Lewis Hamilton — 2024 season

Lewis Hamilton entered the 2024 Formula 1 season with Mercedes AMG F1 under a unique spotlight, his impending move to Ferrari for 2025 already announced. This marked his final year with the team that had delivered six of his seven world championships. The ground-effect era, characterized by tunnel-floor ground-effect regs, 18-inch wheels, and simplified aero, had proven challenging for Mercedes since its introduction in 2022, following Red Bull's dominance in 2022–2023. The expectation for 2024 was a field that had closed up, and Mercedes aimed to return to consistent front-running contention, providing Hamilton with a platform to add to his win tally before his departure.

How it played out

The early phase of the 2024 season proved difficult for Hamilton and Mercedes. Initial races saw him frequently outside the top six, with finishes like 7th in Bahrain and 9th in Saudi Arabia, Japan, and China. A power unit failure in Australia resulted in his first DNF of the year, underscoring the team's struggles with both performance and reliability. Qualifying often placed him further down the grid than accustomed, with an 18th-place start in China a notable low point.

A turning point began to emerge around the European leg of the calendar. Consistent points finishes in Miami (6th), Emilia Romagna (6th), and Monaco (7th) hinted at gradual improvements. The Canadian Grand Prix saw him climb to 4th, setting the stage for his first podium of the year in Spain, where he finished 3rd. This marked a significant shift, as the Mercedes W15 began to show more consistent pace.

Defining moments

Hamilton's season was punctuated by two standout victories that demonstrated his enduring capability. The first came at the British Grand Prix, a home win at Silverstone, where he secured 25 points. This was followed by another triumph at the Belgian Grand Prix. These wins, alongside a 3rd place in Hungary, showcased Mercedes' development efforts and Hamilton's ability to seize opportunities when the car provided the platform.

However, the season wasn't without its setbacks. A second DNF occurred at the United States Grand Prix, where he spun off on the opening lap. Despite this, a strong late-season performance saw him secure a 2nd-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, adding 18 points to his tally and proving he could still extract maximum performance when conditions aligned. Such fluctuations in performance were a hallmark of a season where the competitive order remained fluid, a contrast to the more stable performance seen in earlier years of the .