Verstappen handed BLOW as Norris steals 2024 title

Verstappen handed BLOW as Norris steals 2024 title

Max Verstappen, despite securing his fourth Formula 1 world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, has faced a significant setback as Lando Norris claims the top spot in the 2024 Formula 1 Power Rankings. Verstappen’s season was far from straightforward, as he endured a challenging winless stretch between the Spanish and Brazilian Grands Prix, making his path to the championship far from easy. While Verstappen triumphed in the overall standings, Norris’ consistent performance throughout the season earned him the highest average score in the Power Rankings, culminating in a perfect score after his victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Although Norris fell short of clinching his first drivers’ title, his impressive race wins and consistent performances played a key role in McLaren securing the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 1998. Norris’ strength throughout the season, combined with his dominance in the final race, elevated him to the top of the Power Rankings leaderboard. The rankings, which are calculated after each Grand Prix, take into account a driver’s overall performance through a panel of five judges who score them out of 10 based on their race weekend efforts. The average of these scores from every race determines a driver’s overall standing, and when all scores from the 2024 season were tallied, Norris emerged as the season’s highest-ranked driver.

In the final standings, Charles Leclerc secured third place on the Power Rankings, with an average score of 7.8, aided by a few standout results that boosted his overall score. While Leclerc’s strong performances were notable, it wasn’t enough to surpass Norris, whose consistency across the season stood out. Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly found themselves tied in eighth place, both with an average score of 7. Despite their strong performances throughout the season, they were unable to break into the top ranks of the leaderboard. Additionally, high-profile drivers like Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso were conspicuously absent from the top ten, with their performances not matching the consistent excellence seen from the top contenders.

The 2024 Formula 1 season has been one of remarkable competition, with Verstappen’s dominance in the championship contrasting with Norris’ impressive rise in the Power Rankings. While Verstappen ultimately triumphed in the world title battle, Norris’ stellar consistency and strong performances were enough to see him top the rankings, adding a bittersweet edge to his near-miss on the driver’s championship.