f1 teams and drivers guide for 2024 season

F1 Teams And Drivers: Which One Should You Support?

Watching Formula 1 races without a favorite team and the driver is like starting the movie from the middle. Without understanding the storylines, the logical chain breaks. You rush to understand everything going on the track. However, it doesn’t work like that. We know it because the same happened to us. Instead, you need one thing – to pick your favorite team and driver to support. Then everything comes in order, and you discover exciting stories that stick you with Formula 1 for years. Even the technical insights you understand better. Therefore, we came to help you pick a favorite among F1 teams and drivers for the 2024 season. We gathered all the vital information about participants of Formula 1 based on their past and future pros and cons. Promise, we have tried to be impartial.

But first, here is good advice on choosing an F1 team or driver rightly. Usually, fans support a particular crew for a reason. The case is not about achievement or appearance. People support others because their idols reflect themselves, their ideals, wants, and needs. So, choose that F1 team and driver who resonates with your perspectives on life. Let’s go.

tips for new f1 fans choose your favorite driver
Red Bull RB14 / Max Verstappen / Aston Martin Red Bull Racing” by Renzopaso/license CC BY-SA 2.0

Progressive is your second name? The Red Bull is your Team To Support.

We think the Red Bull Formula 1 team is about modernity and progress because it relates to each way in their approach to the sport, from choosing the drivers and building the car to promotional campaigns.

Just think, their car designer, the top name in Formula 1, Adrian Newey, could work with spaceships but declined it to stay in the racing.

Though their story started on the remains of Jaguar Racing, they rushed into Formula 1 in 2005 and won the first constructors’ championship in 2010, less than 5 years! It is a team with a brand-new vision for the car racing sport.

The Bulls have the fastest cars on the grid. At straights or at turns, these have the best aerodynamics.

Alongside Adrian Newey, there are key players on the team. Christian Horner led the team when he was 33 and has continued as their permanent team principal.

No less controversial figure is Helmut Marko. He heads Red Bull’s driver development program and knows everything about racing talent. It was Marko who stood Max Verstappen out from all the rest.

As for the weaknesses, the Red Bull F1 team bets on a specific strategy, resulting in their drivers being on the verge of losing control, as team orders aren’t always fair.

The fierce rivalry between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber is direct proof. Currently, Sergio Perez is under pressure for his unclear future.

Sergio Perez or Max Verstappen? These two are opposite but complementary to each other. 

Decent Sergio Perez 

Sergio Perez is a good guy on the grid. Mexican driver started in 2011. Passing through the chain of unfairness in Racing Point (Aston Martin), Perez showcased brilliant talent, resulting in him joining Red Bull in 2021.

The first year with Red Bull was successful, but the 2023 season reduced Perez’s achievements. Having almost the same car as Verstappen, Perez had made silly mistakes. However, Sergio is the best on whom Red Bull can rely.

Calm and mentally balanced, he endures to race from last and finish on the podium, but only when he knows what he is racing for. If not, he is losing.

Being second after Max, Perez is exhausting his drive, while the rumors directly affect his results at the track, especially since Red Bull has the option to replace him for Daniel Ricciardo.

If loyalty, devotion, and teamwork make the most sense for you, Sergio Perez is the driver you need support in Formula 1.

Brave Max Verstappen 

Thanks to the strict upbringing of his father, former F1 driver Jos, Max Verstappen is like a specially selected driver for Formula 1. Just think, he debuted in 2014 when he was 17!

Yes, he sacrificed a lot for such a career. However, for now, Verstappen is the fastest and unfairest. Cornering turns or increasing at straights, he risks and never stops the pressure, no matter against whom he is racing.
If you doubt, Verstappen finds 1000+ reasons to convince you he is the best and will be successful.

Contrary, Verstappen is a short-tempered guy, rushing everyone when things go wrong.

If you appreciate features like self-confidence, daring, and simple mind, Max Verstappen is your F1 driver to support.

which f1 team to support in 2024 guide
Ferrari SF1000 / Charles Leclerc / MCO / Scuderia Ferrari” by Renzopaso is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Want to touch the legend? Support the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team.

The Prancing Horse team. Old, classic, with the heritage of legendary Enzo Ferrari, the team is about a car racing sport in its roots. With millions of ‘tifosi’ worldwide, it is the most successful overall team in Formula 1 history.

Ferrari has seen several bosses lead their board, including controversial Maurizio Arrivabene and Mattia Binotto. However, the team’s gold age remains when Jean Todt headed Prancing Horse, while Michael Schumacher became the racing idol.

Moved from Alfa Romeo, Frederic Vasseur leads the Ferrari as team principal.

Ferrari cars are fast, competitive, and complete at the top, while the burden lies under Carlos Sainz’s and Charles Leclerc’s shoulders.

Their primary drama is despite such a legacy, the Prancing Horse is struggling through the lack of racing strategy and bad luck. It is as if Ferrari has been completing the puzzle of success but losing the key detail whenever victory is at stake.

If you are a classic adherent and think Formula 1 is about magical relations between driver and car, then Ferrari is your team to support.

Kind Charles Leclerc

Leclerc is the Mr. Kindness of the grid and is one of the most charismatic drivers with impressive racing talent under his charm. 

Over the years, the team has exhausted Leclerc with many problems, resulting in him gaining a strategic mind like Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton have. 

He plans the action, thinks about rivals, and adapts quick. Leclerc can overcome each problem, whether a crash or withdrawal, even after leading most of the race.

Alternatively, a Monegasque driver is vulnerable to opponents’ pressure and makes mistakes in long-lasting racing battles. 

Being as fast as Verstappen, the difference between them is that Verstappen is always ready to win, while Leclerc is ready to lose. 

The self-sacrifice, melancholic, filled with inner power and belief, keys that can describe Ferrari’s driver. Feel yourself familiar with these? Then you have to support Charles Leclerc. He will definitely win your heart.

Sharp-witted Carlos Sainz Jr. 

It is hard to define Carlos Sainz Jr. as a good or bad guy.

After learning tough life lessons in Toro Rosso (AlphTauri), he became a good one and joined Mclaren, but then moved to Ferrari in 2021, thanks to the influence of his father, the famous rally driver and Dakar winner Carlos Sainz. 

Sainz is easygoing. He has a sharp-witted mind, predicting his rivalries. Moreover, Sainz remains in the race until there is a chance, but despite his motivation, he can be quick-tempered. For real pressure, he makes simple errors that Leclerc doesn’t.

Aristocracy, quick reaction, and fast thinking are about Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.

f1 teams and drivers 2024 mercedes
2023-07-30 082 Formel 1; Lewis Hamilton” by Joachim_Hofmann is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

A fan of discipline? Choose the Mercedes F1 Team.

Mercedes has a common feature in their brand message with Ferrari, but those subject matters differ.

In Formula 1, Mercedes is associated with luxury. They attract investments and promote top brands. If Ferrari is about rare treasure, Mercedes is about influence power. 

The Mercedes team establishes a reputation for exceptional discipline in Formula 1, leaving no room for weaknesses and showing no mercy for mistakes. Even their linchpin, team principal Toto Wolff, personifies the restraint and the power of teamwork. 

The flip side is they leave no space for the occasion. Therefore, joining this team was challenging for George Russell, who had spent three years in Williams before joining the Mercedes F1 team. They are fans of the plans, and if something goes out, the chaos starts inside.

If you think discipline and planning are keys to success, Mercedes is definitely the team you should support in Formula 1.  

Disciplined George Russell 

The Mercedes spirit is associated with George Russell. He is the most organized racer in Formula 1. Russell makes the impression of a racing robot because at the wheel of slowly Williams’ car; he had managed the impossible – to finish in the top 10 for a few seasons.  

Compared with Lewis Hamilton, it is hard to say who is faster because each has a unique approach. Russell is setting the car in the best way, while Hamilton is faster to adapt to the car. 

Conversely, Russell is stubborn. Regarding team strategy, he requires from the Mercedes as much as from himself, setting on the guard of justice. 

If you defend your position until the last and trust success outcomes of a consistent job, Russell has to be your favorite F1 driver. 

Tactical-minded Lewis Hamilton 

Ruling Lewis Hamilton’s seven titles out, he is the master of mental mind strategical games. 

With almost 40 million audiences on Instagram, Hamilton has the influence and power. He can mentally destroy his rival before sitting at the wheel of a Mercedes car. 

Even a tiny stir on the track may have continued outside the race, like after the 2021 Abu-Dhabi Grand Prix. Therefore, most of the drivers prefer to avoid conflicting with him. 

As for the track, Hamilton’s advantage is in his strategy of keeping the tires. In the wet race or when the tires’ issue comes first, he saves those better than anyone else.  

If you believe that an F1 driver has to be a role and has the power on global issues, then Lewis Hamilton has the philosophy to meet your expectations.

formula 1 2024 driver line up
2022 British GP – Alpine A522 of Esteban Ocon (2)” by Chris Game is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

The Alpine F1 team is for those who respect independence.

Like the raging ocean of passions in Formula 1, Alpine stands out as an independent island with its own story. 

Being a small and independent team, Alpine made its name in Formula 1. Previously named Renault Formula One, they won two constructor championships in 2005 and 2006, while Fernando Alonso became a world champion.

It was a golden time for Alpine (Renault). Flavio Briatore led the team, and the community contemplated with loud controversies in the sport. 

Bruno Famin heads the team, but they have kept their racing spirit and independence.

Bad Guy Esteban Ocon 

Esteban Ocon debuted in Formula 1 in 2016 and has three podium finishes. He is that one bad guy on the grid and is famous for his unyielding and aggressive racing style.  

His first maiden victory in the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix would be incomplete without his teammate Alonso’s contribution. 

After a chain of misunderstandings and a few collisions, Alonso switched for Aston Martin, while Ocon claimed he had done most of the job in the Alpine.  

If you believe in doing whatever it takes to win, then you should show your support for Esteban Ocon in Formula 1. Your inner demon will be happy.

Independent Pierre Gasly

You wonder, but it is Pierre Gasly, who is Ocon’s fierce rivalry from the past. The cause for both becoming teammates is that in pursuit of freedom from Red Bull, Gasly finally left Visa Cash App RB (Alpha Tauri).

Because of the 5 years of experience, Gasly became restrained and unstoppable on the track. No wonder he won the 2020 Italian Grand Prix at the wheel of a slow AlphaTauri.

What we like in Pierre Gasly is that he is a self-centered driver who understands that most of his career depends on him more than on the team, resulting in him deciding on his own.

If you believe in relying solely on your experiences and expecting them to bring rewards, then you should back Pierre Gasly in Formula 1.

what is the best f1 team in 2024
Lando Norris 2022” by Wastrick is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Prefer to have fun? Choose McLaren as your team to support in Formula 1.

Being the second oldest team after Ferrari, the McLaren F1 team’s origins date back to 1963 and its founder, Bruce McLaren

The team achieved 8 constructors championships in Formula 1 and left a lasting impact in Indycar and 24 Hours of Le Mans, racing in both Extreme E and Formula E championships.

The team gained a fresh look after Ron Dennis left McLaren in 2016. Their spirit has filled with the positive energy of drivers like Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, and Oscar Piastri. As for the current team principal, Andrea Stella leads McLaren.

Even stuck in the middle of the grid because of the speed, reliability, and engine issues that forced the team to switch to Renault, Honda, and back to Mercedes doesn’t spoil their overall image. Instead, McLaren’s current situation attracts new fans. With progress, their cars finally became more fast and reliable. 

McLaren enjoys the racing, whether leading the grid or trailing in the last. 

Charismatic Lando Norris

No one can resist Lando Norris’s simplicity. He acts like your old- mate and isn’t afraid to look weird.

Debuted in 2019, Norris is from the new generation of F1 drivers. He is an active social media user, streaming uncommon events, playing in virtual racing, and having fun with other drivers. 

Norris’s racing style is persistent, but he is not stubborn because learning mistakes fast. 

As for the weaknesses, Lando Norris is overthinking at the track. When he has pondered, his pace decreases.  

Young Oscar Piastri 

Oscar Piastri is another optimistic face in McLaren. Despite the scandalous start of Formula 1, Piastri came out clean. 

Alpine officially announced him as a driver for 2023, but he declined the deal and joined McLaren. The story was fast forgotten. 

Despite the expectation, Oscar adapted to the car so fast that has stepped on Norris’ heels. 

Piastri is an intelligent and calm driver who stands out from gossip. He is friendly to teammates and appreciates teamwork, which is rare presently. Contrariwise, he is still very young. 

f1 teams and drivers 2024 guide
Sauber C37 / Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team​” by Renzopaso is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Kick Sauber and Williams for die-hard Formula 1 fans

On the grid of Formula 1, there are two legendary teams in the past, but for now, these take place outside. 

Formerly Alfa Romeo, the Kick Sauber F1 team, or more accurately, Sauber team, is the legacy of the motorsport icon Peter Sauber, who founded the team in 1993. 

After rebranding in 2019, the team raced under the Alfa Romeo and became the Kick Sauber with Andreas Seidl as a team principal.

Being an example of toil and spirit, Sauber has never won a championship title, while six third place is still the best result in their history. 

The good news is that Kick Sauber sets out to be an Audi factory team in 2026. So, their success is a deal of time… and worthy investments.

Another legend is Williams – Frank Williams’s team that won nine championships in Formula. For a minute, the Mercedes F1 team has eight.

Imagine, Williams Racing was founded in 1977. With star drivers racing at different times, Keke Rosberg, Damon Hill, Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell, the team was unstoppable in the 1980s. 

Returning the former glory is difficult for current team principal James Vowles because Williams is the slowest on the grid, but as they say in Formula 1: ‘Never say never.’

We united Williams and Kick Sauber because quintessential labor of racing idols found these teams not so far: Peter Sauber and Frank Williams.

Reliable Valtteri Bottas  

Valtteri Bottas is a popular Finnish driver. Being not as daring as Verstappen, Valtteri is the most reliable after Sergio Perez. However, compared with Perez, Bottas is more flexible under the team orders.

He was at his peak of fame, racing alongside Hamilton in Mercedes for 5 years. Bottas didn’t outdo his teammate but got the respect of the teams in the F1’s Paddock. 

Finnish keeps a team policy that suits comfortably for the Kick Sauber team. However, such compliance is a disadvantage because racing is about a desire to be first.

Intelligent Zhou Guanyu

Debuted in 2022, Zhou Guanyu is the first and only Chinese driver in Formula 1. Because of a lack of experience, he often loses control under high pressure, but it is just a matter of time.

Outside the track, Guanyu is well-educated and likes fashion. However, he is a devoted fan of Lewis Hamilton. 

Unlike the Kick Sauber team, which relies on two racers, the budget of Williams is even less, where Alex Albon sets as the driving force.

what team to support in formula 1 guide
Alex Albon” by Wastrick is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Charged Alex Albon

Albon started Formula 1, like many other racers, for Toro Rosso in 2019. A happy case forced him to Red Bull the same year, but no one expected the play would be short. 

After two years in Red Bull, Alex retired from Formula 1, while the community wrote him off. However, Albon was back after a year as Williams’s driver, but it was a different person. 

Wobbling like a fast arrow, he started on the limits, obsessed with scoring any point, resulting in finishing in the top 10 at one-third of the 2023 season. More than worthy, because it was at the wheel of the trailing Williams’ car.

We believe Alex Albon is one of the talent drivers in recent years. Albon is always motivated, whether at the wheel of the first or the last-line car.

Rookie Logan Sargeant 

Logan Sargeant contrasts with Albon. He is the only American F1 driver in the 2024 season. Since his debut in 2023, Sargeant hasn’t showcased worthy results, even against his teammate, but he looks charming.

f1 teams and drivers in 2024 season
Haas VF-20 / FRA / Haas F1 Team” by Renzopaso is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Like the breaking through? Support Haas F1 Team.

Founded by Gene Haas, Haas is the only American team that debuted in 2016. They have never finished on the podium, while their best result is Kevin Magnussen’s pole at qualifying in the 2023 São Paulo Grand Prix. 

Haas team racing in the middle of the grid. Their dominant trait is defense. Thus, with an average car’s performance, Haas drivers rush bravely for each point. So, often being vulnerable, they become in the epicenter of racing battles, defending positions from Alpine, AlphaTauri, and Stack teams.  

Besides, Haas has kept the edge between entertaining and discipline. They need to be more creative in promoting their partners and attracting new fans, as well as to keep the discipline inside the boxes to improve results at the track. For this purpose, Ayao Komatsu replaced Guenther Steiner in the team’s principal role. 

Versatile Nico Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg is the record holder as a driver with no victories in Formula 1. Hulkenberg effectively replaced Stroll and Perez during the Covid, and Haas gave a chance to Hulkenberg back in Formula 1. 

Despite the worthy experience baggage, Hulkenberg is as stubborn as George Russell but not aggressive like Esteban Ocon. 

Straightforward Kevin Magnussen

Kevin Magnussen is a straight shooter and always acts like he thinks. Debuted in 2014, Magnussen took the podium. His racing style is rough, aggressive, and steadfast. He doesn’t lose control under long-lasting pressure at the track.

Outside Formula 1, Magnussen raced in IndyCar and even won the race. Although he didn’t think to return to Formula 1 in 2022, Haas insisted, and Magnussen took the seat. And he has made racing wonders, suiting in the top six during the qualifying from time to time. 

Support Kevin Magnussen because he is talented, direct, and straightforward on and off the track.

 

formula 1 2024 teams and drivers
AlphaTauri AT01 / Pierre Gasly / FRA / Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda” by Renzopaso is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Want to see new talents in Formula 1? Choose RB as your favorite F1 team. 

Visa Cash App RB F1 team is a new name for the AlphaTauri – Red Bull’s younger sister, which debuted in Formula 1 in 2006 under the Toro Rosso.

However, it is better to associate the RB team with its original – Minardi. Franz Tost had been its team principal since the beginning, leading the team for 18 years.

However, the former race director and Ferrar’s principal assistant, Laurent Mekies, takes this role for the 2024 season.

Although it is hard to call Daniel Ricciardo a new one, one thing is for sure – RB is the talent drivers’ nursery for the entire Formula 1.
Alex Albon, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, and Pierre Gasly, the team had tested them with competitiveness, rivalry, and pressure.

We like to watch the inner drama rising inside the team during the season and how RB makes talented drivers the best. Otherwise, they retire from Formula 1.

Short-tempered Yuki Tsunoda 

Yukio Tsunoda debuted in 2021. He is the only Japanese driver on the grid. We like to watch how he takes the maximum from the car to holding his position inside the top ten. 

However, Tsunoda is the shortest-tempered among F1 drivers; he has lost emotional control so fast that the team was forced to turn off the radio during the live streams because Tsunoda has no equals in the swearing, which is RB (AlphaTauri) didn’t assess well. 

Although they hired an expert for Tsunoda, the problem was decided partly. 

Forever optimistic Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo’s optimistic smile wins hearts. He always stays chill.

Furthermore, Ricciardo is a lucky one. Only this can explain his career redirections. He started with Toro Rosso (AlphaTauri) in 2012 and left Red Bull’s kingdom as Max Verstappen’s teammate to join Renault for a two-year deal. Then he spent another 2 years for McLaren and was back for Visa Cash App RB to take a ghostly chance of becoming Verstappen’s teammate again.

However, despite the positive vibes he sends to each one on the way, Ricciardo needs more forthright actions to protect his seat in Formula 1.

formula 1 2024 teams and drivers guide
2023-07-30 152 Formel 1; Lance Stroll” by Joachim_Hofmann is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

Like debating? Support Aston Martin F1 Team.

We placed Aston Martin at the end of our list because the team has been a dark horse for the last few years. It is the most controversial team in recent times. 

No one among F1 teams has stirred so many talks like Aston Martin. In short, it started when billionaire Lawrence Stroll bought Sahara Force India in 2018. Then talks rose with its rebranding to Racing Point in 2020 and following Perez’s retirement. In 2021, the team finally became Aston Martin. Their cars were green, but the brand color was only that different from the Mercedes cars.

No less loud was Sebastien Vettel’s join to the team after Ferrari, with his following replacement with Fernando Alonso.

However, we have great respect for Aston Martin because to make the team a worthy opponent against giants like Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull in five years means a lot.

Be sure the Aston Martin F1 team always has aces in their pocket to reveal a few surprises.

Old Hand Fernando Alonso 

Fernando Alonso has two championship titles he took about twenty years ago. He wants more. 

Alonso’s racing style is a combination of aggressiveness, modernity, and tricky tactics. Therefore, Alonso is a maestro of pressure for short and long-lasting battles. 

With an operational mind, he predicts the action ahead. He plays with everything at stake and goes against even at the wheel of a weaker car, gaining the advantage where the strategy comes first.

Like Verstappen, Alonso is also pushing until the last, but unlike Max, he doesn’t give up even after half of the race. This suggests that if Alonso gets the fast-equal car as Verstappen has, he will definitely outdo Max. 

Alonso has a sharp tongue. Completing with a wit mind makes him a dangerous opponent, especially with his anger. Therefore, most drivers prefer to keep good relations with Spaniard on and off the racing track. 

Modest Lance Stroll

Stroll joined Formula 1 in 2017; he still can’t boast victories, but he has 3 podium finishes. 

That is weird because Stroll was the most-awarded driver before starting Formula 1. 

We can estimate Stroll’s racing as average because we didn’t see his natural power.

Who do we support for the 2024 Season?

As for us, we picked Lando Norris as our favorite driver and Ferrari as our team to support. 

Both are related to our personal values. We believe Norris deserves the first victory. Besides, it is exciting to watch how he copes with the rise of his teammate, younger Oscar Piastri, who started the previous season better than Norris could imagine.

As for Ferrari, it seems they have everything to shape the success to outdo their closer opponents, such as Red Bull and Mercedes, but they can’t. Why does it happen? That is what we gonna figure out in the 2024 Formula 1 season.