Sideline Story

What was the best F1 performance in 2024?

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks the end of the 2024 Formula One season. In this episode, we review those classic races and memorable moments on and off the track in the past year. We also look ahead to the 2025 season and list our expectations for the next season.

Duration:: 25m
Broadcast on:: 06 Dec 2024
Audio Format:: other

(upbeat music) - Hello, and welcome to the sideline starter, your destination for sports years, analysis and discussions. I'm Yang Guang. This week, we are going to take a review of the 2024 Formula One season. What was the best performance on the grade in the past year? How did Max Verstappen win his fourth consecutive title for this conversation? I'm joined here with my co-hosts. Can you and Brandon Gates have a video? All right, the last race of the 2024 Formula One season is at this weekend. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2024 features the most number of races in one season in Formula One history, 24 of them. When we take a look at back these races, it's been a roller coaster season for many. I mean, Max Verstappen sweeping the podium in the early part of the season and then the rise of McLaren's duo. A lot of incidents on the grid for so many races and Joe Gwenus ups and downs. Louis Hamilton saying goodbye to Mercedes. So, Brandon, from your perspective, what is your favorite race in the past year and why? - I mean, the 2024 season as all past seasons is just drama-filled. I think that, you know, aside from the racing and all of the tight competition and the rise of McLaren, which has been really fantastic to watch, you know, I think it has been a memorable season for maybe different reasons in the past. But I think that, you know, the increased amount of races and the things that were happening on and off the track, definitely made 2024 a thrilling, thrilling season. And I think I'm even more excited for the 2025 season, like you mentioned, young one for a couple of reasons, but particularly for Louis Hamilton's move to Ferrari. I'm so excited to see if that rivalry between Max Verstapp and Louis Hamilton can be reignited because I think watching that over the years, you know, has been really, really thrilling to watch. But in terms of a specific race and looking at the season as a whole, I think the Brazilian Grand Prix definitely stands out for me, particularly when it comes to Max Verstapp and because I think even though a lot of people, you know, credit Lando Norris and McLaren for their rise, I think a lot of questions were being asked of Red Bull but particularly of Max Verstapp and if he could maintain his dominance, if he was faltering a little bit, if maybe, you know, the car wasn't as dominant as it had been, you know, in previous seasons, if, you know, Max Verstapp and actually isn't that great of a driver and he's always just enjoyed, you know, a really powerful car. But I think when you look at that Brazilian Grand Prix and, you know, the fact that Verstapp and was starting from 17th on the grid, if I'm not mistaken, I think he silenced a lot of critics in that race. And I think he just solidified his place as not just the greatest driver in the world right now, but he's, I believe that he's going to go down as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time. And the fact that he was able to battle in that race, you know, in difficult conditions and, you know, being under a lot of scrutiny and facing more challenges than he's faced in the past, I think that race definitely stands out for me. And beyond that, I mean, it definitely, yeah, I mean, obviously the weather made things very unpredictable, but they were just fierce battles throughout the grid. You know, there was some amazing driving from a couple of teams and individuals, but that particular race and that particular performance from Max Verstapp and I think silenced a lot of critics and I think it made a lot of his competitors feel like, wow, there's really nothing that we can do to stop this guy and there's nothing we can say negative about this guy because yes, he has dominated in previous seasons and been in an unbelievably fast car and seemingly had everything going his way. But in that race where he was facing tight competition and, you know, the pressure was mounting on him and Red Bull more than it had done in the past, I think he showed that, you know, despite all of that pressure, he can handle it and he deserves to be at the top of the grid and the top of the pile. And that's where he ended up at the end of the season. So I think that was a defining factor for Verstapp and Red Bull, not just for this season, but I think it was also a way to show the rest of the grid that yes, a couple of other teams are improving and, you know, Red Bull's having its ups and downs this season, but Max Verstapp and Red Bull are still the top dogs and it will require a lot of work to have any chance of getting even close to them again next season. Yeah, a lot of classic races at Interlago's in history in Formula One, but that race was particularly decisive in terms of Red Bull and Max Verstapp and his title race. I mean, people always say Formula One is about the performance equally from the driver and the car, but that race in Brazil, Max Verstapp and seemingly proved, okay, driver can be the more decisive part of our race. And because when Red Bull dropped a little bit in the latter half of the season, Max Verstapp and stayed at that level. His level is still the same. Yeah, here's the reason why Red Bull can stay competitive in the latter half of the season. Can you hear from your side? Any particular race that left you great impression? Well, if you asked me that question last year, I wouldn't have come up with an answer immediately 'cause we all know that Max Verstapp and was literally dominating the whole year throughout the 2023 season. And most of the time we didn't even have to watch the race before we jumped to the conclusion that Verstapp and would wane them all. So, but it seemed like this year has been quite different. If the 2021 season was like a two horse race between Verstapp and Luis Hamilton, then this year the season looks like a different flight after just every few weeks. I would say it's pretty exciting to watch different drivers to be able to, other than Verstapp and to be able to stand on the podium this year. So in Hungary, we get to see Oscar Pastry winning his first F1 Grand Prix. And in Miami, Lando Norris broke his wingless streak and snatched a wing from this dominant Verstapp and also in Austria, Georgia Rosso swooped in to claim victory after Verstapp and Norris crashed dramatically in the race. - Yeah. - And apart from these, even though I'm not a Ferrari fan, I would say seeing Charla Claire finally breaking the curse and winning his home race in Monaco is one of the most touching and also memorable moments in this season for me. And after winning the race, LaClaire said it was a moment that both he and his late father had dreamed about when it first set out in gold carts over 20 years ago. So yeah, the story of him and his father just made this wing even more meaningful. Yeah, and also as Brandon just mentioned, although I think seeing Verstapp and winning all the races can make F1 races a little bit boring, but watching him make a magical comeback and winning the Brazilian Grand Prix from the 17th place in a ring was definitely one of the most beautiful races this season. He just showed everyone how consistent and resilient a driver he is again to everyone. - You know, this should be what Formula One has done last year when Max Verstapp and just dominated every single Grand Prix. These shoots arrange Max Verstapp and start from 17th. Every race, so that would be fun to be fair. Yeah, that would be a fair game. But for me, the biggest race this year must be the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Yeah, it was not only the return of the race to Formula One after four-year absence due to COVID, but also it marks the first time an official Chinese racer racing on the Chinese track. So it was very memorable. - My opponent, my opponent. - Yeah, the special moment was when Joe Guan, you squatted on the track and burst into tears after the race, it was really touching. And emotional moment for every Chinese fan. Even though he just finished in 14th place, I guess he realized every Chinese fan stream of seeing a Chinese, a local driver racing on the Shanghai track, he made it possible. But I guess as for Joe Guan Yu himself, the most successful race for him this year must be the Carta Grand Prix last weekend. He earned himself and team Sauber, the first point of the season between eighth place finish. In the post-erase driver's rating, he ranked the second, only behind race winner Max Verstappen, and he was also voted the driver of the race that night by fans. So it was a very successful night for him. Brandon, we talked about Joe Guan Yu's situation near the end of the season. He was confirmed to lead the team after 2024 and there are no seats available for him on the grid next the season. So that means early is the possible date for him to return to Formula One would be 2026. And there will be a gap year for him away from the grid. So he needs to produce impressive performances on the track, you know, to hopefully get a chance to return to Formula One someday in the future. So do you think his performance in Carta was convincing enough? - Definitely, but I think, you know, beyond this season, I think what Joe Guan Yu has been able to accomplish as an individual and for China and for the sport is actually pretty remarkable. Because I think the fact that Formula One finally made its return to Shanghai and it was able to feature a Chinese driver on home soil who delivered, you know, a fair performance and didn't disappoint, in my opinion. And just some of the iconic moments that you mentioned, you know, when he bent down and cried. I mean, just remembering those images, I actually got goosebumps, you know, and I think the fact that millions, if not billions of, you know, Chinese fans, you know, that were watching on television and, you know, the fans that were in attendance, what that has done for the sport, you know, just in terms of their market growth, I think it's going to be absolutely massive because I think now, I mean, look, Formula One has been popular in China for quite a while now, but the fact that we've got the Chinese Grand Prix and it finally featured a Chinese driver, I think that's going to solidify a massive, massive market for the sport of Formula One, whether Joe Guan Yu is there or not. So I think that's great for the sport and I think Joe Guan Yu deserves a lot of credit for that. And, you know, as an individual, he deserves a lot of credit for getting to, I mean, just getting to Formula One, you know, and having a seat and, you know, putting in a relatively solid performance for the time that he's had, I think he deserves a lot of credit for that. And I think the timing, the timing of his performance in Qatar, I think was really special as well, because we're coming to the end of his time in Formula One for now, at least, and he delivered an outstanding performance. You know, I think that he definitely showcased resilience and skill, you know, it was a chaotic race. I mean, you know, Morris and Hamilton and Paris face setbacks and there was a lot going on, but I think throughout that entire race, Joe Guan Yu definitely showcased, you know, a very clean and consistent driving in very challenging conditions and an eighth-place finish in and amongst all of that drama is highly, highly commendable. And I think that it highlighted his maturity under pressure because, you know, it was a chaotic race. And I think he has faced a lot of pressure over the course of the season. But in that particular race and in that particular car that he's been in, I think that he definitely displayed that he has the ability and the skill to perform at this level. And I think that was incredibly important. And a lot of experts, you know, in post-race interviews and that sort of thing also know to Joe Guan Yu's ability to extract maximum performance from that car, like I said. And I think that's very important as we also saw from, you know, Max the Stappen coming from 17th to 1st, you know, that goes way beyond the car. No, obviously, you know, the Red Bull cars, a lot more powerful than the Kickstarter car, but those are two great examples of how, you know, a driver is equally important to their car. And I think that Joe Guan Yu's performance, particularly in Qatar, definitely highlighted that. So look, I think that result in Qatar definitely underscores his growth as a driver, which I think is very important. And I think it also shows his potential for future midfield contention if he is able to make a return to the sport, which I really hope he does. But that being said, I think that his time in Formula One, let's assume it has come to an end for the foreseeable future. I think he can definitely hold up his head very, very high. I think China can be extremely proud of him. And I think that the growth and the potential of the sports in China and the prospect of future Formula One drivers from China is extremely exciting and extremely possible. I think we're going to see a lot more Chinese drivers come. I mean, like I said, I hope Joe Guan Yu does come back. I'm a fan of him. And I do think that he has a lot of potential to be a very, very successful Formula One driver. But going into the long-term future, I think we'll see a lot more talent coming through. And I also hope that we'll see the Chinese car on the grid in Formula One very, very soon, hopefully in Shanghai as well. - Right, but go back to that particular racing car. It was also Joe Guan Yu's best result in a single race after the Canadian Grand Prix in 2023. If I'm not mistaken. Here's how FIA rated Joe Guan Yu's performance in that race. It's been a year since Joe won points in Formula One, and he well guarded his position to the end and ensured that Salberg avoid their second pointless season in their history. What Joe Guan Yu said after that race was also impressive. He said, "Nobody remembers your first race, but everybody remembers your last race." So I wanted to enjoy as much as I could for the remaining races for the team and put myself in the best way possible, leaving the grid for next year and waiting for a comeback. I will take every opportunity to come back for a seat. I'm sure when the chances here I will do a much better job. I can feel the confidence and determination in this driver to return to the grid, to return to the paddock. And I just personally believe it's not the final year for Joe Guan Yu in his Formula One career, and I'm quite optimistic about his potential in the sport. I mean, opportunities are always present to those who are prepared in this case. I think Joe Guan Yu is that prepared guy, and that race in Carter just solidified my belief in this driver. Tian Yu, what does that race tell you about Joe Guan Yu and his future in the sport? - Well, first of all, congratulations to Joe for gaining the first points of the year in the grid. It's really been a rough patch for him this season, knowing that the Salberg team will be taken over by Audi in 2026. The team kind of just tanked and stopped their investment in upgrading their cars. And also with the new sponsor taking over the team, Joe was told that he wants to get a seat in next year's races. And that just sounded like a nightmare for me. - Yeah, but despite all these adversities, Joe managed to shake off all the negative factors against him. He fought really hard in a race. There was a lot of fighting, a lot of overtaking and blocking, and so that he managed to retain the hard one eighth place and kept it till the end. So grabbing the first points as well as the driver of the day title, which he really deserved to win. - So scoring points every season during his three years stay in F1, I think this result is already good enough for him to walk away the grid with pride. And I think not only did he prove how underrated a driver he was, he also turned out to be a very good and likable human being. 'Cause even though he had to suffer a lot of malfunctions of the car and absurdly long pit stops in the races and a car that literally doesn't perform at all, - Yet you'll never see him lose his temper, right? - Yeah, he didn't even complain once about his team or his car and his situation. And the moment-- - I would have liked that though. I kind of like seeing the drivers throw their toys out the cots and start screaming and fighting with the engineers. I would have liked to have seen that actually. But Tiana, I definitely agree with you today. I mean, in those post match, post race comments and everything like that, he definitely showcased confidence. But beyond that, I think what you're saying there, Tiana, he definitely showed humility. And I think that's what makes him such a likable guy is that he is a very talented, successful young man and a very famous young man and a big celebrity in China and young and rich and good looking and he's got a lot of good things going for him. But he is incredibly humble and just seems to have his feet on the ground and still be down to earth. And that's at that level, it's pretty remarkable. - Yeah, that's hard to see in an F1 driver nowadays. And the moment he won the first points of the season after the race, he thanked his team first. I mean, if I were him, I would be whining about how poor the car is after every race, after all, the contract is over, right? So yeah, jokes aside, I think he has proved to be a much better driver than the results has shown this season. - Right, yeah. - Yeah, Joe Guan, you must be proud of himself after that race. But I would say the biggest drama this season must be coming from the title race between Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lendu Nairis. Everyone was expecting Max Verstappen's dominance once again this season, but McLaren just came from nowhere and stand the defending champion. We talked about how Red Bull suffered a mid-season drop and decline, but I guess it's the right time to think about what happened to McLaren, where they came up short, when it mattered most in the title race. Brandon, what do you think? - Look, I think there's a couple of reasons. I think the overwhelming factor for me is definitely Red Bull's early season dominance, which I think was incredibly important, especially when it came to the tail end of the season when Max Verstappen and Red Bull were kind of able to relatively successfully overcome their mid-season slump. I mean, you know, Morris and Piestries, you know, they were, like you said, they were still in mid-season, but you know, I think ultimately, McLaren's car development also lagged behind Red Bull's a little bit, particularly when it came to high speed circuits. And again, like we've already mentioned, Verstappen's unparalleled consistency and Red Bull's exceptional reliability from the early stages of the season. I think that was really, really massive for them. There were a couple of other factors. I know a couple of, you know, if one experts have pointed out some McLaren's occasional strategy miscalculations at critical points in the season. And I think that cost them valuable points, especially considering that the race, I mean, when the season race was so, so close. But ultimately, I think a couple of those factors combined with the resurgence of Red Bull and Verstappen in particular, I think it was just very, very difficult to overcome. But that being said, I think going into 2025, Verstappen and Red Bull will definitely have the, you know, their head over their shoulder and kind of see what the likes of McLaren in particular and potentially Ferrari are doing, particularly with the loss of Adrian Newey and, you know, a couple of things happening at Red Bull, you know, and changes happening. I think that, look, we've already mentioned that 2024 was very exciting, but I think next season is going to be even more dramatic. And I think there's a couple of teams of individuals we really need to keep our eyes on. - Right. Can you McLaren clearly got the edge in their pace? And they got two very consistent drivers, I would say. But what led to their failure to dethrone next to Verstappen in the title race? - Well, yeah, I think McLaren has been doing great in a middle season. They upgraded their cars to an amazingly fast speeds and their drivers, Norris and Piaestri have been doing great and showed their potential in a pursuit of the driver's title. But I think the very turning point should begin in the Austin Grand Prix in October. That was a very intense race. The two Ferrari drivers managed to win the first two positions. But all the spotlight was on Verstappen and Norris as they were the closest contenders vying for the driver's title. By then Verstappen hadn't won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in June, but he still had a 52 points ahead of the second place, the Norris. And knowing the fact that he would close the gap with this race when facing a Verstappen who was not in his best performance, Norris was fighting very fiercely with Verstappen throughout the race. They were battling for a better position throughout all the time. But on lap 52 where Norris attempted an outside overtake on Verstappen. Verstappen forced Norris beyond track limits and also crossed the white lines himself. And Norris ultimately passed Verstappen off track but did not give back the position. Although he initially finished in third place ahead of Verstappen, the stewards handed him a five second penalty for overtaking beyond track limits, dropping him to the fourth place. I would say there are still some gaps in terms of driver's experience and decision-making ability between Verstappen and Norris. I think in scales or techniques, maybe Norris didn't have much to learn from Verstappen, but I think he would definitely draw a lesson from the incident he had in the race. Maybe he should pay more attention to the details and just remain calm at critical moments. - Yeah, it's these details that decided Max Verstappen's success in the sport. I mean, when you are targeting the defending champion, you need to wait for the best moment to hunt when he's the most vulnerable. But clearly Norris didn't achieve that. - Yeah, he was not a predator. - Yeah, he was in a rush in that particular moment. I guess this title contention will extend further into next season and maybe Ferrari will join in the race. 2024 is a fantastic season for Formula One, a lot of memories and highlights on and off the track. It makes me wonder how 2025 season would go and what future does it hold for Joe Guanyu in the sport. - But with that, we end this episode of Sideline Story. Thank you so much for joining us. Subscribe to Sideline Story wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information, you can also check our website, radio.cgtn.com. See you next time. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)