Method 1: Key tales, standings and schedule as 2024 season resumes with Dutch GP after summer season break | F1 Information

As Method 1 returns after its summer season break, Sky Sports activities F1 have collated every part it’s essential to know going into the ultimate 10 races of the 2024 season.

Virtually 4 weeks on from Lewis Hamilton’s victory in Spa, the drivers will return to the observe in Zandvoort on Friday forward of Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.

Every part is to play for with world championship chief Max Verstappen making an attempt to shut out a fourth successive drivers’ title regardless of his Pink Bull staff’s outstanding streak of dominance showing to have ended.

There may be additionally a vastly aggressive battle taking part in out within the Constructors’ Championship, with Pink Bull underneath rising strain from McLaren and Mercedes.

No matter outcomes, there’ll undoubtedly be emotional scenes at Mercedes as Hamilton enters the ultimate phases of his historic stint with the staff forward of his transfer to Ferrari.

In the meantime, the 2025 grid nonetheless wants finishing, with the query of who will change the seven-time world champion at Mercedes nonetheless to be answered.

What has occurred so far?

Verstappen started his marketing campaign within the type of dominant type that noticed him break nearly each file within the e-book, profitable 4 of the primary 5 races and solely being denied a powerful shot at victory in Australia by a reliability difficulty that compelled him to retire from the race.

The chief beneficiary on that day was Carlos Sainz, who remarkably returned to the cockpit lower than two weeks after having his appendix eliminated to steer residence a Ferrari one-two from Charles Leclerc.

Ferrari had established themselves as Pink Bull’s closest challengers as they secured a podium end at every of the primary 4 races, however a brand new contender would quickly emerge.

McLaren had began on the again foot after admitting forward of the season that they had did not get their automotive the place they needed to, however upgrades that arrived for the fifth race in China would catapult the papaya vehicles again into rivalry.

Lando Norris took second in Shanghai earlier than lastly claiming his maiden F1 win subsequent outing in Miami, a weekend since which McLaren have been in rivalry for victory at nearly each race.

Leclerc took benefit of Ferrari’s slow-speed nook prowess to interrupt his ‘Monaco curse’ by profitable at his residence circuit, however the Italian squad would then drop out of rivalry on the entrance.

Verstappen displayed his brilliance to edge out Norris in Canada and Spain as a duel developed, with the battle reaching boiling level in Austria because the pair collided within the closing phases when battling for the lead, gifting George Russell and Mercedes a primary victory of the season.

The uplifting consequence for Mercedes got here after a collection of upgrades, however the positive aspects that they had made did not turn out to be absolutely obvious till Hamilton ended a 56-race winless streak with a file ninth British Grand Prix victory at Silverstone.

The season obtained a seventh totally different winner as Oscar Piastri claimed victory in Hungary, however the Australian’s maiden Grand Prix win was considerably overshadowed by a McLaren staff orders drama that noticed Norris refuse to let his team-mate again into the lead for a protracted interval earlier than lastly relenting.

Within the ultimate race earlier than the break, Mercedes laid down a press release as Russell pulled off a one-stop technique to steer Hamilton residence in a one-two, just for the previous to later be disqualified for his automotive having slipped marginally underneath the minimal authorized weight.

Can Verstappen maintain on to drivers’ crown?

Largely due to his dominant begin to the season, Verstappen possesses a 78-point lead over Norris on the prime of the drivers’ standings.

Leclerc is precisely 100 factors behind Verstappen in third, whereas Piastri is an additional 10 factors again in fourth, with each seemingly too far adrift to mount a late cost.

Verstappen was lucky that his collision with Norris in Austria – that he was adjudged to have triggered – finally noticed him achieve 10 factors on the Brit.

With Norris additionally having been responsible of failing to capitalise on a number of weekends the place he appeared to have the quickest automotive, Verstappen’s lead might have simply been considerably smaller at this stage.

Nonetheless, with the standings as they’re, it’s going to take one thing historic for Norris to chase down the Dutchman from right here, with Mercedes’ emergence as a contender for race victories solely serving to stiffen his job.

In the end, for Norris to have a practical likelihood of taking a shock first F1 title, he’ll want Verstappen to undergo a number of retirements between now and the top of the season.

McLaren closing in on Pink Bull in constructors’ battle

Pink Bull possess a 42-point lead over McLaren within the Constructors’ Championship, however the Woking squad have all of the momentum heading into the ultimate stretch.

That hole was 99 factors after 5 rounds however a surprising drop-off in type from Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez that has seen him declare simply 28 factors throughout the final eight races, has successfully made it a two-versus-one for McLaren.

Norris and Piastri have constantly mixed to outscore Verstappen, and lots of have been stunned by Pink Bull’s announcement firstly of the summer season break that they might be preserving Perez for at the least the rest of the season.

Until the Mexican in some way manages to regain his type over the summer season, Verstappen seems powerless to stop McLaren from claiming a primary constructors’ crown since 1998.

Ferrari are theoretically nonetheless in rivalry with only a 63-point hole to Pink Bull, however the third-placed squad’s lack of type implies that they’re extra possible wanting over their shoulder at the specter of being displaced by Mercedes.

The Silver Arrows are 79 factors again from Ferrari and staff principal Toto Wolff has said his ambition to chase down Hamilton’s future employers.

The battle on the entrance might be impacted by a mid-season change to the game’s technical rules, the banning of uneven braking, which might help deal with the battle between the low-speed understeer and high-speed oversteer.

The FIA didn’t disclose whether or not a staff had been utilizing such a system or whether or not the change was a results of a staff looking for clarification on the matter for future growth plans, however a drop off in velocity over the approaching weeks for one of many prime groups could also be seen suspiciously.

Aston Martin have a agency grip on fifth regardless of an underwhelming marketing campaign so far, whereas RB maintain a seven-point lead over Haas within the battle for sixth. Sauber are the one staff nonetheless with no level.

Which races are nonetheless to return?

There are 10 rounds remaining, three of that are Dash weekends.

The season resumes with 4 races throughout 5 weekends, with a back-to-back within the Netherlands and Italy adopted by every week break earlier than one other double-header in Azerbaijan and Singapore.

There are then three successive weekends off to permit the groups and drivers to organize for 2 triple headers to finish the season.

The primary comes completely within the Americas with Austin, Mexico and Brazil internet hosting earlier than one other week off.

It is then again to Las Vegas for the gorgeous spectacle of F1 vehicles dashing down the strip, earlier than the season involves an in depth with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Austin, Brazil and Qatar are Dash weekends, certain to offer further drama and essential additional factors for championship battles.

Which 2025 seats are but to be stuffed?

Sainz signing for Williams firstly of the summer season break has left simply 4 seats open for 2025, with one every belonging to Mercedes, RB, Alpine and Sauber.

Essentially the most fascinating remaining drive is undoubtedly changing Hamilton alongside Russell at Mercedes, and there’s a very clear favorite to land the seat.

Sainz, who had been linked with Mercedes, becoming a member of Williams was the newest signal that Wolff goes to gamble on Italian teenager Andrea ‘Kimi’ Antonelli, who will flip 18 on Sunday.

The younger star produced a few well timed victories in Method 2 within the weeks earlier than the summer season break, and the one factor that might cease him getting the seat at this level would look like Verstappen making a shock exit from Pink Bull.

There may be additionally a good quantity of certainty round who Alpine will give their second seat, with reserve driver Jack Doohan anticipated to lastly get his likelihood in F1.

The uncertainty at RB stems from the highest of the Pink Bull system. Sergio Perez is technically contracted for 2 extra seasons, however his dismal type has created doubt over whether or not he’ll get the possibility to begin the extension he signed in June.

That has resulted in hypothesis that both RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo or Pink Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson might take the seat. Tsunoda is contracted for an additional season with RB, however Ricciardo has considerably bizarrely but to be assured of his RB future whereas additionally being linked with a promotion.

Pink Bull are prone to wish to see how Perez will get on over the approaching weeks earlier than making a call throughout their two groups.

Lastly, the Sauber staff – that can turn out to be Audi in 2026 – have but to verify a team-mate for incoming driver Nico Hulkenberg. Incumbent Valtteri Bottas would look like the favorite, however no deal has been agreed regardless of an obvious lack of robust alternate options.

Modifications on the prime for Sauber and Alpine

A potential explanation for the delay over a call on Bottas at Sauber is a few vital adjustments within the staff’s administration.

Former Ferrari staff principal Mattia Binotto took up his twin positions as chief working and chief technical officer at Sauber firstly of August and should have introduced a brand new perspective to the staff’s driver line-up.

Sauber have additionally appointed Jonathan Wheatley as their new staff principal, however the long-time Pink Bull sporting director will be unable to take up his position till subsequent season.

There will likely be a brand new staff principal within the paddock in Zandvoort, with Alpine having employed 36-year-old Brit Oliver Oakes to take cost of the struggling squad.

Wheatley is the newest key determine to go away Pink Bull, following chief technical officer Adrian Newey leaving his position earlier this season.

Newey’s exit had been linked to the environment on the staff amid tensions between staff principal Christian Horner and Verstappen’s administration staff, most notably his father Jos.

A really public row performed out after allegations round controlling behaviour have been made in opposition to Horner by a feminine Pink Bull worker. The allegations have been dismissed in February, however the complainant appealed the choice in March, leaving the state of affairs hanging over the staff.

The attraction was dismissed on August 8. Horner and Verstappen are prone to be requested in regards to the state of affairs when going through the media in Zandvoort later this week.

Method 1 returns after the summer season break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 23-25, stay on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime.

Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and will likely be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra stay sport this yr at no additional value. Discover out extra right here.