Five Formula One drivers will be battling it out for spots in 2024.
If teams can close the gap on Red Bull, the 2024 Formula One season promises to be an exciting one.
That being said, there’s one more aspect of the upcoming season that everyone will be closely monitoring.
There’s a lot of curiosity about the future of over ten drivers whose contracts expire in the next year.
Should teams ultimately undergo drastic changes? Given how many contracts expire at the end of the 2024 Formula One season, it is very likely.
That being stated, our focus in this piece is on the drivers who have a sword hanging over their heads and must perform in order to maintain their positions.
These drivers are who? Let’s examine this.
1. Red Bull’s Sergio PerezThe 2023 Formula One season has seen Sergio Perez constantly watching himself since it seems that the Red Bull team’s lack of flexibility has affected his results.
Perez did manage to save his spot for the 2024 Formula One season, but this does not guarantee that he will remain in the sport.
Conversely, there are rumors that Red Bull is closely monitoring the Mexican’s performance and may plan to bring in a replacement if he doesn’t work out. Perez moves into the 2024.
2. Guanyu Zhou (Sauber F1)
Many questioned the team that would have expanded Audi’s ownership’s decision to cling onto Guanyu Zhou.
Zhou has been a consistent presence around the paddock for the past two years, but not many people are really inspired by his decision. He hasn’t demonstrated the ability to win a world championship as a driver, and to be fair, it’s not ideal if he keeps losing against an aged Valtteri Bottas.
In summary, Zhou must demonstrate exceptional performance if he want to hold onto his Sauber spot into 2024.
3.Williams & Sargeant, Logan
It is commonly known that Williams and the other members of the team were at odds over Logan Sargeant’s seat.
However, Sargeant will already know that this does not guarantee that things will be any simpler in 2024.
On the other hand, things become more difficult since Sargeant has the ability to do significantly better than he has thus far; it all relies on how he goes versus Alex Albon in the upcoming season. Are undoubtedly possibilities Williams can use to fill that seat.
#4 F1 Sauber Valtteri BottasThe past several years have seen a disclosure on Valtteri Bottas’ off-track behavior.
Apart from the pressure of leading the Mercedes team, Bottas has shown off a brand-new side (not to mention the just released calendar).
His driving, however, has not been particularly impressive throughout.Sauber selected him to achieve the kind of performance the car is capable of.
Still, Bottas has not taken advantage of many opportunities, even though the car has also regressed.
Bottas ought to be making more of an impact as a seasoned Formula One driver.
And when his contract expires at the end of the following season, he’ll need to demonstrate to the team something that will further strengthen the team’s faith in him.
4. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri), number fiveAlthough attention has been directed towards Sergio Perez in order to ensure that he improves, Daniel Ricciardo is undoubtedly in the most significant session of his career.
In order to convince Red Bull that he is capable of competing with the main squad, he must perform in the 2024 Formula One season. If he doesn’t, one has to wonder how driven he will be to keep racing a vehicle that will most likely never be competitive at the front of the grid.
For Ricciardo, the 2024 Formula One season is vital, and he intends to maximize it.