2024 was supposed to be a monotonous season, but instead it is proving to be exciting and full of surprising races. In fact, if from Bahrain to China it almost seemed like we were witnessing a gray copy and paste of the 2023 season, Verstappen and Red Bull saw their advantage in terms of performance reduce considerably. This change led to an unexpected balance of forces, giving rise to races with an uncertain outcome until the final laps. But what were the most beautiful and exciting races of this first half of the championship? Let's discover together our top 3 most beautiful races seen before the F1 summer break.
Here are the top 3 races of a surprising 2024 championship
Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton and Piastri. Seven different winners from four different stables. An alternation in results that hasn't been seen for a long time. Who knows what the current situation would be like if tests were still allowed in the middle of the season. Ferrari, perhaps, would have noticed sooner the problems that arose with the introduction of the new solutions. However, the time of test drivers like Badoer and De la Rosa is over a long time ago, just as the suffocating dominance to which Red Bull had accustomed us seems to have ended. Despite everything, however, he sees himself as the leader in the drivers' classification Max Verstappen, who still accumulated seven victories and 277 points in the standings. Another story for the constructors' championship, which instead sees McLaren in very good shape and ready to undermine the leadership of the Austrian team.
Let's now move on to the three most exciting races of 2024 so far. From the Miami GP onwards, every event has been able to give something special to the fans. From the first two McLarens, namely the victories of Norris and Piastri, up to Leclerc's triumph in Monte Carlo. Furthermore, even before that, Carlos Sainz had won in Melbourne shortly after the appendicitis operation he suffered in Saudi Arabia. Many stories that Yawclub has already told and which, in one way or another, have made life difficult for all the fantasy managers involved with their team in FantaF1. In short, many interesting races with unpredictable outcomes. Three of these, however, left their mark the most.
3rd place: Verstappen wins a chaotic Canadian GP
The Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal has almost always seen hard-fought and spectacular races. This year too was no different. The weekend was completely compromised by the presence of rain, as was the start of the race. At the start, in fact, most drivers choose to proceed cautiously with intermediate tyres. All except two Haas, who, by mounting rain tyres, shoot away towards the top positions of the grid. The weather changes constantly, with the track quickly going from dry to wet. The race becomes dark for the Ferraris who both retire, while up front the fight is very close for the victory and the podium. After many pit stops, safety cars and contacts, Max Verstappen came out on top, managing to capitalize on an excellent result in a complicated moment for his team. Behind him on the podium Norris, with a very competitive McLaren, and George Russell's Mercedes.
2nd place: Russell surprises everyone with a great strategy in the Belgian GP
Pure Formula 1 as experienced by fans during the Belgian GP. Very often the races that remain closest in the memory of the latter are marked by accidents, mechanical unexpected events or upheavals due to the weather. Nothing of the sort happened in Belgium. A clean race with the sun shining on the F1 university. Contending for the victory are Mercedes, McLaren and Leclerc with Verstappen. The outcome remains uncertain until the end. It seems that another victory could materialize for Lewis Hamilton after Silverstone, but Oscar Piastri is arriving very quickly behind him and Charles Leclerc. None of them, at least on the track, will win the race. In fact, the difference is made by George Russell, who with a brilliant reading of the race, a different strategy from his rivals and great tire management, manages to win the grand prix remaining on just one stop. The spectators were left with bated breath, with the Mercedes number 63 closely followed by his teammate and Piastri's McLaren. In the end, unfortunately, all Russell's efforts were in vain, losing the race only after the podium celebration, with his car found to be underweight. The victory will in fact go to his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
1st place: Lewis Hamilton wins again in the Silverstone GP
At home, Lewis Hamilton made the difference. At a moment in the championship in which Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull are closer than ever in terms of performance, every detail can influence the final result. In these terms, the seven-time world champion's race was nothing short of perfect. He was able to impose himself on his teammate before Russell retired. He then drove his Mercedes with dry tires on a wet track in a masterly manner. Furthermore, in the final, he managed to hold off first Norris, the favorite on Friday for the victory, and then Max Verstappen, who finished second. Lewis' talent shined again, as did his ability to be fast in challenging weather conditions. A historic and heartbreaking victory for Lewis, who with this extraordinary performance closed the circle that opened in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
