F1 | Let’s look at the numbers after 8 GPs: Red Bull, Perez is not the problem

The first third of the 2024 season is in the works. The eight world championship races held so far have confirmed some of the predictions of the day before, but the results from the first stage in Bahrain to the checkered flag in Monte Carlo have drawn a general classification that is not without surprises.

From the comparison of the numbers after Monaco 2024 with those recorded after the eighth race of 2023, a scenario emerges that offers many evaluations, also useful as a key to understanding the two thirds of the season still to be played.

Red Bull and Max Verstappen are where everyone expected to see them, that is, at the top of the two world rankings, but some considerations also emerge in the case of the world champion tandem. Compared to 2023, Red Bull suffered a drop of 45 points, confirmed in percentage by both drivers.

Perez is not Red Bull’s problem, in fact he is in line with his performance twelve months ago compared to the potential of the car. Although the team asked Checo for a leap forward which was not seen in terms of numbers, the decline was determined by the recovery of their opponents, in particular McLaren and Ferrari.

Only three teams have taken a step forward compared to twelve months ago. The first, in terms of growth, is McLaren, but it is an expected verdict considering that the ‘B’ version of the 2023 single-seater only debuted in Austria.

However, it is quite impressive to compare the 184 points scored in eight races by the Norris-Piastri tandem against just 17 in 2023. Last year, Oscar concluded the first third of the season with 5 points, Norris with 12, while now Lando it is third in the world championship, the same position occupied by McLaren in the Constructors’ championship.

Team: comparison of results after 8 GPs (2024-2023)

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

An important leap also for Ferrari, which sees the haul doubled compared to the first eight races of 2023. For the Scuderia there was a leap from fourth to second place in the Constructors’ standings, with 130 points more than the difficult start of 2023.

Leclerc’s leap stands out (from seventh to second thanks to 84 more points) and the goodness of the SF-24’s growth is also evident from Sainz’s numbers, who, compared to twelve months ago, took part in one less race having been forced to desert the Saudi Arabian GP.

Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

The third and last team to have improved (and significantly) its position is Racing Bull. From just two points twelve months ago, the Faenza team has climbed four positions in the Constructors’ classification where it occupies a solid sixth position.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

Photo by: Alpine

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

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Among the teams that have lost the most ground in the first third of the 2024 season, Alpine and Aston Martin stand out. A collapse, that of the Enstone team, but also in the case of Aston Martin the difference in terms of points (from 154 to 44) denotes a marked decline in trend compared to the great start of 2023. An important step backwards also in the case of Mercedes, where the 60 fewer points scored by Lewis Hamilton stand out compared to twelve months ago.

Drivers: comparison of results after 8 GPs (2024-2023)

* one race less than in 2023

In the top-10 of the drivers’ ranking, in addition to the aforementioned Leclerc, Norris and Piastri (leader in the improvement ranking), the great growth of Yuki Tsunoda emerges, one of the absolute surprises of the first third of the season thanks also to a Racing Bulls in strong growth .

George Russell, Mercedes W15

Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso is in a nosedive, while George Russell has limited the drop in performance compared to Hamilton, however starting from a less good situation (twelve months ago) than his teammate.