Top 5 best F1 driver performances of the 2024 season
The 2024 F1 season was the longest year in terms of races. With as many as 24 races, there were plenty of moments where the drivers did things that many would have anointed the drive of the season.
While it is extremely difficult to pick five from the 24-race season, this feature will look to rank the top five F1 driver performances of the season.
As a reminder, when we're talking about performances, we're not just talking about the Sundays but a more holistic picture where we take into consideration how they fared in the entire race weekend. So without further ado, let's get straight to it.
#5. Lewis Hamilton (Wins the F1 British GP)
This was a long time coming for Lewis Hamilton by the looks of it, and the driver had to work very hard for this one. What stood out in this race, precisely, was the driver's ability to be right on top of all calls that were being made about the strategy.
Hamilton knew what tires he needed to be on at every stage of the race, and it was this fleet-footed nature that won him the race as compared to McLaren, who was just unsure of how it would approach the strategy and hence ended up costing Lando Norris the win.
#4. Charles Leclerc (Wins the F1 Italian GP)
There aren't many races where, for the most part, the driver that does end up winning the race is even in contention for the win. What made Charles Leclerc's win at the F1 Italian GP impressive was the sneaky nature of it. Unlike the McLaren duo that were trying to do their thing and push on a 2-stop strategy, Leclerc just kept his cards close to his chest, and in the end, he won because of that.
If it had not been for the impeccable race management from the driver, he would have been unable to secure the win for his team.
#3. Oscar Piastri (Wins the F1 Azerbaijan GP)
The first win on the biggest stage for Oscar Piastri might not have come in the best possible way. The second win, however, was a statement and a half. Coming into the weekend, there was this talk of the Australian playing the support act for Lando Norris in his title battle.
That narrative, however, got flipped right on its head when Norris was compromised in the race and Oscar Piastri pulled off a stunning overtake on Charles Leclerc to take the lead and then pull off a defensive masterclass to keep position until the end of the race.
#2. Esteban Ocon (P2 at the F1 Brazilian GP)
Esteban Ocon left Alpine a week earlier, and the team did not handle the divorce well. With that being said, while Oliver Oakes might want to claim that Ocon's contribution to the team was minimal at best, the driver almost won Alpine its second F1 race in Brazil with a drive that belied the potential of the car.
As soon as it rained, Ocon was in the groove, and as soon as the car was in the window, he just made sure he was in podium contention until the end.
It does make it all the more surprising that Alpine parted ways with the driver two races after this performance, but that's just how F1 is sometimes.
#1. Max Verstappen (Wins the F1 Brazilian GP)
At the top, it has to be Max Verstappen because the context is important. He was on the back foot for a long time in the second half of the season. There was an inherent thought process where the driver had just made up his mind that the stewards and the FIA were against him. If the weekend had not featured rain playing such a big role, the driver would have struggled.
But since it rained, Verstappen just turned the weekend on its head. Pulling off blinding moves one after the other and showing the kind of pace that the competition could only dream of, Verstappen's Brazilian GP weekend served as a reminder of how good he is. Not only compared to the current field but also to whoever has raced in the sport.