Why F1 fans should be excited

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It’s lights out and away we go! With only three races left in the 2024 Formula 1 championship season, it could still be anyone’s to lose. Three-time world champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing have had a rocky season, a stark contrast to the absolute domination we’ve come to expect from the Dutchman over the past couple of years. The constructors’ title is still as competitive as ever, with McLaren currently leading the pack with Scuderia Ferrari in second and Red Bull in third. Safe to say, no one has a decisive lead. However, Verstappen went back to winning ways with a historic drive at the Brazilian GP

In the drivers’ championship, current world champion Max Verstappen stands first with 393 points, while he might be breathing a sigh of relief now, there’s no guarantees he’d win the title for the fourth time with three races to go and Lando Norris hot on his tail with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc following closely in third. With the way the season’s unfolding, no one can predict what’ll happen next.

Also Read: Canadian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen triumphs for third time in a row; clinching 60th career win

Re-shuffling the grid

As dramatic as the races have been, there’s been no shortage of drama off the grid too. Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the paddock is seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes. The brit is all set to reunite with Fred Vasseur at Ferrari next season. Hamilton’s departure came as a surprise to many, with some even saying that this is one of the most significant departures in sporting history, right up there with Lionel Messi’s switch to PSG in 2021.

Elsewhere, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber (The name’s a mouthful I know) have announced that both their drivers Valterri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are set to exit the team, replaced by Nico Hülkenberg and debutant Gabriel Bortoleto from Brazil who currently competes in F2 with Invicta.

Carlos Sainz moves to Williams with special clause | F1-Insider.com
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With Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz Jr. will make his way to Williams, alongside Alex Albon. Meanwhile, Mercedes will replace Hamilton with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will compete in his rookie F1 season with George Russell. Oli Bearman will drive for Haas joined by Esteban Ocon, who will depart from Alpine and replace Kevin Magnussen. Jack Doohan will drive for Alpine next season, and with everyone’s favorite aussie Daniel Ricciardo replaced by Liam Lawson, there’s still uncertainty about who will be Yuki Tsunoda’s teammate at AlphaTauri.

It’s not just the drivers

Key personnel behind the scenes also left for greener pastures elsewhere… well, mainly Red Bull. Adrian Newey, who was Red Bull’s chief technical officer, left to join Aston Martin. Following a 20 year stint at Red Bull, head of race strategy Will Courtenay joined McLaren as the team’s sporting director.

Finally, Jonathan Wheatley, Red Bull’s current sporting director will see out the remainder of the season and then leave the team. He’s expected to take a brief sabbatical from before returning taking up the reigns as team boss in 2025 with Audi, which brings me to the next point.

New manufacturers

It’s no news that German manufacturer Audi will officially join the F1 grid in 2026, after having purchased the Kick Sauber F1 team. Audi’s entry into the grid has certainly excited a lot of fans, with many of them wondering why the brand didn’t enter sooner.

American manufacturer Ford is also set to re-enter F1 for the first time since 2004 in 2026, forming a partnership with Red Bull to supply power units to both the Red Bull teams. Honda, who partially withdrew from F1 in 2021 and remained as a supplier to Red Bull teams, will also make a return to the grid as the engine supplier for Aston Martin under the Honda Racing Corporation.

Lastly, new regulations and tech

For starters, the bonus point awarded to teams for securing the fastest lap time during the race will be scrapped from 2025. Additionally, all teams will also be required to field a ‘junior driver’ during free practice at least twice throughout the season as opposed to just once.

While the rule changes for next season seem rather straightforward, F1 regulations are all set for a major overhaul in 2026. Firstly, all cars will be required to run on 100% sustainable fuel, with an increased emphasis on battery power, which will increase from the current 120kw to 350kw. These regulation changes come in as the FIA continues its pursuit of reaching net zero carbon by 2030.

While the power units are undergoing significant changes, that’s just a part of the whole picture. The cars too, will undergo a major overhaul. The 2026 F1 car will be significantly lighter than it is now, a whole 30kgs lighter in fact. While the cars are lighter, they will also have a shorter wheelbase.

Revolutionizing DRS

Lastly, among the major changes, the one that stood out the most was the significant change in the Drag Reduction System or DRS. While DRS will still remain, the cars will feature moveable front and rear wings used by all drivers at all times to increase performance. Drivers can choose from a ‘Z-mode’ to aid cornering speed while the ‘X-mode’ can be used to eke out greater straight-line performance from the cars on the track.

DRS’ overtaking duties will be undertaken by a ‘Manual Override System’, which boosts electric power delivered to the chasing car up to a speed of 337 km/h. All of these changes will make racing more competitive than before, with teams being more closely matched on the track than ever.

With so many changes in tow, it’s safe to say that the future of Formula one showcases great promise. I, for one, feel like there’s no greater time for being a Formula 1 fan than right now.

Also Read: Spanish media slams Lewis Hamilton: Labels him ‘driver in decline’ amid Ferrari move



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