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The 2024 F1 season kicks off next weekend with the Dutch GP. We've had 14 races this season out of 24, and there's still a lot more that's going to happen in the coming weeks.
The first half of the season often tends to be full of surprises where teams and drivers try to acclimate themselves to what they have in front of them. The second half, though, has more desperation involved. It's when things get serious and you cannot afford any mishaps.
When it comes to the F1 silly season, the driver market is as alive and kicking as it was at the start of the season. There were many who expected the summer break to produce a few answers to the driver market, but that hasn't happened.
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Heading into the Dutch GP, where the season restarts, the second half of the season will be crucial for quite a few drivers. It's when quite a few drivers will be fighting for their careers, either to secure a better seat or continue being a part of the sport. Who are they? Let's take a look.
#1 Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
It was almost a shocker that Sergio Perez got to keep his Red Bull seat during the summer break.
He has shown absolutely nothing in terms of performance, and it appears that the team just has a paucity of options when it comes to replacing the Mexican. It's, however, safe to say that Perez is driving for his F1 future right now.
In the second half of the season, there has to be a piece of concrete evidence that the driver deserves to be in F1 and Red Bull. He has to produce results and show that he deserves another shot. The Mexican will drive for his F1 career in the second half of the season, and there's no room for failure.
#2 Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
The fact that a Daniel Ricciardo announcement didn't come from Red Bull during the summer break was an indictment on the Australian. He hasn't shown the kind of form that necessitates a promotion, because if that were the case, the promotion would have happened by now.
The second half of the season will be all about Ricciardo trying to prove to the F1 world that he still belongs in the sport. It's not only a possible Red Bull promotion but also a seat on the grid that's at risk if he does't do a better job.
#3 Valtteri Bottas (Sauber F1)
If we look at the Finnish driver's numbers this season against his teammate, it's a very different story because he has been very dominant against Zhou Guanyu.
Having said that, the cumulative three-year stint at Sauber is apparently not impressive enough, as Bottas is seemingly not in contention for a seat with the team.
The second half of the season for Bottas is going to be all about him trying to impress whichever suitor is left to secure his future. Valtteri Bottas is fighting for his career in the last 10 races of the 2024 season.
