F1: Five things we learnt from the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix

In sharp contrast to Monaco’s bore fest, the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix will go down as a modern classic.

The 2024 Canadian Grand Prix will be fondly remembered. In a race of attrition, cunning strategy calls and waiting for the rain gods to make up their minds, Montreal showcased a spectacular race.

But away from the headline act of the top four, several stories emerged. It will be fascinating to see how they play out over the rest of 2024 as we approach the European triple header.

Ferrari implodes

What a difference a week makes. Ferrari’s magic in Monaco is a distant memory after its misery in Montreal. A complete turnaround from its win in the principality, the SF-24 had no pace in Canada.

Despite its double Q2 shock elimination, Leclerc maintained Ferrari could still perform on race day. The hope of climbing the order during the race seemed reasonable, with Ferrari targeting points by the chequered flag.

What we actually got was a return to the Ferrari of old, with terrible strategy calls, reliability issues, and woeful driving. His engine issues could explain Leclerc’s lack of pace, but Sainz had no such excuse.

Being in the lower order necessitates risks, particularly after a lengthy pit stop to reset engine software. But the Scuderia’s choice to fit hard tyres on a track still drying out seemed about as logical as attempting to perform ballet in a set of football boots. Cue Leclerc hastily returned to the pit lane before retiring.

A double DNF soon followed after Sainz careered into Alex Albon’s Williams. The Spaniard performed a double pirouette on the grass on his way back to the garage to retire. Barcelona must see a marked improvement, or McLaren and Mercedes will be right on the Scuderia’s heels before long.

History repeats itself for Sergio Perez – again

The news that Red Bull chose to retain Perez for two more seasons came as both a surprise and yet entirely predictable. The team spoke of choosing continuity, and Perez did not disappoint in that department.

As he did in 2023, Perez had his worst weekend of the year after confirming his contract extension, mirroring his 2023 downward spiral. While the Red Bull suffered over the high kerbs in Canada, Max Verstappen still lined up P2 in qualifying. Perez, meanwhile, languished down in P16, suffering a second consecutive Q1 exit.

With the writing on the wall, Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle bluntly said he forgot Perez was in the race. Unable to move out of the lower order, the high of his race came passing the Haas of Kevin Magnussen. This proved short-lived as he later spun into the barriers, breaking his rear wing.

Perez cut a dejected figure in the pits. His future at the team may be secure for now, but Red Bull cannot afford the Mexican to disappear at race weekends as he did in 2023 now Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes are snapping at the team’s heels.

Perez can turn this around quickly, but Red Bull will lose out in the long run if he cannot. A three-place grid penalty for Barcelona for failing to stop after his crash has made this task that much harder.

Alpine’s troubles show no signs of abating despite best race of 2024

The news that Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine at the end of the year surprised no one. Ocon’s Q1 elimination seemed inevitable, but Pierre Gasly lining up P10 became one of the race’s feel-good news stories.

Ocon found himself demoted, needing to serve his five-place grid penalty for his do-or-die move on Gasly in Monaco, but he had a fantastic start to put the team in a great position to score a much-needed double-points finish.

Involved in a tight battle between themselves and RB, Alpine’s P9 and P10 lifted it ahead of Williams at the chequered flag. But team radio messages paint a picture of a fractious relationship between Ocon and the team. Ocon refused to obey team orders, allowing Gasly to pass him, stating: “Forget it” when asked. He did eventually let him pass, but it highlighted the tensions.

At the end of the race, Ocon said: “No comment, I’m too nice” to his engineer, while in the media pen, he said: “The call made nonsense”. The relationship between team and driver looks to have broken down completely. Instead of celebrating its best result of the year, it is again focused on an intra-team battle. Expect more fireworks at future races as Ocon prepares to leave the team that gave him his first win.

Lower points battle intensifies

The criticism from 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve lit a fire in the belly of Daniel Ricciardo. He and RB won the battle of the lower teams, one which is getting increasingly higher in terms of stakes.

Taking home a well-deserved P8, teammate Yuki Tsunoda could have added further points for the Faenza team but ran wide and fell out of the top ten. RB have a comfortable 21-point lead over Haas in the standings; P6 is looking very much secure.

With Williams suffering a double DNF thanks to Logan Sargeant crashing out and Albon being taken out by Carlos Sainz, Williams has plummeted to P9 in the standings. Alpine are only three points clear of the Grove squad, but precious few points available for the lower teams this year, which could well feel like an eternity.

With 5 points all that separates P7 to P9 in the constructors’ championship, every delayed pit stop, driver error or mechanical failure is going to potentially cost millions by the season’s end.

Haas gamble shows bold new chapter

Haas looked to have pulled a blinding move off in the race’s opening stages. The only cars to start on full wet tyres, the Haas cars looked on rails, finding grip where the intermediate tyres could not.

Magnussen had carved his way from P14 to P4 in the opening laps, with teammate Nico Hulkenberg making similar progress. Fortune favours the brave, and although it did not quite work on this occasion, on another day, this bravery would be handsomely rewarded.

Taking a risk as big as it did shows Haas is fearless in making bold decisions. While both cars ended the race in P11 and P12, Hulkenberg finished less than a second behind Ocon in P10. Haas only has a two-point advantage over Alpine after Canada. But if it continues to be bold, this advantage will increase considerably.

Feature Image Credit: @F1 on X