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2024 comes to an end: Here why each team can look back to the season fondly!
The 2024 season was one to remember in F1. With two battles for the two championships and seven drivers being able to win multiple Grands Prix, there was hardly a boring weekend in the competition. With the year '2024' coming to an end, GPblog lists you a reason why each team could look back on the year fondly.
McLaren - Entering the '25 season with the best car
While the McLaren personnel tried to underline on many occasions that they do not have the best car, looking at the second half of the season, on most tracks, McLaren were the quickest. With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri hoping to fight for the drivers' title, 2024 was a breakout year for the team that won the constructors' title for the first time since 1998, and they can enter next season with their eyes on the two biggest prizes.
Ferrari - Fixed many key issues
While Ferrari missed out on the constructors' title, the Italians could impressively bounce back after their mid-season issues, and during the second half of the year, they could show their strengths. Team principal Frederic Vasseur hopes to put everything in order, and while in the previous two years the Scuderia struggled with managing the tyres, by the end of the season, that was one of they key reasons why they could fight at the front. Moreover, Charles Leclerc also managed to win two key GPs in Monaco and Monza.
Red Bull - Verstappen showed why he is the best at the moment
The RB20 had many issues, and those were showed especially during the second half of the year. The Austrians early success was just enough for Verstappen to carry his title over the line. The Dutchman was able to show why he is a special driver. The team will have to find something for the following year, but at least they can smile about being able to carry home the '24 drivers' title.
Mercedes - Car worked in some conditions
In terms of the current generation of cars, Mercedes' results are hardly one to be satisfied with, especially how highly the team are regarded in F1. Yet, after failing to win in 2023, the Germans could cross the finish line first four times, and earned a one-two finish in Las Vegas as well. Moreover, in his final season, Lewis Hamilton could get back to winning ways for the first time since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP. In some specific conditions at least, Mercedes could be the quickest.
Aston Martin - Everything ready for a breakout 2026 season
Especially the second half of the 2024 season was disappointing on track for the Silverstone-based squad. However, off the track, the team were able to bring in key figures like Adrian Newey (Red Bull) and Enrico Cardile (Ferrari). For after the regulation change, most people consider Aston Martin to make the next step, also together with Honda. The year 2024 could be the one where the team was set up for success.
Alpine / Haas F1 - Became a steady midfield team
For Alpine, given how the year began, it was hard to imagine that they would turn out to be the team finishin in P6 in the constructors' standings. Especially the double-podium finish in Brazil was the cherry on top for the French, with Pierre Gasly also showing great and encouraging form towards the end of the calendar year. After finishing tenth in the constructors' in 2023, Haas also seemed like the fifth fastest car on many weekends, and Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen and Oliver Bearman could all achieve great results individually as well.
VCARB - Managed to 'keep' the experienced driver
It is impossible to judge VCARB without Red Bull Racing of course. However, the Faenza-based team could be happy with having Yuki Tsunoda for another year. The Japanese driver has showed over the years that he can score points, and is important for the team's ambitions in the constructors' championship. Especially given that rookie Isack Hadjar will begin his F1 journey next season.
Williams - James Vowles could sign the best free agent
Team principal Vowles has said many times that 2024 and 2025 are years where the team need to improve on an operational level to be ready for the 2026 regulation change. The Briton also managed to add another key piece to their project with Carlos Sainz. After the Spaniard was replaced by Lewis Hamilton, Sainz was the free agent rated the highest. Another bright moment for Williams that also showed the team's strenght was their mechanics consistently being able to fix their cars in quick succession.
Sauber (Audi) - The pieces for 2026 are coming together
Sauber just managed to score four points at the penultimate Grand Prix of the year in Qatar, that also turned out to be a chaotic one as well. That means for 22 weekends, the team were without a single point in the standings, and were saved by the bell. Still, the structure for the Audi era is getting built. Mattia Binotto was appointed as CTO and COO, Jonathan Wheatley (Red Bull) will become the team principal, and two drivers, Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were signed on multi-year deals.
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