extra point is given to the driver who sets the fastest lap of the race, provided they finish inside the top 10.
The Sprint Race format has been tweaked for 2024 – now free practice and Sprint qualifying take place on Friday, with the Sprint Race on Saturday morning. There will then be a regular Quali for the main race on Sunday.
The six Sprint Race rounds in 2024 are the Chinese, Miami, Austrian, USA, São Paulo and Qatar Grands Prix.
Sergio Pérez in front of Caesars Palace
© Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool
06
What races are taking place in 2024?
2024 is the biggest-ever F1 season with 24 races across four continents and running from March to December. There’s the glamour of Monaco and razzle dazzle of Las Vegas, there’s high-speed thrills at Zandvoort, Jeddah and the Hungaroring and classics like Spa, Monza and the Red Bull Ring. The Chinese Grand Prix returns to the F1 calendar and expect the grandstands to be shaking to their foundations by fans cheering Zhou Guanyu – the first Chinese driver to compete at his home Grand Prix.
Another innovation sees the two opening rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will have the race on a Saturday for Ramadan.
07
F1 2024 World Championship calendar
ROUND
DATE
GRAND PRIX
CIRCUIT
WINNER LAST TIME
1
February 29 – March 2
Bahrain
Sakhir
Max Verstappen
2
March 7-9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah
Sergio Pérez
3
March 22-24
Australia
Albert Park
Max Verstappen
4
April 5-7
Japan
Suzuka
Max Verstappen
5
April 19-21
China *
Shanghai
Lewis Hamilton
6
May 3-5
Miami *
Miami
Max Verstappen
7
May 17-19
Emilia-Romagna
Imola
Max Verstappen
8
May 24-26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Max Verstappen
9
June 7-9
Canada
Montreal
Max Verstappen
10
June 21-23
Spain
Barcelona
Max Verstappen
11
June 28-30
Austria *
Red Bull Ring
Max Verstappen
12
July 5-7
Great Britain
Silverstone
Max Verstappen
13
July 19-21
Hungary
Budapest
Max Verstappen
14
July 26-28
Belgium
Spa
Max Verstappen
15
August 23-25
Netherlands
Zandvoort
Max Verstappen
16
August 30-Sep 1
Italy
Monza
Max Verstappen
17
September 13-15
Azerbaijan
Baku
Sergio Pérez
18
September 20-22
Singapore
Marina Bay
Carlos Sainz
19
October 18-20
USA *
Austin
Max Verstappen
20
October 25-27
Mexico
Mexico City
Max Verstappen
21
November 1-3
Brazil *
Interlagos
Max Verstappen
22
November 21-23
Las Vegas
Las Vegas
Max Verstappen
23
November 29 – December 1
Qatar *
Lusail
Max Verstappen
24
December 6-8
Abu Dhabi
Yas Marina
Max Verstappen
Watch the unveiling of Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula One Team's RB20 F1 car below in full:
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