Outside Line: Ten epic Grand Prix weekends expected when F1 resumes

We are just about to start the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, the 15th round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship. 14 rounds have already been completed, there are 10 more to go and this is my assessment.

The title fights in the WDC and WCC F1 are still in full swing and I expect the second half of the season to be one of the most spectacular we have ever experienced.

Let’s start with the current state of affairs. Seven drivers have won races this year, with Max Verstappen taking seven victories – just seven. This time last year, Red Bull had won all 14 races. Initially, I expected Max to dominate this season too, especially after his strong start. Many of us almost gave him the title at the start of the year. He will still win, but it will be a damn close call.

Surprisingly though, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari have all closed the gap much quicker than I expected, while Red Bull have struggled both on and off the track. Sergio Perez in particular has struggled every weekend and is in the worst form of his career that I can remember. And then this “thing” with Christian Horner that won’t go away, then the departure of Adrian Newey, now Jonathan Wheatley! Who is the next Max?

The problem with Perez on track right now is that he could bounce back at any moment – it’s like he’s looking for an ‘on’ switch. Lots of people give advice, but only Perez knows what he needs to do to beat Max. At the moment, however, he’s far from that, so Verstappen has to go it alone.

Max raises the Red Bull flag alone while Checo searches for the racing driver he once was

Despite this, Max has managed to score most of the points he needs to lead the F1 constructors’ championship. It’s hard to imagine him losing his lead over his rivals in the F1 drivers’ championship, but knowing Max, he will do it.

His challengers, the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, are in top form and pushing each other hard. Norris continues to improve and Piastri, despite being the youngest driver in the field, is giving him a run for his money. If either of them can challenge Max, it would be a huge achievement for McLaren and the sport. Their rivalry is intense, but it’s clear Piastri isn’t content to play second fiddle.

For Ferrari, Charles Leclerc has had a difficult season. His consistency has been poor, he continues to be prone to accidents and makes small, stupid mistakes. Although he has taken responsibility, my verdict on him is not yet in. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, has done his best to show that Ferrari may have made the wrong decision in firing him. Next year, Lewis Hamilton is set to replace him.

With his move to Williams in 2025, Sainz will finally be the team leader or number one driver, something he never really was at Ferrari or any of the other teams he has driven for. Starting this weekend in Holland, the Spaniard is expected to do everything he can to prove Ferrari wrong, while remaining the smooth driver he always is and not burning any bridges…

The long and arduous separation of Mercedes and Hamilton

Speaking of the seven-time F1 world champion, his move to Ferrari marks the end of an era at Mercedes. It’s a bittersweet farewell because both Hamilton and Mercedes have achieved so much together. As for George Russell, we’ve seen “version 1.0” of him so far and I think he’ll continue to play it safe as long as Hamilton is still around.

But who knows what Mercedes can still achieve now that they are back in winning form following recent successes at Spa and Silverstone? And Toto Wolff will certainly want to end this final chapter of the Hamilton-Mercedes legend on a high note.

Aston Martin have lost their way after a strong start to last season, in which Fernando Alonso finished on the podium several times. The team’s performance is a mystery and there are rumours that they are poaching Adrian Newey and even Verstappen for Lawrence Stroll’s team. They will have to come up with something soon.

Alonso has no interest in driving the junk car that Aston Martin has been giving him every weekend for the past year, while Lance Stroll is doing everything he can – without crashing – to beat a demotivated 43-year-old three-time F1 world champion.

At Williams, Logan Sargeant is on the home straight of his Formula 1 career. He only has 10 races left to prove that he is not the worst F1 driver of the last decade. Perhaps also to make a case for Indycar and WEC, where there are also alternative greats, just ask Marcus Ericsson (Indycar) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Le Mans).

Alex Albon will be delighted with Sainz’s arrival. Competition between them will be fierce, especially as Williams looks to reposition itself and improve. Alfa Romeo, on the other hand, has remained unknown and its cars have performed poorly. The team is clearly in a transition phase, waiting for new leadership to steer it in the right direction. Albon will finally have a good benchmark.

Is Flavio Briatore back to oversee the destruction of Renault’s F1 legacy or is he trying to save it?

Alpine is also currently undergoing a massive revolution that may herald the end of Renault’s Formula 1 project. Flavio Briatore’s recent comments suggest that drivers are not currently a priority, something that Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon will not be happy about.

Haas has made significant progress under Ayoko Komatsu’s leadership, almost tripling its points tally compared to last year. With the departure of Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, a new era begins for the team.

Finally, Daniel Ricciardo’s future remains uncertain as he struggles to get back to his former self. In the VCRAB, the Australian veteran can’t even keep up with Yuki Tsunoda. Red Bull’s once ruthless driver succession program has gone soft as their prodigal son failed despite all the signs at McLaren years ago!

Let’s see what the rest of the 2024 season has in store, as mentioned in the headline: Epic stuff awaits you. Bring on the Dutch Grand Prix! With that in mind: McLaren! Let’s go!