BREAKING: Hamilton Predicts Thrilling Second Half .......Read more

Hamilton Predicts Thrilling Second Half to 2024 F1 Season Amid Tight Competition

Lewis Hamilton believes Formula 1 fans are in for a thrilling second half of the 2024 season, with his Mercedes team competing alongside Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari for victories. So far, seven drivers—Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Hamilton, and Oscar Piastri—have all claimed a Grand Prix win this year, underscoring the intense competition at the top.

This fierce battle among multiple teams and drivers brings back memories of the 2012 season when the first seven races produced seven different winners, including Hamilton. The outgoing Mercedes driver, who is set to join Ferrari in 2025, described the current situation as “great” for Formula 1, emphasizing how beneficial it is for the sport to have such close competition among elite drivers.

“It’s really fantastic, I think, for the sport, to be having such close teams and drivers,” Hamilton said. “The pedigree of drivers at the top today are really elite and amazing. We didn’t expect to be competing with the McLarens or the Red Bulls at this point in the season, especially considering how we started off. So, for us to have closed up the gap and be in the mix now is incredible. It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season, for sure.”

When asked about the possibility of turning his and the team’s recent form into a surprise 2024 title challenge, Hamilton was more cautious. “No. It would be high hopes,” he admitted. “But, I mean, if we can continue this kind of performance as we’ve had in the last few races, which has been fantastic… I think if we can start our weekends off a little bit better, we could keep up this momentum. The McLaren was very strong in Belgium, and we were just a bit further ahead early on in the race, but yeah, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”

Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, George Russell, who recently lost a victory at Spa-Francorchamps due to his car being found underweight, also sees potential in the tight battles at the front for the remainder of the season and beyond. He believes that this level of competition could lead to a multi-team title fight next year.

“For all of us, it’s been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories,” Russell said. “But I’m so motivated and excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025. When you look at the competition now, there’s no reason why we can’t fight. If the season started in Montreal, the championship standings would be looking very, very different. It’s going to be great. I think there’s so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves, so for sure, it’s not going to be easy, and hopefully, we see a good fight on our hands into next year.”

As the 2024 season heads into its second half, 14 out of 24 scheduled races have been completed. Mercedes currently sits fourth in the constructors’ standings with 266 points, trailing Ferrari (345), McLaren (366), and Red Bull (408). In the drivers’ standings, Hamilton is sixth, 127 points behind leader Verstappen, while Russell is in eighth, 161 points back.

Hamilton and Russell’s comments underscore the excitement and unpredictability that have defined the 2024 season so far. With multiple teams and drivers in contention, the remaining races promise to deliver even more drama and competition, setting the stage for a potentially epic conclusion to the season and a thrilling start to 2025.