2024 F1 drivers and teams | Bearman steps in for Sainz in Jeddah

Bearman to replace ill Sainz in Saudi Arabia

Updated: Friday 8^th March at 11:35. F2 racer Oliver Bearman will replace Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari for the rest of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the Spaniard was diagnosed with appendicitis.

Sainz will be forced to undergo surgery, in a similar manner to the way that Alex Albon was ruled out of the Italian Grand Prix in 2022. He will be replaced by 18-year-old British Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman, who took pole position for the feature race in F2 qualifying on Thursday.

Bearman will take over from FP3 on Friday and forego the two rounds of the F2 championship scheduled for this weekend to make his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia.

As a result, the Prema team has withdrawn the pole-winning F2 car from the reaminder of the weekend.

Haas F1 announces Oliver Bearman as reserve driver for 2024

Updated: Thursday 1^st February. Oliver Bearman, member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, will take up duty as reserve driver for both Ferrari and Haas F1 in 2024.

The 18-year-old will be on standby for the team to fill in for one of either Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen should the need arise, alongside his commitments in Formula 2 where he will race once again for Prema.

In his new role as Haas reserve driver, Bearman will have the opportunity to take part in six Free Practice sessions throughout the 2024 season at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Spanish Grand Prix, British Grand Prix, Hungarian Grand Prix, Mexico City Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

He’ll be looking to build on the experience he gained in 2023, where he drove for Ferrari in Practice for both the Mexico City and Aby Dhabi Grands Prix.

Bearman joins the Haas team alongside Pietro Fittipaldi, who continues his role as reserve driver from 2023.

AlphaTauri to be renamed Visa Cash App RB for 2024

Updated: Wednesday 24^th January. After months of speculation, finally it’s been confirmed that Red Bull’s second team, formerly known first as Scuderia Toro Rosso, and then as AlphaTauri, will be rebranded yet again as Visa Cash App RB from the 2024 F1 season.

Catchy it is not, but lucrative? It certainly looks as though this is a big money deal, because the Visa brand is not only providing the name for the former AlphaTauri outfit, but has also signed on as a global partner for parent Red Bull.

As a result, the Visa logo will feature on all four Red Bull cars in 2024, and the Visa colours will also be used for Red Bull’s F1 Academy entrant this season.

Drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda return to the newly named Visa Cash App RB team in 2024, and the livery for the new partnership will be revealed on 8^th February.

Guenther Steiner leaves Haas

Updated: Wednesday 10^th January. After ten years at the helm, Guenther Steiner has left his role as Team Principal of Haas F1 after his contract was not renewed for the 2024 season.

He was part of the initial effort to set up the Haas team, which eventually made its F1 debut 2016, and has held the position as Team Principal for all of its eight years in the sport to date.

In the past five seasons, Haas has finished no higher than eighth in the constructors’ championship. The team finished tenth and last in 2021 and 2023, and even a move to the more experienced driver pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen did little to boost its prospects.

Team owner Gene Haas said: “It came down to performance. I’m not sitting here saying it’s Guenther’s fault, or anything like that, but it just seems like this was an appropriate time to make a change and try a different direction”

“At the end of the day, it’s about performance. I have no interest in being tenth anymore.” He adds, “I can’t understand how we can be with all the equipment and people we have.”

Ayao Komatsu, previously an engineering director for the team, will step up to fill the role of Team Principal from the 2024 season.

Sauber team rebrands as Stake F1 Team

Updated: Thursday 4^th January. The Sauber team that has raced under many guises in its 30-year history will compete as Stake F1 Team for the 2024 season.

Following the departure of Alfa Romeo, which lent its name to the team from 2019 to the end of 2023, questions were raised over what Sauber would do while it awaits the incoming takeover by Audi in 2026. Previously, in the wake of its partnership with BMW, the team reverted to its Sauber identity, but this time it has taken on the name of a key sponsor in Stake.

The full name of the team will be Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, but it will known from day-to-day as Stake. Kick, the other prime sponsor of the team, has claimed the naming rights for the chassis for the next two seasons. The 2024 car will be called the Kick Sauber C44.

Logan Sargeant retains his seat at Williams

Logan Sargeant has been confirmed as the final piece in the puzzle for the 2024 F1 grid. Williams announced he had retained his drive alongside Alex Albon after a challenging rookie season.

His place in the sport appeared to be under sever pressure through the second half of the season as he struggled to get to grips with his car in the face of a barrage of speed from his hugely impressive team-mate.

He was outqualified 22-0 by Albon in 2023, and scored only a single point at the US Grand Prix at COTA. But Williams, led by Team Principal James Vowles, had seen enough to offer Sargeant another season to prove himself.

*Name to be confirmed

Tsunoda and Ricciardo to race for AlphaTauri in 2024

Updated 25 September 2023 at 11:19: Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo will race in Formula 1 for Scuderia AlphaTauri in 2024. The pair have been team-mates at Red Bull’s junior team since AlphaTauri released previous driver Nyck De Vries following the British Grand Prix.

After De Vries got his marching orders former Red Bull driver, and eight-time Grand Prix winner, Ricciardo joined as Tsunoda’s team-mate. Ricciardo has missed the last four races, and probably Qatar as well, after breaking his wrist in practice for the Dutch Grand Prix.

His spot has been filled by Liam Lawson, who has impressed in his time in Formula 1 so far, but not, it seems, enough to win the seat full-time. The decision means that Tsunoda will remain with AlphaTauri for a fourth F1 season. The Japanese has a highest finish of fourth – in the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and currently has three points to his name in 2023.

Piastri remains with McLaren in F1 until 2026

Updated Friday 22 September at 15:21: Oscar Piastri will race in Formula 1 until at least the end of the 2026 season after signing a new multi-year deal with McLaren. 

The Australian youngster, the subject of a legal wrangle between Alpine and McLaren last season, has faced a much simpler task in securing his seat for a second season in F1. Piastri has impressed with his performances for McLaren this year, often running more experienced team-mate Lando Norris close.

His current deal already included the 2024 season, but McLaren has moved quickly to include two more years after six points finishes which included fighting Max Verstappen for victory in the Belgian Sprint.

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella said: “It’s fantastic to confirm that Oscar has signed a multi-year extension with the team.

“Oscar is an asset to McLaren and constantly impresses with his performance, work ethic and attitude, so it was an easy decision for the team to make.

“He has already proved pivotal to the team, so it’s brilliant to have his vote of confidence as we push to win championships again in the future. I look forward to seeing him develop with us as we continue this journey together.”

Zhou returns to Sauber F1 for 2024

Updated: Thursday 14th September at 14:50.  Zhou Guanyu will continue to race in Formula 1 with Sauber after agreeing a new contract with the Swiss team that currently races under the Alfa Romeo name.

The news means that the team’s line-up will remain unchanged for a third consecutive season, with Zhou’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas already signed to a multi-year deal that ends next year.

While both will race for the same team, the name of that team for next season remains to be seen. Alfa Romeo will end its title sponsorship of Sauber at the end of the 2023 F1 season, following the team’s purchase by Audi. With the Audi name not set to enter F1 until 2026, when new engine regulations will arrive, it’s unclear at the moment what name Sauber will use in 2024 or 2025. We at GRR would be all for a return to the historic Swiss fan favourite.

Hamilton and Russell stay with Mercedes until 2025

Updated: Thursday 31^st August 2023 at 16:00. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have signed contracts to remain at Mercedes until the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the team has announced.

Hamilton’s contract had been due to run out at the end of this season, but both Hamilton and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had made positive noises about the eight-time world champion staying for longer. Russell was believed to already have a contract for 2024, but this has been extended by an extra year.

The confirmation leaves only four spaces left to be confirmed for 2024. One at Alfa Romeo/Sauber, two at the soon-to-be-renamed AlphaTauri team, and one at Williams.

Who will be racing at Red Bull?

Let’s start with the 2021, 2022 and (most likely) 2023 world drivers’ champion, Max Verstappen. Unless he has a massive brain flash and decides he’s had enough of F1, he’ll be racing at Red Bull in 2023. His team-mate Sergio Pérez also has a contract but we can never be totally sure with Red Bull can we? Should his form not pick up in the coming races, anything could happen, especially with the looming form of Daniel Ricciardo waiting in the wings at AlphaTauri. 

Will Mercedes and Ferrari keep the same drivers in F1 2024?

This one feels almost certain to be the case. In fact, there’s only one of these four drivers yet to be under contract, and we know that negotiations to renew Sir Lewis Hamilton’s contract for next year are well underway. George Russell’s contracted until 2024 and, given he is a long-term project for the team, he’ll more than likely to stay.

At Ferrari, both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. have contracts in place for the 2024 season. That said, unless Ferrari ups its game soon, its hungry drivers (both who see themselves as potential champions) could be turned should an ambitious team come knocking.

Is Fernando Alonso staying in F1 in 2024?

The double F1 champion has a contract with Aston Martin to the end of 2024 and will most likely honour at least that. He has stated that beyond 2024 he only plans on signing single year deals until he’s ready to quit. But given the performance of the Aston Martin F1 car in 2023, and the way Alonso seems to have integrated himself into the team, it seems unlikely he’ll move.

His team-mate Lance Stroll does not have a contract for 2024 at the moment, however his father owns the team and bought into it in part to secure Lance’s F1 future there. Nevertheless, Lawrence Stroll has hinted that he wouldn’t put Lance above the health of the company, so if Stroll Jr.’s form doesn’t pick up (Alonso’s comprehensively outperformed the Canadian in 2023) don’t be 100 per cent sure he’s staying.

What about Williams and Alpine in F1?

Alex Albon is contracted to remain at Williams until the end of next season and has stated that he is happy with his role at the legendary British team. If it can keep up its promising early trajectory under new boss James Vowles there should be no reason for Albon to leave. But his performances have been eye-catching in the lacklustre blue machine, and other teams have been watching. His team-mate for 2024 is yet to be confirmed. Rookie Logan Sargent is currently in the seat, but is yet to truly convince. Whether he gets a new contract is yet to be seen.

Alpine on the other hand has both of its drivers tied up to contracts until the end of 2024. Esteban Ocon has been with the team for a long time now, and it would seem odd for him to be let go. Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly was a high level pick to bring in from the Red Bull family. The bigger question is now over the future of the team. The chaos in the background, with team boss Otmar Szafnauer departing along with several others, has led to speculation on Renault’s commitment to F1. Should its Le Mans programme bear fruit faster you wonder if the plug might be pulled on F1 again.

What will Alfa Romeo Sauber be called next year?

We don’t know. The deal for the team to be named Alfa Romeo ends at the end of 2023 and it won’t become Audi until 2026. So there’s a two-season gap to be filled before the German giant joins F1. Could it race as Sauber for a couple more seasons or will a big-name sponsor come in temporarily?

Either way, Valtteri Bottas will be in the new car, which will still use Ferrari engines. What we don’t know is who his team-mate will be. Zhou Guanyu has blown a little hot and cold in his short F1 career so far, impressing at times, but also struggling to match his more experienced team-mate. That said, with the Alfa struggling for pace in 2023, Zhou is just a point behind Bottas and has finished in the points as many times. Time will tell if that is enough for the Chinese driver.

What about AlphaTauri and Haas?

To start with, AlphaTauri F1 will no longer exist after the end of 2023. The AlphaTauri name is due to be replaced, with early speculation suggesting that the team will be called ‘Hugo Boss Bulls Racing’ in 2024. Yep. No comment. 

This is all part of a realignment of AlphaTauri following the death of Red Bull’s founder Dietrich Mateschitz. The drinks company has elected to keep AlphaTauri rather than sell it, but is moving some of its functions to the UK to be closer to the main Red Bull team. 

Yuki Tsunoda appears to have shown enough in 2023 to be expected to return in 2024, even though he doesn’t have a contract for the new season. Who will be alongside him is a trickier question. Daniel Ricciardo is currently in that seat, but will obviously have ambitions on the drive at the top, as will Tsunoda. The future of those Hugo Boss Bulls Racing seats in many ways depend on the future of Sergio Pérez.

Haas F1 has confirmed both of its current drivers will return in 2024, which makes sense. Nico Hülkenberg has impressed strongly since he returned to F1. Showcasing the speed that led many to think he was a future world champion through the junior formula. Kevin Magnussen is a part of the furniture at Haas, even though he was given a year away in 2021. His return galvanised the team last year and his pole in Brazil will live long in the memory. That said, his form in 2023 has been iffy at best, with Hülkenberg clearly on top of the Haas tree, so Magnussen might need to up his game if he plans on remaining into 2025.

Will Lando Norris stay at McLaren in 2024?

Yes. That’s the current answer. There really isn’t anywhere else for him to go at the moment. He’s a hot property in F1 but is sort of left in limbo until Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton decide they’ve had enough. That will be the main blocker on Lando moving to a team with championship aspirations.

His other problem at the moment is Oscar Piastri’s form. The Australian has impressed in his debut F1 season, even challenging for victory in the Sprint Race at Spa, and those performances did see some question Norris. The Brit’s recent podiums have helped to reassert him, but if Piastri keeps progressing, who knows where eyes will fall in the future. 

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.