F1 2024 predictions revisited: Perez, Ricciardo howlers and an apology to Haas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Nope, not Christmas, but it’s F1 2024 prediction results time! How clever/stupid do we all look this year?

Our full, insightful observations/mad ramblings can be found here in our original F1 2024 predictions piece. Here, we’re getting straight down into the nitty gritty. And, spoiler: this year’s title race is an absolute classic. Strap in.

F1 2024 predictions revisited: The full results breakdown

Who will be Drivers’ World Champion? (1 point)

Michelle Foster: Max Verstappen

Mark Scott: Max Verstappen

Henry Valantine: Max Verstappen

Sam Cooper: Max Verstappen

Thomas Maher: Max Verstappen

Oliver Harden: Max Verstappen

Jamie Woodhouse: Max Verstappen

Verdict: Relief spreads across PF1 Towers as everyone gets their first point in the bag. The title race didn’t exactly pan out as we all expected though…as you’ll see when we get to our tie-breaker question!

Scores: Michelle 1 Mark 1 Henry 1 Sam 1 Thomas 1 Oliver 1 Jamie 1

And who will finish in second and third place in the Drivers’ Championship? (1 point for each correct position)

Michelle: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

Mark: Perez second and Leclerc P3.

Henry: Charles Leclerc will finish second and Perez will take third.

Sam: Perez P2, Norris in P3.

Thomas: Charles Leclerc P2 and George Russell P3.

Oliver: Leclerc and Perez.

Jamie: Perez and Sainz

Verdict: A few mentions of Norris and Leclerc amongst the group but only Mark was able to get one in the right order. He does deserve to have the point taken off him though for predicting Perez to finish second. Will begrudgingly let him keep it.

Scores: Mark 2 Michelle 1 Henry 1 Sam 1 Thomas 1 Oliver 1 Jamie 1

Who will be the Constructors’ World Champion? (1 point)

Michelle: Ferrari

Mark: Red Bull

Henry: Red Bull

Sam: Red Bull

Thomas: Red Bull

Oliver: Red Bull

Jamie: Red Bull

Verdict: Another Red Bull domination did not manifest itself this year so a lot of stung fingers here. Michelle’s devout Ferrari-ness almost came good this year but nobody saw McLaren’s surge coming – apart from Mika Hakkinen. 

Scores: Mark 2 Michelle 1 Henry 1 Sam 1 Thomas 1 Oliver 1 Jamie 1

Who will finish with the wooden spoon in the Constructors’ Championship? (1 point)

Michelle: Stake

Mark: Haas

Henry: Haas

Sam: Haas

Thomas: Stake

Oliver: Sauber/Stake/Kick

Jamie: Alpine

Verdict: Ayao Komatsu has made a few of us look a bit silly here but Michelle, Thomas and Oliver are all back on the points trail with their lovely Stake picks.

Scores: Mark 2 Michelle 2 Thomas 2 Oliver 2 Henry 1 Sam 1 Jamie 1

Now for your full 2024 Constructors’ pecking order from first to last… (1 point for each correct place)

Michelle: Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin, RB, Williams, Alpine, Haas, Sauber-whatever.

Mark: Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, RB, Aston Martin, Williams, Alpine, Stake, Haas.

Henry: Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin, Alpine, RB, Williams, Stake, Haas.

Sam: Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, RB, Alpine, Williams, Stake, Haas.

Thomas: Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, RB, Aston Martin, Williams, Haas, Alpine, Stake.

Oliver: Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin, RB, Alpine, Williams, Haas, Sauber.

Jamie: Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin, RB, Williams, Sauber, Haas, Alpine.

Verdict: A real minefield this one. A scattering of correct positions across the board and it is enough to see Thomas and Oliver breakaway of the chasing park with Sam and Jamie currently bringing up the rear.

Scores: Thomas 5 Oliver 5 Mark 4 Michelle 4 Henry 4 Sam 3 Jamie 3

Onto some of the big driver battles…who will score more points: Hamilton or Russell? (1 point)

Michelle: Hamilton

Mark: Hamilton

Henry: Hamilton

Sam: Hamilton

Thomas: Russell

Oliver: Hamilton

Jamie: Hamilton

Verdict: There were only 22 points in it after 24 races but it was George Russell who came on top against Lewis Hamilton this year. Thomas is currently pulling his best Jeremy Clarkson smug face.

Scores: Thomas 6 Oliver 5 Mark 4 Michelle 4 Henry 4 Sam 3 Jamie 3

Sainz or Leclerc? (1 point) 

Michelle: Leclerc

Mark: Leclerc

Henry: Leclerc

Sam: Leclerc

Thomas: Leclerc

Oliver: Leclerc

Jamie: Sainz

Verdict: As Jamie readies a dartboard with Carlos Sainz’s face on it, everyone else collects a nice and easy point.

Scores: Thomas 7 Oliver 6 Mark 5 Michelle 5 Henry 5 Sam 4 Jamie 3

Norris or Piastri? (1 point)

Michelle: Norris

Mark: Norris

Henry: Norris

Sam: Norris

Thomas: Piastri

Oliver: Piastri

Jamie: Norris

Verdict: A slip up from the two out in front allows the rest of the chasing pack to catch up. This is almost as tense as the Abu Dhabi 2021 season finale. Sorry for bringing that up again.

Scores: Thomas 7 Oliver 6 Mark 6 Michelle 6 Henry 6 Sam 5 Jamie 4

Ricciardo or Tsunoda? (1 point)

Michelle: Ricciardo

Mark: Ricciardo

Henry: Ricciardo

Sam: Ricciardo

Thomas: Ricciardo

Oliver: Ricciardo

Jamie: Tsunoda

Verdict: As most of the group berate themselves after falling for Daniel Ricciardo’s undoubtable charm, Jamie is off to do some last-minute Christmas shopping exclusively for Tsunoda merch.

Scores: Thomas 7 Oliver 6 Mark 6 Michelle 6 Henry 6 Sam 5 Jamie 5

And your one word answers for the rest of the driver battles at Red Bull, Stake F1, Aston Martin, Haas, Alpine and Williams (1 point each)

Michelle: Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Albon

Mark: Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Hulk, Ocon, Albon

Henry: Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Albon

Sam: Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Albon

Thomas: Verstappen, Zhou, Alonso, Magnussen, Ocon, Albon

Oliver: Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Albon

Jamie: Verstappen, Bottas, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Albon

Verdict: Absolute scenes. A four-way tie for the lead emerges after the rest of the driver battles and only two points separate P1 to P7. But now things are about to get serious…

Scores: Thomas 11 Oliver 11 Michelle 11 Henry 11 Mark 10 Sam 10  Jamie 9

Big question: Who will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes? (3 points)

Michelle: Alex Albon

Mark: Kimi Antonelli

Henry: Fernando Alonso

Sam: Kimi Antonelli

Thomas: Kimi Antonelli

Oliver: Lando Norris

Jamie: Fernando Alonso

Verdict: As Thomas keeps hold of his lead out front, Mark and Sam now emerge in his rear view mirror. Alonso would have been a great, fun pick though, wouldn’t he?

Scores: Thomas 14 Mark 13 Sam 13 Oliver 11 Michelle 11 Henry 11 Jamie 9

Predict another driver move for the F1 2025 season… (3 points)

Michelle: Carlos Sainz to Williams

Mark: Liam Lawson to RB

Henry: Oliver Bearman to Haas

Sam: Theo Pourchaire to Sauber

Thomas: Sebastian Vettel to make a comeback

Oliver: Gasly to Sauber

Jamie: Tsunoda to Aston Martin

Verdict: Our first moment of controversy and it’s all thanks to Red Bull. Liam Lawson to RB has happened but the question asked for a F1 2025 move and, as it stands, that hasn’t been confirmed and he may even up at the main team to replace Perez.

For now, Mark will just have to sulk. A great shot by Michelle in particular here. If only she was as good as this when picking lottery numbers.

Scores: Thomas 14 Michelle 14 Henry 14 Mark 13 Sam 13 Oliver 11 Jamie 9

And finally…what’s your bold prediction for the 2024 season? (5 points)

Michelle: F1 will bid farewell to three drivers, at least, at the end of the year in Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyu, and Yuki Tsunoda. And while I’m at it, Perez will stay with Red Bull but swap with Daniel Ricciardo as he mentors Liam Lawson for the ’25 season.

Mark: Here are three race winners this season not called Max Verstappen. Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc…and Lewis Hamilton.

Henry: Not going to lie, I was fuming that my prediction here last season didn’t come off (I went for 12 drivers to score a podium, and 11 did), so it doesn’t look as bold now to predict the same thing. After no rookies this year, I reckon we’ll have at least three on the grid in 2025, plus Liam Lawson.

Sam: I think a mid-season driver swap between Ricciardo and Perez is on the cards. To go one further, I think it could happen before the summer break.

Thomas: Liam Lawson will be back on the grid by mid-season, with Red Bull doing some chopping and changing between seats – I reckon Tsunoda will be the one to feel the pressure first.

I also reckon we’ll get the first public murmurings of discontent from within Aston Martin about Lance Stroll continuing to be outperformed to a one-sided extent, although I don’t believe any driver swaps will happen during the season.

I’ve also got a sneaking suspicion this year could be the one where the dominant Red Bull empire starts to weaken – it won’t affect anything this championship, but personnel changes near the top will take some of the pep out of their step.

Oliver: I refer you back to January’s ridiculously early predictions, when PF1’s 2022 predictions king proclaimed that a frustrated Nico Hulkenberg would not see out the season at Haas – and would be followed out of the door by Guenther Steiner. Too late to back out now, isn’t it? One down, one to go…

Jamie: Still gutted that Singapore stopped me cashing in on my Verstappen to appear on every podium prediction. Perez predictions have often blown up in my face, but I’m a glutton for punishment, Perez gets a Red Bull contract extension for 2025.

Verdict: A last-gasp surge from Jamie sees him pass the wooden spoon over to Oliver but just look at this battle for the win out in front. Thomas, Henry and Mark all nailed their final predictions and it’s a tie between Thomas and Henry! If Lawson had’ve been confirmed for RB for 2025 then Mark would have nicked it at the death. He’s fuming.

Said creator of the predictions competition is very glad he set a tie-breaker question this year…let’s get to it, shall we?

Scores: Thomas 19 Henry 19 Mark 18 Michelle 14 Jamie 14 Sam 13 Oliver 11

Tie-breaker question (closest gets one point) : How many points will Max Verstappen score in F1 2024?

Henry: 599

Thomas: 612

Verdict: And through goes Henry! Even though both title contenders were miles off it, Henry’s guess was slightly better than Thomas’ so this year’s trophy goes to him! Thomas finishes on the second step and Mark completes the podium. Michelle/Jamie/Sam scurry away from midfield obscurity to come back stronger next year and Oliver is left wondering what to do with his wooden spoon. Snap it, perhaps?

Final scores: Henry 20 Thomas 19 Mark 18 Michelle 14 Jamie 14 Sam 13 Oliver 11

Read next: Revealed: Who is the best value-for-money driver on the F1 2024 grid?