ESPN’s F1 end-of-season awards: the best and worst of 2024

The final chapters of the 2024 Formula 1 season were written weeks ago. The FIA’s awards ceremony took place earlier this month. With the calendar about to turn to 2025, though, now is the perfect time for ESPN’s end-of-season awards.

Who was this year’s best driver? (That one shouldn’t be too difficult to predict.) Who were the disappointments? (Many to choose from.) What were the most feel-good moments? (Again, take your pick.)

Without further ado, we present ESPN’s 2024 F1 end-of-season awards.

Best driver: Verstappen

This year was a textbook in how to claim a championship. Max Verstappen won with a dominant car at the start of the year but his title was won in the middle of the season while the Red Bull became erratic to drive. Verstappen did not win for 10 straight races — only four of which saw him on the podium — but he never finished lower than sixth. His standout season marks him out as the benchmark the rest are measured against once again.

Best feel-good moment: Leclerc at Monaco, Hamilton at Silverstone

A tie might be a cop-out, but in a year of feel-good moments, it was hard to separate these two. Charles Leclerc ending his Monaco curse was a special moment; check out Alex Jacques’ commentary for F1 TV or Carlo Vanzini’s for Sky Sport Italia for added goosebumps. Lewis Hamilton’s first win in more than two years at Silverstone was also special, with the seven-time world champion choking up on the radio as the victory sunk in.

Biggest disappointment: Ricciardo

After the hype around his comeback last year and the prospect of a return to Red Bull, it was difficult watching Daniel Ricciardo’s second F1 chance slip away from him this year. The 35-year-old Australian had a slow start to the year and, when his form showed some signs of improvements, RB’s car was slipping away from where it had been. The looming presence of Liam Lawson ultimately quickened his exit at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Most improved: McLaren

McLaren‘s step forward in 2024 was remarkable. Until this season, McLaren had one win in 12 years. This year they finished with six wins and the constructors’ championship. After a slow start, McLaren’s Miami upgrade was a total game-changer and turned the season on its head. Winning both titles in 2025 seems a tantalising possibility.

Worst driver: Sergeant

Williams’ season was a difficult one, and while it has a number of problems, Logan Sergeant’s contribution to the repair bill was a big one. The 23-year-old Floridian had a lot of goodwill within in the sport to find a turnaround, but it never came. Aseries of bizarre crashes, including at Suzuka, underlined his struggles.

Best team: Ferrari

It wasn’t the best all year, but Ferrari finished strongly and managed to become an unlikely contender in the constructors’ championship. The Scuderia won five races and, unlike McLaren, did not obviously squander any over the course of the season. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur has that outfit purring, which is exciting going into Hamilton’s first year in red.

Cringiest moment: ‘Papaya rules’

McLaren’s bungled rules of engagement at the Italian Grand Prix opened the door for Ferrari to win, but also gave us one of the worst phrases we’ve heard in F1 for a while. “Papaya rules” seemed overly complicated for a situation where one driver was the clear championship contender and the other was not.

Unsung hero: Hülkenberg

Nico Hülkenberg was one of the standout drivers in 2024, with 41 of Haas’ 58 points this year coming from his car. The team finished seventh in the constructors’ championship largely on the back of his efforts, and it would likely have been sixth were it not for Alpine’s unexpected double podium in Brazil toward the end of the year.

Best drive: Verstappen, Brazilian Grand Prix

No contest. Verstappen’s Interlagos performance might end up being his career-defining drive. Taking the win while starting from 17th on the grid always looks good, but multiple factors made this special. The 27-year-old Dutchman made a mockery of supposedly treacherous conditions, for one thing, but most of all, this victory was pivotal in him winning his fourth world championship, sapping the momentum from Lando Norris and putting the Red Bull No. 1 on the verge of the title heading into Vegas.

Dumbest moment: Stroll in the Brazilian gravel

Lance Stroll spinning out all on his own before one of the Interlagos restarts was bizarre; what followed next was just embarrassing. The 26-year-old Canadian turned his car around and drove straight ahead into a gravel trap, immediately beaching his Aston Martin. An F1 driver of eight years’ experience should know better.

Best race: Azerbaijan Grand Prix

This could have been Brazil, but Baku was a thrilling multi-driver fight for victory and an event that seemed to swing back and forth throughout. It was a well-deserved second win for Oscar Piastri.

Breakout star: Colapinto

Franco Colapinto could have walked down the paddock earlier in the year and not turned any heads, but he became a superstar in his homeland of Argentina after impressing early in his Williams stint as Sargeant’s replacement. He lost some steam late on and does not have a race drive for 2025, but Colapinto surely will make his way back to the grid at some point.

Biggest bombshell: Hamilton to Ferrari

It might have been before a wheel had been turned, but it’s hard to beat: After 12 years with Mercedes, and six years with Mercedes-powered McLaren before that, Hamilton announced on Feb. 1 that he will join Ferrari in 2025. It will be fascinating watching how the move plays out.

Source: espn.com