The final race of the first triple-header of the 2024 Formula One season is here as we head to the UK for the British Grand Prix.
After last weekend’s chaotic race, which saw British driver George Russell take his first win of the season, there couldn’t be a better time to head to the United Kingdom.
As we get ready for the 2024 British Grand Prix, here are some things to keep in mind.
The 2024 F1 season has been one of the most competitive campaigns in recent memory. The first 11 races of the season have seen five different race winners from four different constructors, with Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren having been in the mix for the wins.
McLaren have been the surprise package of the season, regularly taking the fight to Max Verstappen and Red Bull. Had Lando Norris had more experience in fighting for wins, he would have won at least four races this season itself. Mercedes, meanwhile, have finally gotten off the mark after a 33-race drought to get their first win since 2022. With the Brackley team and their drivers getting into form ahead of the home event, the fans should be in for a treat.
McLaren have had the fastest machinery on most weekends this season, but their inability to capitalise on their superiority sees them sit with just one win this season and third in the Constructors’ Standings. Norris has shown glimpses of excellence and so has his young teammate, Oscar Piastri. Mercedes’ British pairing of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, on the other hand, have been slowly finding the groove, having picked up a win and two podiums in the last three races and slowly taking the fight to the front-runners.
With the British teams and their drivers gaining form right ahead of the home Grand Prix, expect them to do well and have a strong outing this weekend.
Pole Predictions: Red Bull / McLaren
Race Winner Prediction: Max Verstappen
Verstappen currently has an 81-point lead of Norris in the Drivers’ Standings, but in all honesty, that lead should be much less. Norris and McLaren have enjoyed the faster car this season on most weekends, and in another life Norris would be sitting prettier with more than the single win he has collected this season.
Norris is in his sixth season in Formula One with only one win to his name. While there has been a lot of hype around him, he has never really been able to challenge the likes of Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Hamilton. The 2024 season has given Norris his first real shot at a title fight, and he has been feeling the pressure.
Driver errors and general sloppiness from the McLaren driver going against a near-perfect Verstappen on most weekends has the Brit slowly falling out of the title race. If Norris wants to remain in the fight for the title, he needs to end the first half of the season strongly.
In front of his home crowd, there is no better place to put up a strong show, but Norris’ recent inconsistencies is something that might hurt him. The pressure of a title fight and the home crowd could see him have another tough race.
After a relatively decent start to the season, Aston Martin have been struggling post the Imola Grand Prix and have not scored any points in the last two races, allowing VCARB to slowly catch up to them.
Aston Martin have had three non-scoring weekends out of the last four race weekends. With both their drivers locked in with the team for the future, the Silverstone-based outfit would have been expecting them to step up with confidence, but both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have been making costly errors.
Alonso, case in point, locked up into Zhou Guanyu in Austria which dropped him out of the points, although his car didn’t seem like it had enough pace to stay in the points regardless. Stroll, on the other hand, suffered damage early on.
With their machinery not looking ideal, Aston Martin will be hoping that their drivers maximise the most out of what they’re given, but given the car’s shortcomings at high-speed corners, they should be in for another tough weekend.
Also read: Formula One Sponsors 2024
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Venue: Northamptonshire, Silverstone, United Kingdom
Practice Session 1 time: 17:00, July 5
Practice Session 2 time: 20:30, July 5
Practice Session 3 time: 16:00, July 6
Qualifying time: 19:30, July 6
Main race time: 19:30, July 7
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode
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