It's been some time since we've witnessed a start to the season with such incredible shifts and
moves all before the cars actually hit the track. 2023 left us wondering how the grid, teams, staff and more would change, if at all, with the anticipated 2026 regulation change just over the horizon with huge ramifications predicted. Most would assume minimal changes going into 2024 with every driver having a contract in place and teams for the most part settled from the recent shifts in 2022/2023.
Well that was absolutely the wrong assumption to make because just about every team has witnessed a seismic shift of unparalleled magnitude in the weeks following the end of 2023. Truly nothing could have prepared fans for the announcements that came leading up to the launch of 2024! DCMC has collected the biggest headlines here as a primer for the start of the season to catch you up, just in case you missed something, and to be fair there was a TON that happened with more to come:
Haas says goodbye to Gunther Steiner
In a shocking move to many, Gene Haas announced that the decade long service of Team Principal, Gunther Steiner, would not be returning to his post in 2024. As a long term player in F1, Gunther made a huge name for himself and Haas over his tenure. Notable as one of the stars in Drive to Survive for this antics and zero filter when discussing the difficulties of managing an F1 team on a shoestring budget, his presence was that of humor and self deprecation. His position will now be filled by former Haas Trackside Technical Director, Ayao Komatsu who will bring engineering to the helm of the team. This loss of such a huge personality will be felt by all F1 fans and Gunther will be missed. Will this usher in a new ear for Haas? Is the team on the precipice of a more competitive season? All we know is nobody will ever Fock-Smash a door the same way...
Andretti Refused F1 Entry
When the news first broke that the FIA would be entertaining bids for an 11th team on the grid, I think we all knew this was in some way a response to the drum beat of Andretti wanting into the elite racing series. As the racing powerhouse dynasty of Mario Andreddit (WDC '78), his son Michael (F1, Mclaren), and other sons/grandsons/nephews/cousins/etc, the family has proven over decades and multiple disciplines that Andretti Global is ready for the big show. Having multiple Indy 500 wins, Formula E championships, Indycar Championships, an F1 World Driver Championship, and countless other wins, podiums and accolades to their names... F1 believes that they Andretti would benefit more from F1 then F1 would benefit from them. Its incredibly frustrating to see greed be a determining factor for team entries (especially when GM/Cadillac is already gearing up to be an engine supplier in 2028 to work with Andretti). Who knows when we will get an 11th or 12th team back on the grid like the early 2000's but we know Andretti is going to keep on fighting for their spot. As they should.
LEWIS HAMILTON TO FERRARI IN 2025!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about burying the lead... In a leaked report, it was revealed that Lewis Hamilton would be moving to Ferrari to finish his career under the banner of the Italian icon. It would appear that Fred Vesseur may have been the greatest Team Principal shakeup that Ferrari has ever witnessed. Hamilton has expressed that not driving for Ferrari was a bit of let down, although who could blame him for staying with Merc, they gave him 7 championship winning cars. This move feels unprecedented. The timing feels rushed as well, coming just days before the 2024 car launch probably made some things awkward in the garage. The looming power vacuum with a top 3 team seems to be making the already insane 2024 silly season feel even more insane. The chess board is wide open for monumental shifts in driver line ups (not to mention Carlos Sainz is now out of a drive for 2025...) This may very well be the turbo hybrid era's Prost/Senna moment, remembered fondly for its gravitas, and also the most OP team line up one could imagine a the time.
Driver Contract: 2024
With the exception of Max, Lewis, Leclare, Norris, Piastri and Albon (I guess Stroll too, insert intense eye roll), every driver contract is up at the end of 2024... thats 13 divers. There is no way to anticipate what will happen, but good lord silly season is about to get wild. Mclaren looks like the only team to be locked up with every other team primed for at least one move. Ferrari jumped the gun, but all in all, 2025 will have a very different grid. Will F2 champions finally get a shot in F1? Will we see a woman on track? Only time will tell.
There are so many more stories ongoing and developing that it really is impossible to catch it all here, but rest assured we will keep this space open for more to come.
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