One reason why every driver should be excited for the final tripleheader of the year
F1 News
In two weeks time, F1 drivers embark on their final journey of the 2024 season. During the final tripleheader before the season is concluded, the grid will visit Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. While each driver and team have want to achieve different goals beforehand for this year, some are on course to complete it, but others will miss out. Still, GPblog names one reason why all 20 drivers should be excited for the final three Grands Prix in 2024.
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen - Complete winning the 2024 title
Sergio Perez - Make it or break it finale
There are contrasting feelings at Red Bull. Max Verstappen could show he is one of the best again at Sao Paulo and is on course to win his fourth F1 world title. Now, it is time to bring it home for the Dutchman, something he can mathematically do in Las Vegas. For Perez however, his career in the competition is on the line, after another set of disappointing results during the last three events. Whether that can finally inspire the Mexican remains to be seen. Even as he could be let go, as he is yet to step on the podium since the Chinese GP, he needs to finish in the Top 3 once.
McLaren
Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri - Show that they can enter 2025 as title challengers
Norris received a heavy blow in Brazil last weekend, and the gap now stands at 62 points between him and Verstappen. The Briton has to bounce back with a positive result, even as the title seems to be out of reach, and needs to win to be ready for 2025, where he can have another shot with a clean slate. Piastri also needs to back up the fact he is not a second driver, and he is one to watch this upcoming year. Defeating Norris at tracks where he is competing for only the second time can be a statement entering the final year with the current set of regulations.
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc - Win the constructors' title
Carlos Sainz - Get the most out of driving a Ferrari
Just 36 points separate McLaren and Ferrari in the constuctors' standings. Given how the season unfolded, winning the title would not mean the Italians had the best car in 2024, and given how Red Bull could dominate early on with Verstappen and McLaren's rise, it would be an achievement for the Scuderia to come out on top. For Sainz, the added twist is that he will leave the team at the end of the year, and at the moment, it is hard to imagine Williams compete for podiums.
Mercedes
George Russell - Find rhythm for 2025
Lewis Hamilton - Have a farewell worthy of his time at the team
Lewis Hamilton achieved everything he could with Mercedes. The Briton could already get back to winning ways in Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps for the first time since 2021, but recently, he struggled with setting up his car. With recency bias, these last results should not be how Hamilton says goodbye to the Germans ahead of joining Ferrari. In terms of Russell, it will be his team entering 2025, and has to lead the way given that an 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli will join. Mercedes need a positive result, and the drivers are eager to finish the season on a positive note.
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll - Get back in the points
Euphoria off the track, but disappointing results on it. During the last tripleheader, Aston Martin failed to score a single point. Stroll is yet to score since the Hungarian GP. Understandably, the 'Galacticos' assembled by Lawrence Stroll will first have to provide results in 2026, but for now, the British team have to consolidate finishing in fifth position in the constructors' standings, and turn optimism into some points.
VCARB
Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda - Show why they should be promoted to Red Bull Racing
With Perez's recent results, a seat at Red Bull could possibly be open for both drivers. Lawson and Tsunoda should not aim for less. While Lawson is looked at more to become Verstappen's teammate given the team's reluctance to promote his Japanese teammate, top advisor Helmut Marko did put Tsunoda's name it the hat as well in interviews. They have a shot at competing for a frontrunner team next season, fighting a head-to-head battle. No extra motivation is necessary.
Alpine
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon - Finish in P6 in the constructors' standings
In the midfield, a great battle awaits between Alpine, Haas and VCARB, after the French team's double podium. Given how the season began and how team principal Bruno Famin got replaced mid-season by Oliver Oakes, the way the Sao Paulo Grand Prix went down puts the team in a position to completely turn around their season. Especially Gasly has been in fine form, scoring points in Mexico City and the Sprint in Brazil.
Haas
Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen - Overtake Alpine in the standings
Ayao Komatsu's first season as team principal will be a positive one, but finishing sixth in the standings would put the cherry on top, and they continued to score points during the last tripleheader, only that Alpine could maximise their result during the chaos at Interlagos. Hülkenberg does have a next seat lined up, but for Magnussen, these could be the Dane's final Grands Prix as a full-time driver in the competition, adding extra motivation.
Williams
Alexander Albon - Outperform Colapinto before getting a strong teammate
Franco Colapinto - Continue to perform to line up a seat for at least '26
After replacing Logan Sargeant, Colapinto could burst onto the scene in Formula One. After a difficult weekend with two crashes at Interlagos, the Argentinian needs to continue the way he arrived in the competition. Can he make the switch already to join the Red Bull? It is hard to know what the eventual decision will be. But similarly to Lawson and Oliver Bearman, the best thing to do for a driver is to show off their skills in F1 if they are given the opportunity. For Albon, given Sargeant's performance in 2024, he has a teammate that could beat him on occasions. Now, the Thai driver has to show why he has been the leading driver of the British team for years, before getting an experienced teammate in Sainz next year.
Sauber
Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou - Score a point
Earlier this season, it was officially announced that both Bottas and Zhou will leave Sauber as full-time drivers at the end of the season. For now, especially in the case of Zhou, it is hard to imagine either driver returning like Nico Hulkenberg full-time. GPblog has also previously learned that Valtteri Bottas could return to his former team Mercedes as a reserve driver. After a disappointing season for the team, finally getting a point to avoid finishing with a '0' on the board would be a positive ending.
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