2024 F1 racing championships are wide open after summer break

Seven drivers from four F1 teams have won Grand Prix so far this season

By Bruce Brown August 26, 2024

F1 Las Vegas 2024 formula 1 cars on the race cicuit in Las Vegas. — F1 Las Vegas GP / F1 Las Vegas GP

F1 racing is back. On Sunday, August 25, McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris won the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix at Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s home track in the first race after the summer break. When Verstappen won four of the first five races this year, there was concern that a repeat of 2023’s Red Bull and Verstappen dominance would stall the rapidly accelerating interest in Formula 1 racing. Verstappen and Red Bull are leading in driver and team F1 championship points for the season, but there are still nine races to go, and Red Bull doesn’t have the fastest car.

Why a competitive F1 season matters

McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris on the racetrack. — McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris Guy / Pixabay

The concern with a predictable season in Formula 1 is that if fans lose interest, this could mean fewer people attending races, watching on TV, or streaming the events. F1 is growing rapidly, especially in the United States, and it’s a sport with a lot of money at stake. The excitement diminishes if the season lacks unpredictability, particularly if one team or driver dominates consistently.

Recommended Videos

Earlier in the season, there were fears that Max Verstappen and Red Bull would continue to win most races, leading to an inevitable championship for both the driver and the team, as happened in the 2023 season. This kind of dominance could make the sport less exciting for many fans. However, that hasn’t been the case, and now the competition has opened up with drivers from four different teams having won races.

F1 teams and drivers vying for the championships

Mercedes-AMG F1 driver and seven-time Grand Prix World Champion Lewis Hamilton in an F1 race car. — Mercedes-AMG F1 driver Lewis Hamilton Mercedes-AMG / Mercedes-AMG

So far, there have been 15 races, and four teams have claimed victories, with seven different drivers winning at least one race. Red Bull has won seven of these races, but McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari have also been successful. McLaren currently has the fastest car, and Lando Norris, who drives for McLaren, is seen as a rising star and a serious competitor.

Looking at the standings, Red Bull is leading in Constructors Championship points with 434, with McLaren (404), Ferrari (370), and Mercedes (276) following. While Verstappen is in the lead, with 295 Driver Championship points, other drivers could catch up and beat him. The leading contenders at this point are Lando Norris (225 points), Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (192), McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (179), Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz (172), and Lewis Hamilton with 154 points. The competition is tight, and with nine races left, the season still has a lot of excitement and unpredictability.

Topics

A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers…

Auto

What does a Paddock Club ticket to an F1 race get you? An inside look

Experience a race weekend like a one percenter

The entrance to the Paddock Cub at COTA

Unless you happen to be close to someone who owns a Formula One team, or a major sponsor, then a weekend in the Paddock Club may be as good as it gets. In most cases, you’ll watch the race from right above the pit lane, rub shoulders with celebrities, and have a level of access far beyond what the folks in the grandstand will get. On the flip side, you’ll certainly pay a premium for all of this.

Formula One is an expensive day out no matter what you do. Flights to a host city are going to be more expensive the week of the race, hotel rates will be through the roof, transport to and from the track will likely set you back a good amount. So if you’re blowing a fortune anyway, why not go all out with it? Here’s what a Paddock Club pass gets you, based on my recent experiences in Austin.
It’s not all about the view

Auto

F1 World Championships are on the line at the Las Vegas Grand Prix

The Las Vegas race could tie a ribbon on Verstappen's fourth Championship

Aerial shot of the 2023 F1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix.

F1 Red Bull driver Max Verstappen could wrap up the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Drivers' World Championship at the November 21 to 23 Las Vegas Grand Prix, but McLaren's Lando Norris still has a slim chance at winning the title. McLaren and Ferrari are leading Red Bull in the Constructors' competition.

As the 2024 Formula 1 schedule draws to a close, the Drivers' World Championship and the Constructors' World Championship are still undecided. This late-season contention contrasts with the beginning of the calendar when, after seven wins in ten races, it seemed that Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and his team would dominate, as they did in 2023.
The F1 World Drivers' Championship
Verstappen's Championship points margin over other drivers from the beginning of the season, his recent podium finishes and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix victory don't entirely rule out anyone else winning the Drivers' Championship.

Auto

F1 book, Will Buxton’s Grand Prix: An Illustrated History of Formula 1

Newbies to F1 and lifelong fans will learn and enjoy this book

Will Buxton's An Illustrated History of Formula 1 Grand Prix book cover.

Are you following F1? Whether you're a lifelong fan or new to Grand Prix racing, Will Buxton's Grand Prix: An Illustrated History of Formula 1, published by Ten Speed Press, should be on your bookshelf or shopping list. There are many informative books about F1 racing, but Buxton's superlative volume is an F1 primer, a reference, and a collection of driver profiles at the top of their sport.
Why Grand Prix is important
Formula 1 is an elite, exciting motorsport with ten teams and 20 drivers who race in major cities worldwide. The 2024 season has 24 races, the most in F1's 75-year history, but only three remain. The driver and team Championships competitions remain undecided as the season nears its end.

The rapidly growing interest in F1 racing is due in no small part to the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive. Will Buxton, the series' primary commentator, is also part of the broadcast team for F1 TV, the official Formula 1 streaming service.