5 best F1 drivers in wet weather for the 2024 season
It is often said that in F1, the cars are the biggest differentiating factor. However, when it rains and there's water on the track, that becomes the first real test for everyone involved.
Almost every top driver in F1 history has his set of wet weather masterclasses that define how brilliant a talent they were. It's often a quote used in F1 that "rain helps the cream to rise to the top," and in conditions where the car does get a bit neutralized, the talent rises.
With that being said, the 2024 F1 season saw multiple races that were impacted by rain. We had rain playing a role in China, followed by Canada, Britain, and Belgium, among others.
Arguably the biggest impact was in Sao Paulo in November, where we had torrential rain at different times during the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Which drivers stood out when the rain started falling on the track? Let's take a look as we share the list of the top 5 drivers in the wet weather this season.
#5 Lando Norris(McLaren)
Lando Norris had a horror race in São Paulo where it's safe to assume that something just didn't click with him in the entirety of that weekend. With that being said, there were quite a few other wet weather weekends where Norris was more or less on the mark.
The 25-year-old should have ideally won the race in Canada if not for the ill-timed safety car. A similar fate awaited him in Silverstone, as McLaren having no clue over when to go for the crossover arguably denied the British a victory.
Norris would be disappointed that maybe there was stuff left on the table, which should not have been the case. Nonetheless, it was still a strong outing for the driver.
#4 Esteban Ocon(Alpine F1)
Esteban Ocon's weekend in Brazil alone puts him in the top 5 because the Alpine just had no business being anywhere close to where he put the car. Although that race was not the only time the French showed brilliant overall pace and got the results.
Ocon had an impressive drive through the field to score a point in the Alpine in Canada as well, and whenever he had the opportunity to do something with the car in wet conditions, he was more or less on point.
#3 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton blew hot and cold in the wet weather because there were times when he was brilliant, like the sprint in China and Silverstone. However, on the other side of it was the horror of Brazil, where the driver almost called it quits with Mercedes.
While was a mixed bag for the seven-time champion at times, Hamilton showed more than enough to contend for a place at #3 in this list.
#2 George Russell(Mercedes)
George Russell was arguably one of the better proponents of drivers rising to the occasion whenever rain played a role. As soon as we had the wet track in front of us, the young Brit had things in control more or less.
Although Russell got the pole in Canada, the pace was not there for him to win. He got the pole in Silverstone, but the power unit issues early in the race compounded a poor overall result. He also could have ideally won the race in Brazil if not for the ill-timed call to pit for new tires. George proved a lot of doubters wrong in F1 this season, and he's building himself up brilliantly this season.
#1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
There can only be one driver at the top, and it has to be specifically about his versatility. Max Verstappen's win in Brazil, which was a result of arguably a generational drive through the field, was not the only good race he executed in the wet weather.
Unlike others on this list, it's going to be hard to find too many chinks in what the F1 world champion did this year, and that just elevates him to a level that no other driver has reached.