In the high-octane world of Formula 1, every race is a story of its own. From the roar of engines to the strategic pit stops, from the thrill of overtaking to the heartbreak of mechanical failures, each Grand Prix writes a new chapter in the pinnacle of motorsport. The recently underway 2024 season has been no different, with breathtaking performances, and unexpected twists at, and since, the second race of the season, the Australian Grand Prix.
The Australian Grand Prix, held at the iconic Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, saw Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz clinch a memorable victory.
Sainz managed to narrowly outpace his teammate Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris, who finished second and third respectively. The race was not without its share of drama, with championship leader Max Verstappen retiring early due to a brake fire.
Verstappen, who started from pole position, was overtaken by Sainz after he activated his DRS (Drag Reduction System). Soon after, smoke began billowing from the rear of Verstappen’s car, signaling a serious issue. The Dutch driver was unfortunately forced to retire the car, and as a result, was unable to return to race, marking his first DNF for an entire two years.
The following race weekend, fans saw the return of the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit after a five year hiatus due to Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Chinese government. This race saw Verstappen come out on top, with a 13 second gap to Lando Norris, which makes this Norris’s 15th Grand Prix that he’s made the podium, but failed to beat the leader to P1.Red Bull’s Sergio Perez finished third behind Norris, in an unsurprising Red Bull 1-3. Aside from results, RB’s Daniel Riccardo failed to complete the race after being rear ended by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (4:15). In addition to the Riccardo disaster, RB’s other driver, Yuki Tsunoda failed to finish the race after a collision with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen that forced Tsunoda to retire his car. To finish off the list of DNFs, Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas experienced a power unit failure, although his teammate, Zhou Guanyu, was able to place 14th in his home Grand Prix.
These two races leave Verstappen in the lead of the Drivers Championship with 110 points, his teammate Perez nipping at his heels with 85 points, and Ferrari’s Leclerc in third, with 76 points. The Constructors Championship remains unchanged. Red Bull Racing is unsurprisingly leading with 195 points, Ferrari close behind with 151, and McLaren running them up with 96 points.
The next race takes place stateside in Miami May 5, with a Sprint Race taking place on the 4th to allow the teams to snag some extra points and decide the grid positions for the race. Tickets don’t exactly come cheap, but with a lot of money and a plane ticket to Miami they could watch the race in person, or they could just watch the race on F1 TV, ESPN+.
