The five F1 drivers under the most pressure heading into 2024

With the 2024 F1 season fast approaching, here’s five drivers who are immediately under pressure going into the new campaign.
The five F1 drivers under the most pressure heading into 2024

Sergio Perez 

Unsurprisingly, the first driver under the most pressure heading into F1 2024 is 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sergio Perez.

While the Mexican did secure his best-ever championship finish in 2023 - runner-up behind 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen - it was arguably Perez’s worst season in F1.

It is important to a🅠cknowledge that while Perez does have a generational talent as his teammate, Perez isn’t doing himself any favours.

Perez’s form in the mid part of F1 2023 was beyond acceptable for a some൩one driving the most dominant car in the history of the sport🉐.

Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 Testing, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Tuesday.- www.xpbimages.com,
Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 Testing, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Tuesday…

Between Monaco and Brazil, Perez finished on the podium just four times - 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris for McLaren scored six top three finishes, as a comparison.&nbಞsp;

Th🥃e good news for Perez is that there’s🎶 no obvious replacement.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Daniel Ricciardo still needs to show he’s at the level required to take on Verstappen - so far alongside 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Yuki Tsunoda, he hasn’t been able to do so.

Norris is unlikely to leave a resurgent McLaren - plus is he going to want to go up against his best friend at 🦂this stage of his career?

Team boss Christian Horner says Perez’s future i🐟s in his o𒁏wn hands - and he’s right.

Logan Sargeant

For 2024, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Logan Sargeant was the 20th and final driver to be confirmed as a driver for the upcoming s💮eason.

Sargeant’s rookie season was underwhelming as he was whitewashed by teammate168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Alex Albon in qualifying.

Given t💝he lack of alternatives for Williams✅ to choose from, Sargeant being retained was ultimately inevitable. 

Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing on the grid. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina
Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing on the grid. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu…

With Williams seemingly on the rise in terms of pace, the team🎃 cannot afford to have another season where Sargeant struggles to score points.

If AlphaTauri had Ricciardo-Tsunoda as their line-up for the entirety of 2023, it’s probable Williams would have f♛inished behi🎃nd them.

With a seꦐcond year of experience underꦫ his belt, Sargeant should be better for it.

Zhou Guanyu

Even though Theo Pourchaire won the 2023 FIA Formula 2 title, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Zhou Guanyu was kept on alongside168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Valtteri Bottas.

Zhou’s lack of performance went under the radar in the latter part of the year, out-qualifying Bottas ju🍃st once aft♛er the summer break.

The Chinese driver seems to fare better in the race, and to his credit, rarely mak𓂃es major mistakes.

However, his ceiling doesn’t seem to be high enough to warrant a fourth season ෴on the F1 grid should he not get the better of Bottas more o💫ften.

Sauber🐽 have already called on Zhou to be “more consistent” in 2024.

Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team on the grid. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina
Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team on the grid. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu…

“In some conditions, it's been a struggle a bit more and we♏'re trying to understand what we can give him with the car and how we can work with the tyres, ju൲st to make sure he's more consistent," commented Sauber head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar.

“In some conditions, he is a bit more sensitive to what he is feeling. The differences are not big b⛦ut in terms of positions they are b💦ig, so we need to work on that for next year.

“There is no room for any small drop or mistake.”

A cynic may argue that Zhou was only retained because of the🅷 return of༺ the Chinese Grand Prix in April.

﷽Unfair, perhaps, but he has to improve a𒀰head of 2025.

Kevin Magnussen

While Haas did finish bottom of the constructors’ championship, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Kevin Magnussen endured a poor year in 2023.

Magnus🐈sen was consistently the slower of the two Haas drivers, particularly o൲ver one lap.

The Dane openly admitted the VF-23 did not suit his driving style, explaining the substantial deficit to 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Hulkenberg.

Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas VF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu
Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas VF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,…

Magnussen is a proven driver, and on his day, is capable of some standout drives, Miami 2023ꦬ for example.

But with Oliver Bearman potentially waiting in the wings 📖- the 18-year-old Brit is part of Ferrari’s driver academy - a change for 2025 is a no-brainer for Haas if he can secure the F2 title.

Daniel Ricciardo

The whole point of Ricciardo’s F1 comeback is to return to Red Bull - that’s why he’s under෴ immense pressure in 2024.

Ricciardo’s sole ambition is to return to 😼race-winning ma🔯chinery and end his F1 career driving for a top team.

2024 will ultimately define that.

Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) AlphaTauri AT04. Formula 1 Testing, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Tuesday.- www.xpbimages.com,
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) AlphaTauri AT04. Formula 1 Testing, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi,…

It’s hard to read what lev🧸el Ricciardo is at given that his comeback was disrupted by his wrist injury.

When he did come back, aside from Mexico, he and Tsunoda were🍌 evenl𓄧y-matched.

The amount of ℱpressure Perez is under will be determined by his own performances but also how well Ricc💫iardo is faring at AlphaTauri.

There’s an open goal for Ricciardo - let’s see if he c🅷🔜an take it.

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