Will the roar of the Dutch lion be enough to defend his crown?
Max Verstappen’s numbers in 2024 continue to dominate the top of the Drivers’ Championship despite not having the fastest car on the grid.
After 14 races, the Dutchman has 277 points, the result of 7 victories: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Emilia-Romagna, Canada and Spain, plus two second places, in Miami and Great Britain. And although his numbers are better than those of his rivals, his dominance is no longer the same as in 2023, because with the same number of competitions he already had 12 victories.
As much pressure as the three-time champion is under, he needs to remain calm like he did in 2021 when he faced Lewis Hamilton for the title, as he has several elements in his favour.
The first is related to his direct rival Lando Norris. For now the gap between them is 78 units and although it is true that the British driver has a McLaren all-terrain car, he does not take advantage of the pole position and suffers at the start, losing several positions. Mercedes also enters the game as an indirect ally of Red Bull. Despite their first 3 places, two for Hamilton and one for George Russell, the Silver Arrows do not represent a danger for “Super Max” due to their distance in the General Table, but they do for the Prancing Horse and those from Woking. With four teams fighting for the top spot on the podium, Verstappen only has to not make mistakes, get the most out of his RB20 and have luck on his side.
The first test for Max is coming
The first test awaiting Max Verstappen is the Dutch Grand Prix.
Since the circuit was reinstated on the calendar in 2021, the Dutchman has emerged victorious in every edition with authority and a car that was faster and more complete. “We are ready for the start of the second half of the season. And it is great that the first race is immediately at home. It is a great narrow circuit with short straights. We hope to be able to compete for the victory,” he said. It is necessary that the three-time champion does not forget what it feels like to win, since he has not been on the top of the podium for 4 races, something he is not used to and which generated certain friction within the team. Austria was the event where the drought began. The Red Bull house did not strengthen the Dutch lion as expected despite winning the Sprint Race, as in the main race he was relegated to fifth place. For Great Britain he was second and everything pointed to a recovery, however, it was only enough for a fifth place in Hungary and fourth in Belgium. Of the more than 100 points he hoped to get in those 4 races, he was only able to add 58, which reflects the current state of the energy drink team.
Take care of your back
Before worrying about Max Verstappen, Lando Norris (199) has to watch out for Charles Leclerc (177), Oscar Piastri (167) and Carlos Sainz Jr. (162).
Between the four of them there are 37 points that can be reduced at any time, it all depends on who gives the best performance. Leclerc has not won since Monaco and in two races he has been outside the top 10. He has one retirement (Spain), in Belgium he found himself back on the podium thanks to Russell’s disqualification and, even so, he is 22 points away from reaching Norris. Piastri cannot let his guard down either. His victory in Hungary put him 10 points behind Charles and with McLaren he can aspire to take that third step from him in the Drivers’ Championship. The problem is the margin of error with Sainz Jr., which is only 5 points and a bad day can drop him to sixth place, because, although they see him further away, Lewis Hamilton can shoot a Silver Arrow because he has 150 points and has more victories than the other 4 drivers.
Hamilton gets motivated with the W15
Mercedes have the chance to climb further up the Constructors’ Championship if their good run continues.
At the start of the season, the W15 gave the impression of being an indomitable car like its predecessors, the W14 and W13, in the absence of positive results, however, from the Monaco Grand Prix to Belgium, the speed increased with the updates. The stability of the car and its rapid adaptation to the circuits in long runs, led to their first victory in Austria with George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton climbed to the top of the podium in Great Britain and Spa. “When you look at the competition there is no reason why we cannot fight. For all of us it has been a difficult couple of years to get the car into a place where we can consistently challenge for wins. But I am so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up to 2025,” said the seven-time F1 champion.
Checo returns recharged
After the summer break, Sergio Pérez has recharged his batteries to compete in the 10 races that remain on the 2024 calendar.
The Mexican has the task of returning to his best form this year, when he finished on the podium in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Japan and China, and will also need to score as many points as possible to help Red Bull defend the Constructors’ Championship. “I feel charged again and ready to go into the second half of the season. I know my team feels that way too, because I’ve been in Milton Keynes all week. I know what we can expect from the car in the coming weeks and I’m convinced that we’ll do everything we can to maximise the second half of the season. “I’m looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend. The summer break was very important, for everyone in the team and across the sport. With so many races, it’s important for everyone to get some rest and, more than ever, have the chance to catch their breath. I’ve been able to spend time with my family in Mexico,” said Perez ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Classification
- Max Verstappen – 277 points
- Lando Norris – 199
- Charles Leclerc – 177
- Oscar Piastri – 167
- Carlos Sainz Jr. – 162
- Lewis Hamilton – 150
- Sergio Perez – 131
- George Russell – 116
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