The System 1 calendar retains getting longer – and so do the drivers’ careers.
In consequence, count on to see a number of new landmarks for longevity and success over the upcoming, 24-round 2024 F1 season.
Final yr Fernando Alonso skilled the type of late-career resurgence few drivers of their forties have loved. He hasn’t but joined the ranks of these to have received a race throughout his fifth decade, however eight podium finishes final yr demonstrated he and Aston Martin have the potential to if given the chance.
If he does, he’ll set a brand new file for the longest wait between consecutive grand prix wins, at the moment held by Riccardo Patrese at six years and 210 days. Alonso’s been ready greater than a decade to win one other race, so he might smash that file.
However there may be an out of doors probability Alonso could lose a victory earlier than gaining one other. Felipe Massa is making an attempt to pressure the retroactive cancellation of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, received in deeply controversial circumstances by Alonso, in an effort to have himself named as that yr’s champion. It could be a distant risk, however theoretically Alonso might lose what was the twentieth win of his profession, placing him all the way down to a profession complete of 31, degree with Nigel Mansell.
Barring unexpected occasions, Alonso is on the right track to increase his file as F1’s most skilled driver ever to a brand new benchmark. The Mexican Grand Prix is because of be the four-hundredth F1 occasion he’ll take part in. Nevertheless the Qatar Grand Prix three rounds later ought to mark his four-hundredth grand prix begin: He didn’t begin the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix (the unique race was deserted and he didn’t take part within the restart), 2005 United States Grand Prix (he and different drivers withdrew on the formation lap as a consequence of tyre security considerations) or the 2017 Russian Grand Prix (his automotive broke down with an MGU-H fault on the formation lap).
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Lewis Hamilton hasn’t been ready as lengthy to win a race as Alonso, however that is by far the longest win drought of his profession. He has gone over two years since his final victory, a complete of 45 grands prix with no win, when he had by no means beforehand began greater than 10 with out taking a victory. Will he finish his wait throughout his final season earlier than becoming a member of Alonso within the over-forties membership?
Grand prix victories are a matter of feast or famine on the in the intervening time: Feast for those who’re Max Verstappen, famine for those who’re anybody else. Not content material with setting a brand new file by profitable 10 races consecutively throughout final season, he ended the yr with seven straight wins, so might beat the file once more on the Japanese Grand Prix on April seventh.
Having grow to be the outright third most-successful driver of all time when it comes to complete wins in final yr’s season finale, Verstappen can’t climb additional up that rating this yr even when he sweeps all 24 rounds. He stands at 54 wins, behind Hamilton on 103 and Michael Schumacher on 91.
Two extra pole positions for Verstappen would put him fifth in that rating and two extra podium finishes would get him as much as a century. Nevertheless one in every of his rivals is poised to push the file for many podiums to a brand new milestone: Hamilton wants three extra to earlier than the primary driver to hit a double century of podium finishes. That appears probably even when Mercedes’ stoop goes on: He took 9 within the W13 two season in the past and 6 within the unloved W14 final yr.
Though the file for many quickest laps is theoretically inside Hamilton’s attain, don’t financial institution on him breaking it this yr. He wants 12 extra to equal Schumacher’s file of 77, however it took him three seasons to register his final 12.
If Verstappen’s streak of success doesn’t proceed, he might obtain an uncommon ‘first’. He received the world championship for the third season in a row final yr. Each different driver who has finished that has at all times received a fourth title the subsequent yr: Juan Manuel Fangio in 1957, Michael Schumacher in 2003, Sebastian Vettel in 2013 and Hamilton in 2020. If Verstappen fails to win the title this yr he would be the first driver to fail to increase a run of three in a row.
Hamilton and Verstappen have a very good probability of breaking the file for many mixed finishes within the prime two locations – in both ending order. Hamilton has led Verstappen residence within the main positions 20 occasions, tying the file the Mercedes driver already held for ending first forward of his former workforce mate Nico Rosberg. Michael Schumacher additionally led Rubens Barrichello residence in the identical vogue 20 occasions.
Whereas another such ending would break that file, given Verstappen’s current run one other state of affairs could also be extra probably. He has led Hamilton residence within the prime two locations 16 occasions. Which is extra prone to occur first: Hamilton main Verstappen residence as soon as or the Crimson Bull driver doing the reverse 5 occasions?
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Verstappen’s near-monopoly on first place final yr annoyed the hopes of many drivers, most of all Lando Norris, who completed second to him extra typically than anybody else. In consequence the McLaren driver is poised to interrupt the file for many podiums with no win if he fails to attain a victory earlier than his subsequent rostrum look. He has 13 podiums however no win, placing him degree with Nick Heidfeld.
The highest groups of the final decade are additionally nearing two notable milestones. Crimson Bull want 5 extra pole positions to attain their one hundredth and Mercedes want seven extra podium completed to hit 200.
Yuki Tsunoda will start his fourth season at Crimson Bull’s junior workforce, which was identified final yr as AlphaTauri however entered for 2024 below the placeholder identification ‘RB’. No driver has ever begun their profession with 4 consecutive seasons at this workforce below its varied identities since Crimson Bull took over in 2006 as a way of creating younger drivers for its prime workforce. He and workforce mate Daniel Ricciardo have began 302 grands prix between them, making this essentially the most skilled driver line-up ever at Crimson Bull’s junior squad.
Final yr Zhou Guanyu set the quickest lap for the second time in his profession. He’s subsequently tied with Nico Hulkenberg for many quickest laps set by a driver who has by no means stood on the rostrum. Hulkenberg, as is well-known, holds the file for many race begins with no podium end. Except Haas present him a significantly better automotive, he might properly attain 227 grand prix begins with no rostrum look this yr, 99 greater than every other driver.
In his third season, Zhou ought to lastly get to start out his residence race for the primary time. The Chinese language Grand Prix has been cancelled yearly because it held the then-milestone 1,000th spherical of the world championship in 2019. Over 100 rounds later, F1 is predicted to lastly return to the Shanghai International Circuit, 20 years because it first hosted the world championship.
It will likely be a part of a record-breaking calendar of 24 rounds. Together with dash occasions, F1 will maintain a complete of 30 races this yr. Regardless of that progress, there will likely be no new tracks on the calendar this season, for the primary time in 5 years.
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On account of the longer calendar, extra factors will likely be accessible than ever earlier than. Verstappen scored 575 factors from a doable 620 final yr, however there will likely be 672 up for grabs this season. Crimson Bull might beat their rating of 860 from a doable 1,058 in 2023 as groups can rating as much as 1,146 – all assuming the factors system for grands prix and dash races is unchanged.
Milestones
The next notable profession milestones ought to happen throughout the upcoming season:
- British Grand Prix: 2 hundredth grand prix weekend participation (took half within the occasion however not the grand prix) for Verstappen
- Dutch Grand Prix: 2 hundredth grand prix begin for Verstappen, 2 hundredth participation for Carlos Sainz Jnr
- Azerbaijan Grand Prix: 2 hundredth begin for Sainz
- Singapore Grand Prix: one hundredth participation for Alexander Albon
- United States Grand Prix: one hundredth begin for Albon
- Mexican Grand Prix: four-hundredth participation for Alonso
- Qatar Grand Prix: four-hundredth begin for Alonso
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: fiftieth participation for Logan Sargeant
Over to you
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