The idea of converging technical prowess among the top teams was long sold as F1's land of milk and honey, a utopia where multiple squads could compete for victories. And, in 2024, it happened at last. But not right away - Red Bull appeared to have taken another step forward at the start of the season. What would it take for the rest to catch up?
As it turned out, McLaren's Miami GP upgrade in May and Ferrari's improved race pace were key aspects, as was Red Bull's regression on balance, a slide that translated to a streak of 10 races without a win. There were even times when Mercedes was ahead, albeit with greater inconsistency versus its top-four rivals.