Analysis of Ferrari's 2024 F1 season: driver comparison and key moments

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Ferrari finished 2024 in second place behind McLaren. Here is an analysis of the Maranello team’s season, including preseason expectations, key moments, and a comparison of the two drivers.

Preseason Expectations
Ferrari aimed to compete at the front from the outset, a position it held early in 2023 before dropping off with updates and recovering toward the end.

The tests immediately delivered positive results: the SF-24 was designed to offer a broader operational window compared to the 2023 car, which was quite limited. At the end of the three days in Bahrain, Fred Vasseur stated, “We are satisfied with the mileage covered and the amount of data collected. These were three productive and trouble-free days, which is exactly what you want from a test, especially when it's the only one before the season begins.”

Ferrari started the season well, though not spectacularly, with podiums in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In Jeddah, Carlos Sainz had to hand over his car to Ollie Bearman, who debuted in F1 and managed to score points.

After an excellent start with two victories, Ferrari’s performance plummeted. The Canadian GP marked the lowest point, and early updates did little to help, leading to struggles during the middle of the season.

The situation began to improve from Belgium onward, followed by stronger performances in the Netherlands and Monza. At Monza, Ferrari thrilled its fans with its first Italian victory in five years. The momentum continued, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz securing consecutive wins in the United States and Mexico. The season ended with McLaren proving its superiority, but Ferrari looked strong heading into next year.

Ferrari's Five Victories in 2024
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc took the top step of the podium five times, three of which came in the season’s final stages. Here's a chronological recap:

– Australia: Carlos Sainz arrived in Melbourne following an appendectomy that sidelined him. Nevertheless, he showed excellent form, dominated the weekend, and won after starting from the front row. Leclerc finished second, struggling more than Carlos Sainz against rivals.

– Monaco: Charles Leclerc claimed his first victory on the streets of his home country after years of struggles in Monaco. He secured pole position and led the race from start to finish, aided by a red flag that nullified strategic risks.

– Monza: Leclerc claimed another special victory at Monza. Capitalizing on internal discord at McLaren and executing excellent strategy and tire management, he secured the win, bringing the Italian anthem back to Monza after five years.

– United States: Ferrari achieved a 1-2 finish, with Charles Leclerc taking advantage of a battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at Turn 1 to seize the lead. Carlos Sainz overtook rival drivers during the race to complete the Ferrari double.

– Mexico: Carlos Sainz earned Ferrari’s final win of the season—and his last in red. With better pace than Charles Leclerc, he maximized the result to finish first.

The Lowest Point
The Canadian GP was undoubtedly Ferrari’s worst weekend in 2024, ending with two retirements. Even while running, the cars delivered disappointing performances. This race marked the start of a series of tough weekends, costing Ferrari valuable points in the Drivers’ Championship.

Driver Comparison
In head-to-head races, Charles Leclerc finished ahead of Carlos Sainz 15 times, while Carlos Sainz came out on top 8 times. Leclerc scored 356 points, compared to Carlos Sainz’s 290. These, along with Oliver Bearman‘s 6 points in Jeddah, enabled Ferrari to finish second in the championship with 652 points, 14 behind McLaren.

In qualifying, Ferrari showed some weaknesses compared to previous years. Despite securing pole positions, the team only made the front row eight times in 2024, reflecting a noticeable decline from past seasons.

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