Charles Leclerc hailed in four best drives of the 2024 season according to F1 experts

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Many Formula 1 drivers stood out through the 2024 season by producing impressive races in one Grand Prix, so F1 Oversteer’s expert writers have selected the four best.

This year marked the arrival on the big stage for many drivers with Lando Norris becoming a Grand Prix winner for the first time in Miami. His McLaren partner Oscar Piastri also won his first Grand Prix in Hungary and the papaya crew won their first constructors’ title since 1998.

Norris also emerged as a title contender for the first time in Formula 1 but he ultimately lost out to Max Verstappen due largely to the Red Bull driver’s early-season dominance. The Brit even blew a big chance as Verstappen charged through from P17 on the grid to win in Brazil.

Verstappen’s 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix win from P17 was one of the best drives of the year, albeit helped by his F1 rivals’ refusal to defend the inside line into Turn 1. But he was not the only racer to stand out over a season which saw Lewis Hamilton say goodbye to Mercedes.

So, with that in mind, our team of expert writers at F1 Oversteer have shared their thoughts on which drivers produced the single-best Grand Prix display of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Franco Colapinto left his calling card in just his second F1 race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kyle Archer: “It would be easy to say that Max Verstappen produced the best single drive of the 2024 Formula 1 season with the Red Bull pilot’s rise from P17 on the grid to win the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. But the only truly exceptional act in his performance was the opening lap.

“Verstappen got a steady launch as Oliver Bearman struggled before also passing teammate Sergio Perez into Turn 1. The Dutchman, who inherited two spots with others failing to start, then took advantage of the extra grip on the outside line for T3 to gain a further two places.

“But as other drivers then refused to defend into T1 and Verstappen benefitted from the red flag to make a free pit stop, his victory in Brazil should not be viewed as the best drive of the 2024 F1 season. Instead, the best drive of the 2024 F1 season was Franco Colapinto in Baku.

“Williams only promoted Colapinto up from Formula 2 to make his sudden and unexpected F1 debut in the Italian Grand Prix, just one round prior to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But the Argentine seldom seemed out of place on a Formula 1 grid around the quick streets of Baku.

“Colapinto did not look like an F1 driver in the making amidst his rookie season in F2 earlier in 2024. He only penned one Sprint Race win at Imola over 20 F2 races. Yet Colapinto would qualify in P9 – and start P8 – as teammate Alex Albon took P10 for his 98th Grand Prix start.

“Reaching Q3 for the Azerbaijan GP was even more remarkable given Colapinto had crashed in FP1. His weekend at a track the Buenos Aries native had never driven got off to the worst start possible when Colapinto made a ‘rookie mistake’ to smash into the wall exiting Turn 4.

“But he responded in the best way possible as Colapinto proved he deserved a seat in F1 at the Azerbaijan GP, and he also went on to help Albon secure Williams a double-points finish. Colapinto even eclipsed the career F1 points total of the driver he replaced, Logan Sargeant.

“Sargeant only ever scored one fortuitous point across his 37 Grand Prix entries for Williams when Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified at the 2023 United States Grand Prix. Yet Colapinto took four points in his second Grand Prix entry at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP.

“Colapinto briefly fell out of the points after being the first driver to pit in normal conditions, and also later slipped to P11 as Albon and Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg came through. But he kept calm and Colapinto overtook Hulkenberg on L49 of 51 to move into the points-paying spots.

“Passing Hulkenberg when he did proved to be key, as Perez and Carlos Sainz crashed on the penultimate lap of the 2024 Azerbaijan GP to ensure that it finished under Virtual Safety Car conditions. Their collision also put Colapinto further into the points in P8 behind Albon.”

Nico Hulkenberg dazzled as Lewis Hamilton stole the headlines at the 2024 British Grand Prix

Ben Evans: “Lewis Hamilton stole the headlines at Silverstone this year as he ended his long wait for another F1 race victory in front of his home crowd in his final season for Mercedes.

“However, further down the grid, Nico Hulkenberg secured his second sixth-place finish of the season at the British Grand Prix and the Haas star catapulted himself into the top 10 of the drivers’ Championship.

“Martin Brundle described Hulkenberg as extraordinary during the race at Silverstone. After the 2025 Sauber driver also qualified ahead of Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso, Hulkenberg was thoroughly deserving of the plaudits the German was given.”

Esteban Ocon produced the greatest overachievement of 2024 in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

David Comerford: “Through the first 20 rounds of the season, no midfield driver had scored a podium finish this year. Instead, they were exclusively shared among the top four teams.

“The equalising effect of rain in F1 can be overstated, but there was so little grip in Brazil that driver talent genuinely came to the fore. And that’s what made the performance of Alpine driver Esteban Ocon in the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix so special.

“While teammate Pierre Gasly took 13th in qualifying, Ocon was fourth. There was no luck here – he earned this result on merit and briefly looked as if the Frenchman might win the race before Red Bull’s Max Verstappen charged through to win after the red flag stoppage.

“With the transformative effect his and Gasly’s double podium in Brazil had on Alpine’s year, Ocon’s race has to be the standout drive of 2024. The greatest overachievement of the year. It’s just a shame that Ocon and Alpine were at loggerheads by the end of their relationship.”

Charles Leclerc produced a superb drive to hand Ferrari victory at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix

Luke-John Buckle: “This year, Charles Leclerc secured three excellent victories – including an emotional home win at the Monaco Grand Prix. But the Ferrari driver’s second win at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix was a superb drive as Leclerc stole the victory away from McLaren.

“The British team were caught fighting amongst themselves at the start after McLaren were reluctant to impose team orders. Leclerc was very brave and prioritised track position with a one-stop strategy to take an unlikely victory, with Oscar Piastri closing him down late on.

“Leclerc managed his tyres perfectly to stay ahead and made no mistakes to keep his rubber alive until the chequered flag as the Australian was putting him under immense pressure. He simply produced the best drive of 2024 to gift Ferrari victory at the Scuderia’s home circuit.”