The 2024 Formula 1 season is getting closer and closer, as more teams announce the date in which their challenger for the upcoming year will be unveiled.
First had been Ferrari, who set the first timer for the 13th of February, not caring about the facetious superstitions circulating in the Italian folklore.
Today two different teams in the span of a couple of minutes revealed that their car presentations are set to happen on the same day, the 5th of February.
The first team to announce the date was Williams. The British team founded by Sir Frank will retain their 2023 driver lineup of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, following the driver announcement after the end of the season.
The former Red Bull Racing driver and the American pilot in his first Formula 1 season scored a grand total of 28 points, for the most successful campaign of the team in years and a seventh place in the constructors’s championship.
Highlights of the season for the team led by James Vowles were definitely Albon’s double P7 finish in Canada and Monza, combined with the consistency of his Q3 appearances, and Sargeant scoring his first points at the Austin GP, held in his home country.
Photo Credit: Williams Racing
Williams will aim to punch even higher for 2024, which will feature the first car designed under Pat Fry’s lead.
Second came Sauber. The Swiss team had announced the end of its long-lasted title partnership with Italian brand Alfa Romeo at the end of the current season and the heavily discussed Audi deal to come into effect in two years time.
A first rebrand came on the day of the official entry list for the 2024, with Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber on it. However, after the feedback online was negative, Sauber stated that the official, final version of the new team identity will debut on the 1st of January.
Their driver line-up Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu has been confirmed for a third season, with Formula 2 championship winner and Sauber Driver Academy product Theo Pourchaire signed as third driver whilst competing in Super Formula.
2023 was a challenging year for the Italian-Swiss outlet, ending in 9th overall with only 19 points after the very positive debut of the driver combo in 2022 had achieved a grand total of 55 points.
The best day in the underwhelming season definitely was Qatar, the only double points finish for the team in 2023. A completely different car prospect will debut next year, hoping that it’ll bring back some more performance in the wait for Audi.
Photo Credit: Sauber
