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Whenever an F1 team heads into a new season, there is always a certain level of expectation from how the year is going to pan out.
With the sport turning more and more into an everyday commitment, the grind never stops when it comes to the pursuit of excellence. There is, however, one thing that changes year on year and it is the target of what a team wants to achieve over a season.
Every team's performances go through a lifecycle where a team slowly treads its path from being a backmarker to a midfielder and then finally a title contender. Every team finds itself at different stages on this path at the start of an F1 season.
Before the start of a season, every team sets a few goals for itself for the rest of the year. There is, however, one primary goal that every team would want to achieve.
For the 2024 F1 season, what is that one major goal that every team on the grid would want to achieve? Let's take a look at the pre-season target of each team on the grid.
#1 Red Bull
For Red Bull, the pre-season target is very clear as the team will try to replicate the success it achieved in 2023. Last season the team lost only one race.
On paper, replicating that level of success is going to be hard. Having said that, if Red Bull has a dominant season again, then that would tick a few boxes once again.
#2 Mercedes
In the best-case scenario, Mercedes would be hoping to challenge for the title this season. But it does look highly unlikely that the team can achieve such a thing after the deficit it had last season.
Mercedes' primary aim would be to significantly close the gap to Red Bull at the front of the grid and start winning a few races over the season.
#3 Ferrari
For Ferrari, the aim might be a bit loftier than Mercedes because of the nature of the Tifossi.
The Italian team will be hoping to battle it out for the title and put up a valiant fight against Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
#4 McLaren
For McLaren, the aim has to be to take the next step in getting closer to the front. By the end of the 2023 F1 season, the car was more or less in the leading group comprising Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
The step made in 2023 was big and the team will be hoping to take another one in 2024.
#5 Aston Martin
For Aston Martin, the aim has to be to get closer to the front and have a better understanding of the car. The team struggled big time with the capability of bringing upgrades that truly work.
This was why it fell off during the season. The 2024 F1 season is crucial because it will show whether the team can maintain its upward trajectory.
#6 Alpine
For Alpine, the only thing that the team needs at the moment is stability at the top of the management and an overall improvement in the car.
The drivers are great and produce the best possible result, but unfortunately, the car has proven to be the limiting factor, and that hurts the team big time.
#7 Williams
For Williams, the 2024 F1 season is crucial because this is the one where it shows that it either can keep this upward trajectory or stagnate.
James Vowles had a great first season but it's the second season where one sets the car amongst the pigeons and that's what the team would be hoping to do.
#8 Stake F1 team
For a team that has remained largely anonymous in F1 in the last couple of years, the aim has to be to get things in order now.
The team needs to start becoming a key player in the midfield and it has to start doing that this season.
#9 AlphaTauri
For AlphaTauri or whatever new name it is anointed, the 2024 F1 season has to show improvement.
The team will collaborate a lot more with Red Bull and that should result in a significant bump in performance.
#10 Haas
For Haas, the expectation has to be to get as close to the front of the midfield as possible.
The team struggled to do so last season and will be hoping to accomplish it this time around.
