Tag: Formula 1

The wait is almost over – the Formula One 2025 season gets underway in just over a fortnight. It’s all change on the grid, with Lewis Hamilton switching sides, while there are a few new faces set to make their F1 debuts.

But will there be a change in the standings at the end of the year? Max Verstappen is targeting a fifth consecutive world title. Can anyone get the better of him this time? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the new season.

Can Max Verstappen be stopped?

It was the same old story in 2024 as Verstappen raced to yet another Formula One world title. The Red Bull superstar has now won four Drivers’ Championships in a row and is looking to become just the second person to claim five on the trot after Michael Schumacher achieved the feat in 2004.

Verstappen now finds himself just three titles shy of Shumacher and Hamilton at the top of the pile and with age on his side, you’d fancy his chances of ending his career with the most wins in history. The 27-year-old was imperious once again last year, winning nine races and achieving a further five podium finishes.

He wasn’t quite as dominant as his 2023 glory, where he won 19 of the 22 races, but he was still head and shoulders above the competition. Verstappen endured phases of poor form last year but crucially his nearest challengers weren’t able to capitalise when it mattered. And he’ll have learnt from those mistakes, meaning this year he could be even more imperious than ever.

Who are his likely challengers?

Despite a disappointing campaign last year, Hamilton will have a renewed energy as part of a new-look Ferrari team and he’ll fancy his chances. Prior to Verstappen’s period of dominance, Hamilton won four titles on the spin and he’s achieved a second and third place finish since then.

Elsewhere, there could be a challenge from fellow Brit Lando Norris. The McLaren driver was a surprise contender in 2024 and he ultimately finished as runner-up after winning four races. Charles Leclerc wasn’t too far behind and he’ll be looking to win the championship for the first time after three consecutive top five finishes.

A new era for Lewis Hamilton

After switching sides from Mercedes to Ferrari, Hamilton will be hoping that a new environment will bring about a change to his fortunes as he targets a record eighth world title. The legendary 40-year-old spent 12 years at Mercedes, winning all but one of his championships there, but he made the move to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season.

Hamilton endured his lowest ever finish last year as he came seventh and he’ll be hoping to rediscover some form as he looks to edge ahead of Schumacher before he calls it a day. And he’s not the only driver set to don new colours this year.

Sergio Perez has left Red Bull following the expiration of his contract, meaning Verstappen is set to be joined by Liam Lawson. The 23-year-old rookie has been promoted, having spent the last two years as the team’s reserve driver.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton-shaped hole at Mercedes has been filled by another inexperienced face. Andrea Kimi Antonelli will join George Russell on the grid this year and at just 18 years old, he’s set to become the third-youngest driver in F1 history.

Elsewhere, Carlos Sainz Jr, who finished fifth in the standings last year, has joined Williams. The Spaniard had previously been at Ferrari but he’s been replaced by Hamilton.

When does the 2025 Formula One season start?

There’s not long to go now! The action gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday 14th March. We’ll then be set for nine months of thrilling racing action, with 24 events to look forward to. The season comes to a close in Abu Dhabi on 7th December.

F1 season schedule

There are only 4 weeks to go until the start of the 2025 Formula 1 Season. Melbourne, Australia, will be taken over for the weekend by some of the best drivers in the world, in the hope that they can get off to a positive start in what is a very special year for F1. In 2025, Formula 1 are celebrating their 75th anniversary in what is expected to be one of the best seasons yet!

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone is one of the most iconic weekends of the Formula 1 season. This year it will mark the 12th race and the halfway stage in the campaign and here at Engage there is a lot of excitement about what to expect. In this blog, we talk you through what to expect including the favourites, past winners and the hospitality options on offer!

About The British Grand Prix

The British Grand Prix has been held annually since 1948 and has made up part of the Formula One World Championship every year since 1950. It is held at Silverstone race track in Northamptonshire and is one of the most iconic weekends in the motor racing world. Winners of the Grand Prix include Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher, Jim Clark and record holder, 9-time winner Lewis Hamilton.

The weekend attracts thousands of people every year from all over the world to the Northamptonshire countryside in the hope that they can get a glimpse of the action as the cars fly past. Silverstone has witnessed some of the all time great moments in F1 including Jackie Stewart’s emotional victory in 1969 a year after the death of Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna rather comically hitching a lift when his car ran out of fuel in 1991 and Lewis Hamilton’s memorable victory with a punctured tyre in 2020. It’s safe to say this track has played host to some of the best races in history!

The British Grand Prix 2025

So what can we expect from this year? The 2025 British Grand Prix will take place at Silverstone as usual from the 4th-6th July 2025. The event will be the 12th race of the Formula 1 2025 season, also making it the halfway stage of the Championship. In what is expected to be a thrilling year of racing action with no clear or established favourite, how do you think the drivers will get on?

In 2024, Max Verstappen was winner of the Drivers’ championship once again but he didn’t have it all his own way, with 7 different winners across the season. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc ensured that the Dutchman had a less comfortable season than 2023 as he only won by 63 points, as opposed to the 290 point margin the year before.

Last year it was Briton and one of the greatest F1 drivers ever, Lewis Hamilton, who took the honours at the British Grand Prix claiming his 9th title at Silverstone. This year Hamilton will be keen to add to his illustrious British Grand Prix record with Ferrari in his debut year with the team.

Meanwhile, fellow Britons, Lando Norris and George Russell will also be looking to impress in front of the home crowd when they take to the track in July. Russell claimed his maiden victory in 2024 at the Austrian Grand Prix and will be keen to add to his win in 2025. Norris, on the other hand, will be eager for a Championship win this year. After steering McLaren to the Constructors’ Championship in 2024, Norris will be keen for an individual title this year having placed second last season. He will certainly be focused on making Silverstone a stepping stone in achieving that feat.

Hospitality on offer

Fancy being there to see if any of the Brits can win at the British Grand Prix in 2025? Celebrate Engage Hospitality’s 20th birthday as well as Formula 1’s 75th anniversary from Engage’s ICON facility. Engage are offering some of the best hospitality for the F1 at Silverstone in 2025 with ICON which comes with premium seating; a complimentary bar; fine dining including afternoon tea, breakfast and lunch; guest speakers from the motorsport world and much more!

ICON by Engage is not the only hospitality option on offer including the McLaren, Alpine and Oracle F1 Team Paddock Clubs, the Fusion Lounge, the Octane Terrace and more! Enjoy this fantastic event and access exclusive seating areas with Engage offering hospitality catering for everyone’s needs!

Be part of history with Engage Hospitality and witness the 75th anniversary of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone!

It was only last month we were saying goodbye to a fantastic Formula 1 Season, yet already, there are only two months to go until another exciting campaign is upon us. A nail-biting 2024 season saw Max Verstappen retain his 2023 World Championship, however, unlike 2023, he didn’t have it all his own way. Verstappen picked up only 9 wins in 2024, halving his dominance from 2023, with a more even spread of victories and podiums across the grid. Meanwhile McLaren won their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, fending off Ferrari for the title in a thrilling Abu Dhabi finale.

So what will happen this year? Here at Engage we take you through all you need to know for the Formula 1 2025 Season including the drivers lineup and the racing calendar for 2025! Not only that, the 2025 F1 Season marks the 75th anniversary of this historic championship with Engage providing hospitality for every F1 event this year!

Driver Lineup

After what was a turbulent 2024 season with seven different winners throughout the campaign, who might we see lining up on the grid this March? There are two big talking points in terms of changes on the grid for 2025. Sergio Perez’s poor form for Red Bull sees him decide to step away from the team, as promising New Zealand youngster Liam Lawson will fill his place, joining Max Verstappen from Racing Bulls. 

After a twelve year stint with Mercedes and 6 Driver’s titles to show for it, Lewis Hamilton announced last year that he will be joining Ferrari for 2025. Arguably the greatest driver of all time, Hamilton will be teaming up with Charles Leclerc, having replaced Carlos Sainz, in the hope that the pair can help steer Ferrari to their first Constructors’ Championship since 2008. Ferrari pushed McLaren all the way last year only missing out on the title by 14 points. With Hamilton’s winning experience and Leclerc’s formidable talent, can they go all the way this year?

Elsewhere on the grid, there are a number of debutants looking to impress their respective teams in the F1’s 75th anniversary. Andrea Kimi Antonelli steps up from F2 to replace Hamilton at Mercedes while F2 Champion and runner-up Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar join Stake F1 Team and Racing Bulls respectively. Jack Doohan and Oliver Bearman also make the jump to Formula 1 as race drivers for the first time with Doohan joining Pierre Gasly at Alpine while Bearman joins a fully changed Haas team alongside Esteban Ocon.

Carlos Sainz will team up with Williams and Alex Albon as they hunt for a better points total than 2024. In fact, it is only McLaren and Aston Martin that are unchanged in 2025 with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri committing their future to the Constructors’ Champions while Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso remain at Aston Martin.

With a star-studded lineup and some new faces on the grid, who do you think will reign supreme, in what is sure to be a scintillating 2025 Formula 1 Season?

Race Schedule

The 2025 Formula 1 Season kicks off in Melbourne as drivers travel to Australia to commence proceedings on March 14th for a very special campaign.

From there the races come thick and fast as fans can expect to see drivers battling it out around the globe almost every week. The same 24 Grand Prixs as 2024 Grand will feature on the calendar with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marking the grand finale on the 7th December as usual.

Other fan favourites that you may want to mark in your diary are the iconic Monaco Grand Prix from the 23rd-25th May, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone from the 4th-6th July and the historic Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the oldest track of them all, from the 5th-7th September.

With a bumper lineup expected, you don’t want to miss out! The 2025 season marks Formula 1’s 75th anniversary and you can be there to see it for yourself! Be part of history with Engage Hospitality who are offering fantastic packages for you to watch Formula 1 wherever you may be in the world.

With fine dining, complimentary drinks and the chance to meet stars of the sport, you will not be disappointed wherever you decide to watch. Enquire now to find out more and immerse yourself in this unique Formula 1 season!

After nine months of thrilling racing action, the Formula One season finally came to a close at the weekend. Despite not being quite at the races compared to previous seasons, Max Verstappen fought off the rest of the grid to claim his fourth consecutive title.

But he faced stiff competition, with the likes of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc running him close. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton has driven his final race for Mercedes after 12 years – the British icon will be making the switch to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 F1 season.

F1 final standings 2024

Verstappen races to glory yet again

After winning 19 of the 22 races in the 2023 season, few could see anybody toppling Verstappen this year. But while the Red Bull driver ultimately secured a fourth title on the trot, it wasn’t as plain sailing as he’d have hoped.

This time around, Verstappen won just nine races and finished 63 points clear of his nearest challenger, compared to the 290-point triumph he recorded in the season prior. A combination of poor form, uncharacteristic mistakes and a much stronger field made the season a lot more competitive this time around.

Yet ultimately, Verstappen’s class prevailed and it goes to show just how formidable he is that he was able to go 10 races in a row without a win and still maintain top spot. The 27-year-old won two of the final four races – in Sau Paolo and Qatar – and sadly for his competitors, it’s likely he’ll learn from his mistakes and be even stronger when the new season gets underway in the spring.

Norris and Leclerc run Verstappen close

Having previously achieved a best-ever finish of sixth, Norris was the surprise package of the season and looked like he could be set for a shock win at one stage. Ultimately he finished as runner-up to Verstappen with four wins, including the final race in Abu Dhabi, and a phenomenal 13 podium finishes.

Leclerc also excelled, finishing 18 points shy of Norris, claiming three wins and 13 podium finishes as well. It wasn’t quite the Ferrari star’s best showing, after he finished second two years ago, but alongside Norris he provided strong competition for Verstappen.

It remains to be seen how Ferrari will prioritise their drivers next season, with Hamilton set to join as Leclerc’s teammate. Yet the experience of Hamilton alongside should only benefit his performances and he’ll be a contender to go all the way, as will Norris.

Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes

By the time the 2025 Formula One season gets underway, Hamilton will be 40 years old. Yet he’s always maintained that he’ll continue driving until he claims a record eighth title and his switch to Ferrari may give him a new lease of life.

He achieved six of his seven titles at Mercedes and will hold fond memories of his time with them – but it’s clear a change is needed following a stagnant few years. In fact, the 2024 season saw him achieve his lowest ever final position of seventh.

Hamilton did enjoy a mid-season resurgence this year, claiming top spot in the British Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix. But his season ultimately fizzled out and he achieved just one podium finish in the final 10 races of the season.

Looking ahead to the 2025 F1 season

The 2024 Formula One season has barely ended but we’ve already got one eye on next year. The 2025 season gets underway in March, with Australia hosting the opening race for the first time since 2019.

All eyes will be on Melbourne on 16th March for the Australian Grand Prix, where Verstappen will be looking to win the race for the second time. As ever, the British Grand Prix coincides with the midway point of the season, with the 12th race of the year taking place on 6th July.

Meanwhile, the final race of the season takes place in 12 months’ time, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 7th December. At Engage, we offer hospitality at every single race on the calendar and you can join us in the best seats in the house for any race of your choice.

Whether you fancy a trip to Miami, Japan or Brazil, or you’d prefer to stay closer to home at Silverstone, enquire today to discuss the best package to suit your needs.

Alternatively, why not take advantage of our exclusive ROAM packages? As well as watching the racing action, you can make a weekend of it and enjoy luxury accommodation, food packages and plenty more at both the Italian Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix.

As we approach the end of the Formula One season, Max Verstappen is very much in the driving seat to secure his fourth title in a row.

The calendar takes the world’s best drivers to Las Vegas this weekend and after finally winning again in Brazil a fortnight ago, the Red Bull driver has a healthy points lead with just three races left.

It’s a measure of just how good Verstappen is that he went 10 races without winning and nobody was able to catch him. What’s scary for the rest of the grid is that he’s unlikely to endure a repeat of his bad form in 2025.

However, in Lando Norris, Formula One has found a worthy challenger. The British driver has excelled this year, with three wins and a further 12 podiums, and he’s established himself as a clear title contender in the future.

Barring a miracle, he won’t take Verstappen’s throne this time around. But after three years of the ‘Max Verstappen show’, it’s a relief that he finally has some competition and the pair are set to resume their competitive rivalry in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The race for the title

Verstappen finally got back to winning ways last time out as he finished first in Brazil two weeks ago. The reigning champion uncharacteristically went 10 races without winning but he put an end to his disappointing form with a long-awaited victory.

The win edged Verstappen further ahead of Norris in the standings. The Brit had been steadily making ground but he wasn’t able to capitalise enough, only winning two races during Verstappen’s sticky patch.

Norris did get four other podium finishes in the time but he only managed to finish sixth in Sao Paulo. He remains more than 60 points behind so it’s unlikely that he’ll claim his first F1 title this year. Verstappen appears to be back on form and he’ll want to end the season in style, having won the final seven races a year ago.

Elsewhere, Charles Leclerc is breathing down Norris’ neck having won two of the last six races, with another two podiums. The pair have been models of consistency this year – the British Grand Prix, nine races ago and way back in July, was the last time either of them finished outside the top five.

In his final year racing for Mercedes before switching to Ferrari for the 2025 season, Lewis Hamilton had hoped to mount a late charge for a record eighth title. But those dreams disappeared a while ago.

A mid-season flurry that had seen him win at Silverstone and in Belgium, while claiming third in Spain and Hungary, had given him faint hope. But it didn’t last long – the 39-year-old has achieved no podiums since and he’s slipped down to seventh in the standings.

F1 standings after 21 races

Las Vegas Grand Prix

Next up on the Formula One calendar is the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Sin City’s inaugural race took place last year and it’s set to return to the iconic streets, with parts of the unique night race taking place along the Vegas strip.

The race takes place this Sunday, 24th November, with Verstappen looking to come out on top for the second year running. There’s still time to take your seats in our exclusive hospitality area on the breathtaking Drai’s Las Vegas rooftop.

As well as unrivalled views of the race, you’ll get the chance to experience all this:

●      Access to Vista Terrace viewing with track view
●      Access to lower deck viewing circle and Drai’s nightclub
●      Hosted service, food stations, canapés and cheese station
●      Complimentary bar with Champagne, local beers, wine and spirits
●      TV in your private suite

Enquire today to reserve your place.

What’s next?

Following the Las Vegas Grand Prix, we head to the Middle East for the final two races of the 2024 season. First up is Qatar on Sunday 1st December before the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi a week later.

Verstappen won both races back in 2023 and if he repeats history, he’ll finish the year with a fourth consecutive F1 Drivers’ Championship.

If you’d like to join us to watch either of the final two races in style, we’d love to help make that happen. Our travel and concierge team are on hand to help you get to either the Qatar Grand Prix or the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where you can enjoy the action from the best seats in the house with our exclusive hospitality packages.

The Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday saw Carlos Sainz take his second victory of the season marking the 20th race of the 2024 Formula 1 Campaign. The Spaniard took the win over McLaren’s Lando Norris to win vital points for Ferrari in the Constructors’ title race. The result means with only four races to go, it is all to play for. Here at Engage we take a look at how the rest of the season may pan out.

A great race and a vital win for Ferrari saw them close the gap on McLaren but Mexico certainly wasn’t without its drama. Three-time World Champion, Max Verstappen, finished in 6th place after he was awarded a 10-second time penalty for two separate incidents involving Lando Norris.

It was the second consecutive week the pair had clashed after an incident the week prior in the US when Norris tried to overtake Verstappen and both ended up off the track. The incident in Mexico only added fuel to the fire for an already bubbling rivalry, with Damon Hill describing Verstappen’s racing as like Wacky Races’ character ‘Dick Dastardly’. The spat saw Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship over Norris go down to 47 points with four races to go.

Who will win the Drivers’ Championship?

Max Verstappen’s dominance from last season seems to be a thing of the past this year, however, he still leads the way with seven victories. There have been seven different winners this year across 20 races this season, suggesting the playing field is levelling out compared to his 19 wins last year, an astonishing record.

Lando Norris is in hot pursuit of the Dutchman as the Brit tries to claim his first ever World Championship, however, with at least 12 points per race more needed to surpass Verstappen, is it just out of his reach?

Norris is closely followed by Charles Leclerc with the pair tied on 3 wins while Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz round up the top 5 with two victories.

The title race is certainly closer than last year and it’s safe to say if Norris can get substantial points this weekend in Brazil, the last three races will be gripping.

Who will win the Constructors’
Championship?

There is a three-way battle for the Constructors’ Championship with Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all in the race for the title. Red Bull find themselves in third place on 512 points, a far cry from their comfortable victory in 2023 where they won by an astonishing margin of 451 points. With seven wins in 2024, all courtesy of Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez risks his future in the team as the Mexican has only 4 podiums in 2024. Perez, who finished 17th in his home race on Sunday, may see his Red Bull career coming to an end.

After Carlos Sainz took victory on Sunday and Charles Leclerc finished third, Ferrari saw both drivers take to the podium finding themselves in 2nd place with four races to go. The team in red have been quietly consistent this year with 5 victories and 18 podiums in 2024. For their efforts they have gained 537 points and certainly hold a good position going into the last four. Could they win their first title since 2008?

However, leading the way is McLaren. The team consisting of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, lead the Constructors’ with 566 points. McLaren haven’t won the title since 1998 and after a 26 year absence at the top, they will be looking to change that narrative. With 5 wins and 19 podiums, they are certainly looking likely to do it, but can they hold on with only four races to go?

Next Up

So will Verstappen defend his title? This weekend the F1 heads to Brazil as drivers will battle it out to gain points for themselves and their team. Will we see more drama as Norris and Verstappen go head-to-head? Or will their rivalry prove too much for the pair to handle, opening up the opportunity for Ferrari to snatch the Constructors’ title?

It’s safe to say all three teams will be cautious of a possible upset if Verstappen and Norris carry their spat into the final four races, something Ferrari will definitely be looking to take advantage of.

Fancy finding out for yourself how the final races will pan out? Check out Engage Hospitality’s brilliant Formula 1 packages to watch the rest of the season live from Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi! Don’t worry if you can’t make the rest of the 2024 campaign, after the battles of this season, Formula 1 in 2025 is about to be a cracker. Next year marks the 75th anniversary of Formula 1 and Engage have you covered for every single race! Don’t miss it!

The Formula One season is heating up and with just six races to go, the pressure is on Max Verstappen as he looks to secure a fourth title win in a row. Lando Norris is his likeliest challenger following a phenomenal season so far.

The latest Grand Prix took place in Singapore over the weekend and for the second time in four races, Norris finished first as Verstappen could only claim second place. With the final race of the season set to take place in Abu Dhabi in just under 10 weeks, here’s everything you need to know about the final months of the 2024 F1 season.

The story so far

After winning 18 of the 21 races in 2023 on his way to a third consecutive Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen picked up where he left off to start this season. The Red Bull star won seven of the opening 10 races and another title seemed inevitable.

Yet a drop off in form combined with stronger competition has seen his lead at the top lessen. Verstappen’s last win came in the Spanish Grand Prix back in June and he’s without a win in seven races, with only two podium finishes in that time.

In the meantime, the British drivers have been enjoying themselves, with Norris and Lewis Hamilton claiming four of the last seven races between them. Since our last update, four races have taken place, with Norris coming out on top in two of them.

The McLaren driver triumphed in the Netherlands, finishing more than 22 seconds ahead of Verstappen, while Charles Leclerc made up the podium. Hamilton had started to show a bit of form and would have had dreams of an unlikely comeback but his chances are all but over having finished eighth, fifth, ninth and sixth in his last four outings.

Leclerc was the victor in Italy, with Oscar Piastri second, while Norris took third place and condemned Verstappen to yet another race without a podium finish. That trend continued in Azerbaijan where Piastri and Leclerc swapped places in the top two and George Russell came third.

The drivers headed to Singapore over the weekend and with Verstappen starting to look over his shoulder in the standings, it was the perfect opportunity for Norris to pounce. And he didn’t disappoint, storming to victory ahead of his rival, with Piastri securing another place on the podium.

F1 standings after 14 races

Can Verstappen be caught?

While Verstappen is still sitting pretty at the top of the standings, his lead is rapidly decreasing by the week. He now finds himself just 52 points clear of Norris and risks throwing away a fourth consecutive title if he’s unable to get back to winning ways.

However, with six races to go, he’ll be confident of reproducing last year’s performances in the remaining races. In a phenomenal end to the 2023 season, Verstappen won all of the final seven races after failing to triumph in Singapore.

Those seven wins included races in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, all of which are still to come before the end of the year. But he’s not the same driver at the moment and the pressure of Norris in his rearview mirror could scupper his hopes.

Norris’ best-ever Formula One final finish is sixth but he looks set to obliterate that this season and could still pull off the ultimate comeback before the year is out. While Verstappen has form at each of the remaining tracks, Norris does too and finished on the podium in Qatar, the USA and Brazil in 2023.

There’s still an enormous gap to make up but he’s been slowly closing that in recent weeks and if he can continue his trajectory, a few more slip-ups from Verstappen could make for an incredibly entertaining final few weeks of the season.

Why is there a summer break?

The Formula One season has been paused for a hiatus that’s set to last for almost a month. The break in the racing calendar gives everyone involved, from racers to staff, a much-needed opportunity to rest and recharge.

The first half of the campaign has been a gruelling affair, with 14 races packed into just 21 weeks. As well as the intense competitiveness of each grand prix, there’s also been a huge amount of travelling. Teams have been flying across the globe to compete ever since the season kicked off in Bahrain in March, with races in the likes of Australia, Japan, Miami, Canada and throughout Europe.

The relentless racing and travel often takes a toll on all involved, so the break ensures everyone can take a step back, relax on the beach and spend some time with their friends and family.

While some of the break will be used to make plans for the rest of the season, it also includes a mandatory 14-day ‘summer shutdown’ for all teams. During this period, all teams must completely down tools, with no meetings allowed and no work on improving car performance permitted.

Only essential maintenance and servicing can take place, which ensures that everybody gets an equal amount of time off and nobody gains an unfair advantage. Failure to comply with the shutdown regulations can result in severe punishments.

When are the final six races?

While it feels like the 2024 Formula One season has only just begun, we only have six races left. That means you’ve only got six more opportunities to enjoy the action from the best seats in the house.

Whether you fancy a trip across the pond to the USA, a Brazilian adventure or a trackside seat at the curtain-closer in Abu Dhabi, we’ve got you covered. Join Engage and take advantage of our exclusive hospitality experiences, with food, drinks and plenty more on offer. Enquire today to book your place.

With 10 races to go in the 2024 Formula One season, we’ve reached the summer break, with drivers given a month off to recharge their batteries.

The season will resume at the end of August with the Dutch Grand Prix so to fill the void until then, we’ve taken a look at how the season has gone so far and explained how the summer break works.

The story so far

There have been two F1 races since our last update, which had seen Max Verstappen hit a sticky patch having looked to have been running away with the title. Sadly for the reigning champion, that sticky patch has continued.

He failed to win either of those two races, which took place in Hungary and Belgium. First up, Australian youngster Oscar Piastri raced home to win in a race that saw the Brits do well, with Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton third.

Then in Belgium, Hamilton followed up on his record-breaking win at the British Grand Prix with his second win in three races. The Mercedes star was promoted to first after teammate George Russell was disqualified for having an underweight car. Verstappen was once again nowhere to be seen on the podium, with Piastri second and Charles Leclerc in third.

F1 standings after 14 races

Why is there a summer break?

The Formula One season has been paused for a hiatus that’s set to last for almost a month. The break in the racing calendar gives everyone involved, from racers to staff, a much-needed opportunity to rest and recharge.

The first half of the campaign has been a gruelling affair, with 14 races packed into just 21 weeks. As well as the intense competitiveness of each grand prix, there’s also been a huge amount of travelling. Teams have been flying across the globe to compete ever since the season kicked off in Bahrain in March, with races in the likes of Australia, Japan, Miami, Canada and throughout Europe.

The relentless racing and travel often takes a toll on all involved, so the break ensures everyone can take a step back, relax on the beach and spend some time with their friends and family.

While some of the break will be used to make plans for the rest of the season, it also includes a mandatory 14-day ‘summer shutdown’ for all teams. During this period, all teams must completely down tools, with no meetings allowed and no work on improving car performance permitted.

Only essential maintenance and servicing can take place, which ensures that everybody gets an equal amount of time off and nobody gains an unfair advantage. Failure to comply with the shutdown regulations can result in severe punishments.

Who will benefit from the summer break?

While all teams will welcome the summer break as an opportunity to relax, some drivers may find it more beneficial than others. Verstappen will be grateful for the hiatus – he’s failed to win any of the last four races despite coming out on top in seven of the first 10.

He remains in pole position to win his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship but his loss of form is worrying and he risks losing his way if he doesn’t turn things around soon.

In contrast, the summer break has arguably come at a bad time for Hamilton after winning two of the last three races. In fact, in the last six races the 39-year-old has won two, finished third twice and finished fourth twice. His best finish in the eight races before that was sixth.

Hamilton likely would have been keen to continue building momentum ahead of the season’s home straight. He’s finally back in form and while he remains a long way behind Verstappen, if their performances continue in the same vein then he may have his sights on securing a record-breaking eighth title before he moves on to Ferrari at the end of the year.

The break will be welcome for Sainz Jr, the man who Hamilton is replacing next season. The Spaniard has slipped down the standings in recent weeks and he needs to find a way to get back onto the podium. He remains fifth but with just one podium finish in the last six races, he’s allowed Piastri to leapfrog him, with Hamilton not too far behind.

Similarly, Leclerc hasn’t had the best time of late and Ferrari will be hoping, like Sainz Jr, that he can return from the break with a new lease of life. The 26-year-old finished third in Belgium last time out but he failed to finish in the top 10 in both Austria and at Silverstone.

F1 schedule

Dutch Grand Prix– Sunday 25th August
Italian Grand Prix– Sunday 1st September
Azerbaijan Grand Prix– Sunday 15th September
Singapore Grand Prix– Sunday 22nd September
United States Grand Prix– Sunday 20th October
Mexican Grand Prix– Sunday 27th October
Brazilian Grand Prix– Sunday 3rd November
Las Vegas Grand Prix– Sunday 24th November
Qatar Grand Prix– Sunday 1st December
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix– Sunday 8th December

We’ve reached the halfway stage of the Formula One season and it’s business as usual with Max Verstappen seemingly running away with it once again.

But there’s plenty of action to look forward to and Lando Norris has ambitions of launching a phenomenal bid to stop three-time champion Verstappen in his tracks.

F1 standings after 12 races

Can Verstappen be caught?

If you’ve been following our regular F1 updates throughout the season, it’ll come as no shock to discover that Verstappen is still sitting pretty at the top of the standings.

The Red Bull superstar has won three consecutive titles and looks on course to add a fourth to his collection in 2024. He dominated the track last year, winning 19 of the 22 races. And while the wins have been shared out a tad more this time around, he’s still managed to come out on top in all but five races so far.

We’re only halfway through the season, meaning there’s plenty more action to come and anything could happen in the second half of the campaign. Despite that, it seems incredibly unlikely that Verstappen will surrender his lead.

The 26-year-old is already more than 80 points clear of Norris in second and it would take a catastrophic collapse for him to throw it away from here. Yet stranger things have happened and the chasing pack will still fancy their chances.

One thing that could offer them a glimmer of hope is what could be considered as a rare weakness for Verstappen. While he’s no stranger to winning races, he’s starting to make finishing further down the field a habit when things don’t quite go his way.

He’s finished sixth and fifth in two of the last five Grands Prix, when he would’ve expected to be on the podium. And with the likes of Norris starting to show consistency in his top three finishes, he may sense an opportunity to capitalise on Verstappen’s rare mistakes.

We’re only halfway through the season so there’s still a lot of action to look forward to, with 12 races to go. Next up we head to Hungary next weekend, followed by the remaining European races. From there we’ll have races in Asia and both North America and South America to enjoy, before heading to Qatar and Abu Dhabi for the final Grand Prix of the season.

Hamilton rolls back the years on home soil

It’s fair to say that Lewis Hamilton isn’t quite the force he once was in Formula One. The 39-year-old started the season with faint hopes of eclipsing Michael Schumacher to claim a record eighth title.

Yet after a slow start to the campaign, his championship hopes are all but over for another year. Before the British Grand Prix at the weekend, Hamilton had only broken the top three once this year, finishing third in Spain.

But muscle memory, nostalgia and a roaring home crowd spurred him on at Silverstone to help him win his first race of the season. Hamilton finished ahead of Verstappen to win the British Grand Prix for a record ninth time.

In fact, it was his first Grand Prix win since coming out on top in Saudi Arabia back in 2021. Verstappen struggled with the rain throughout but made a late charge and had leader Hamilton in his sights after edging ahead of Norris.

But Hamilton held him off to win by 1.4 seconds, giving him a day he’ll never forget. The Mercedes driver finds himself way down in eighth in the standings and a title win this year is as unlikely as ever. Yet his performance at Silverstone was a reminder of what he’s capable of and it may just light the fire that could see him finally become the undisputed greatest of all time before he decides to call it a day.

Norris emerges as a contender

While British F1 fans have spent years backing Hamilton, it seems there’s a new kid on the block. McLaren driver Norris is enjoying a remarkable year and finds himself second in the standings.

He achieved a best-ever finish of sixth last year but he’s well on track to better that and looks in good shape to push Verstappen all the way. Aged just 24, he’s a bright hope for the future and could establish himself as a regular contender.

Norris is currently 21 points clear of third-placed Leclerc having achieved seven podium finishes already this season. He claimed his first ever Grand Prix win in Miami back in May, which was sandwiched in between two second-place finishes.