F1 2024 Season Review - RB F1

Racing Bulls reflect on 2024: glimpses of promise, tough setbacks, and a second consecutive 8th-place finish in the Constructors’ standings.

RB F1 entered the 2024 season under a new identity—farewell AlphaTauri, and hello Racing Bulls in 2025—with high hopes of advancing in the F1 midfield.

While they contended for sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship until the final race, it wasn’t enough to climb beyond the 8th place they had already achieved in 2023. However, with 46 points compared to 25 last year, the progress is clear.

Yuki Tsunoda delivered RB F1’s best results of the season, finishing an impressive seventh at the Australian, Miami, and São Paulo Grands Prix—the second-best results being the eighth places he secured in Monaco and his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo’s in Canada.

This year marked a significant step forward for the Japanese driver, who led the charge in most events. He also had the opportunity to showcase his skills in a post-season test with Red Bull, though he wasn’t ultimately selected to replace Sergio Perez.

RB F1’s season also featured strong Sprint weekends, highlighted by Ricciardo’s stunning drive to fourth on the grid and fourth in the 100-kilometer race in Miami. However, the Australian didn’t consistently deliver this level of performance to retain his seat.

Tsunoda outqualified Ricciardo 12-6 between the season opener in Bahrain and Singapore.

Ricciardo’s departure gave Lawson another chance to shine, and while he adapted admirably to F1, Tsunoda’s experience proved decisive, as the Japanese driver outpaced him 6-0 in qualifying duels.

In races, Tsunoda and Ricciardo were much more evenly matched, with Tsunoda narrowly leading 9-8 (both retiring in China). However, Tsunoda capitalized better on point-scoring opportunities, finishing in the top 10 in five of the first eight Grands Prix.

To a lesser extent than in qualifying, Tsunoda also had the edge over Lawson in races—except in Mexico, where an accident cost him, and Austin, where the New Zealander climbed from the back of the grid to ninth thanks to an alternative strategy in the United States.

RB F1’s standout moment of the season, still fresh in memory, was Tsunoda and Lawson qualifying in a remarkable third and fifth respectively during a rain-soaked session at the São Paulo Grand Prix—a true achievement. Both drivers also survived treacherous conditions in the race to score points.

Ricciardo’s gutsy Sprint drive in Miami and his strong response to critics—including former world champion Jacques Villeneuve—during the Canada weekend also deserve mention. However, this version of the Australian was rarely seen in 2024.

By the Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo’s departure seemed inevitable, with mounting speculation in the media ahead of the event. Yet, Red Bull and RB F1 leadership remained silent on the possibility of a change until a few days after the checkered flag.

One of the most vibrant and friendly personalities in the F1 paddock was denied the farewell he deserved, with Mekies later admitting he was “not happy” with the situation and that “we should have done a better job” to honor him. Undoubtedly, a dark spot in the season.

Racing Bulls will now reboot in 2025 with a fresh driver lineup, Yuki Tsunoda assuming the role of the experienced leader tasked with guiding French rookie Isack Hadjar. The goal remains the elusive 6th place in the Constructors’ Championship, which has been just out of reach for so many years.

Statistics
8th in the championship with 46 points
— 0 wins
— 0 pole positions
— 0 podiums
— 1 fastest lap
— 0 Hat Tricks
— 0 Grand Slams
— 0 laps led
— 2,602 laps completed (90.09% of the total)

Driver Comparisons
Race head-to-head vs. Ricciardo: 9-8 in favor of Tsunoda
Race head-to-head vs. Lawson: 4-2 in favor of Tsunoda
Qualifying head-to-head vs. Ricciardo: 12-6 in favor of Tsunoda
Qualifying head-to-head vs. Lawson: 6-0 in favor of Tsunoda

F1 2024 Season Review – RB F1 – Racing Bulls F1 2024 Season Review – RB F1 – Racing Bulls