Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton steers his car during the qualifying session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on Sept 21, 2024. — AP
MAX Verstappen and Red Bull did not have it all their way in Formula One last year as they did in 2023. McLaren saw to that.
Verstappen became only the sixth driver in Formula One to win a fourth drivers’ title. He did so with two Grands Prix to spare in a record 24-race season.
He was chased by Lando Norris, who fell short but helped McLaren become constructors’ champion for the first time since 1998.
“It feels wrong to say they’ve not won a championship in 26 years,” Norris, who was partnered by his teammate Oscar Piastri, said.
“But for me to be part of that, for Oscar to be part of it, is something we’re incredibly proud of.
“Delivering that for the team has put the biggest smile possible on everyone’s faces. This is the biggest reward you can give back to everyone who designs the car, builds the car and gets the partners. Everyone has played such a big part. I’m just so proud.”
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, said McLaren had surprised everyone. In early 2023, it was one of the slowest teams. Its performance changed that summer, and now it was champion.
“When you consider where McLaren came from, if someone had said that to us two years ago, we would have said, ‘What planet are you living on?’” Wolff said.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his fourth drivers’ title with two Grands Prix to spare in a record 24-race season. — AFP
Red Bull dominated 2023. They won a record 21 of 22 races, Verstappen 19 of those. This season was challenging for the team and driver on and off track.
The start was overshadowed by allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, by a female employee.
Jos Verstappen, the father of Max, said Horner should quit. He said the team would “explode” if he did not do so.
“The team are in danger of being torn apart,” he said. “They can’t go on the way it is.”
An independent tribunal cleared Horner. Later in the year, an appeal was dismissed.
“It’s certainly been a challenging year,” Horner said in an interview in December.
“But you stick to your principles and beliefs. I had tremendous support from within the team. Whilst there was a lot of noise in the paddock, whenever I crossed into the garage, it was business as normal.
“Sometimes in adversity, others look to capitalise. But sometimes it does galvanise the team, and I felt that’s what happened this year.
“Even on days when we didn’t have the fastest car, we optimised performance by delivering strong strategies, strong pit stops, reliability, all those elements.”
Max Verstappen laid the foundation for his title success by winning four of the first five Grands Prix despite the background interference.
The Miami Grand Prix in May was the first sign Red Bull were not as dominant as in 2023. Norris won that race, his first in Formula One, and mounted a challenge.
He was 44 points behind Verstappen going into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in November.
In wet conditions, Verstappen delivered a performance for the ages, winning from 17th on the grid. He sealed the title at the next race in Las Vegas.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was charged with inappropriate behaviour by a female employee which was later dismissed. — Reuters
Verstappen said he was “proud” of some of his races when a performance and a good result were “critical.”
“At the same time, I’m also very proud of the team because even when we didn’t have the fastest car, we optimised a lot of races, maximising results or over-performing, making the right calls and being aggressive,” he said.
“That’s what I like about this team, that even when we have tough times, we’re still on it with other things.”
Red Bull were beaten by McLaren in the defence of their constructors’ title as Sergio Perez, the other Red Bull driver, had a tough year. He scored 103 points in his first six races, 49 in the remaining 18.
McLaren fought Ferrari for the constructors’ championship, winning by 14 points.
Norris held his nerve in the final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi to take the chequered flag ahead of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, after Piastri finished at the back of the field following a first-corner collision with Verstappen.
Andrea Stella, the McLaren team principal, said the championship victory was a reward for the hard work put in by everyone at the team since he joined in 2015 from Ferrari, initially as head of race operations.
The victory was a result of “great resilience, great belief” and “unlocking the people” in potential and performance.
“You cannot achieve these standards, performances, operations, this reliability, without every one of the 1,000 people operating at a very high level,” Stella, who was appointed team principal two years ago, said.
“That’s what we have gone through in these 10 years at McLaren. Hopefully, this is not an end point. This is the starting point for more to come in the future.”
Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, said his second season in charge was “a good one” and “a huge step forward” compared with one year ago, but defeat weighed heavy. Ferrari have been without a constructors’ title since 2008.
“In the end, 14 points are missing,” he said.
“If you are 80 or 100 behind, you don’t feel the frustration. But 14 points? My mind is racing as to where we lost 14 points this season. We just have to do a better job next year.”
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, is targeting both championships.
“We will try and repeat with the constructors’ and get the drivers’, but I’ll let Oscar and Lando figure that out,” he said. — NYT
