This has been one of the better F1 seasons in recent memory, and also really drives home that the constructors championship is a true team sport. Without a good second driver (cough: Perez) there’s only so much a single great driver can do.
It works both way though, more equal team mates means your team mate takes wins off you. Charles has lost one race result to Carlos, Lewis one to George, and Lando has lost two to Oscar. Thats just the wins as well.
Sure the extra points from two wins for Lando isnt going to magically close the gap to Max at this point, but what if the situation was reversed and Max had been the one to lose a couple of wins to Checo early on in the season? Lando might have been within 20 points (ish) by this point.
It also means the teams primary focus is on the number one driver for development and strategy. Red Bull only made changes when Max complained and not when Checo complained and was clearly struggling more than normal.
I am not advocating teams having such a clear number one and two as at Red Bull, I personally cannot stand Micheal’s Ferrari years because of this, but it does have clear benefits for the drivers championship.
This has been one of the better F1 seasons in recent memory, and also really drives home that the constructors championship is a true team sport. Without a good second driver (cough: Perez) there’s only so much a single great driver can do.
It works both way though, more equal team mates means your team mate takes wins off you. Charles has lost one race result to Carlos, Lewis one to George, and Lando has lost two to Oscar. Thats just the wins as well.
Sure the extra points from two wins for Lando isnt going to magically close the gap to Max at this point, but what if the situation was reversed and Max had been the one to lose a couple of wins to Checo early on in the season? Lando might have been within 20 points (ish) by this point.
It also means the teams primary focus is on the number one driver for development and strategy. Red Bull only made changes when Max complained and not when Checo complained and was clearly struggling more than normal.
I am not advocating teams having such a clear number one and two as at Red Bull, I personally cannot stand Micheal’s Ferrari years because of this, but it does have clear benefits for the drivers championship.
Such a shame they’re binning the ground effect formula so quickly but I do have high hopes for 2025 being an all timer