F1's Hottest Prospects of 2024: 21-Year-Old Unemployed Racer Outpaces Verstappen, Hamilton, and More -

The leading contender for speed in the 2024 Formula One season has been revealed.

This month marked the end of an exhilarating 2024 F1 season, during which Max Verstappen secured the drivers’ championship title and McLaren took home the constructors’ championship.

Max Verstappen was world champion but couldn’t match the top speedCredit: Rex

Williams' Franco Colapinto achieved the highest speed of the season — Williams’ Franco Colapinto achieved the highest speed of the seasonCredit: The Mega Agency

However, the 21-year-old is without a seat for the coming seasonCredit: Rex

The season showcased seven different race winners and ten drivers who reached the podium, while three newcomers impressed fans with their early performances after the driver lineup remained unchanged from 2023.

The first rookie, Ollie Bearman, is set to participate full-time in the next season after three substitute races.

Franco Colapinto and Jack Doohan stepped in to fill the spots of Logan Sargeant at Williams and Esteban Ocon at Alpine, respectively.

Despite his remarkable performance, Colapinto did not secure a position among the six rookies for the 2025 season, which include Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Liam Lawson.

Notably, 21-year-old Colapinto was a standout driver, achieving the top speed of the 2024 season.

He recorded this remarkable speed during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, reaching an impressive 356.4 km/h (221.5 mph).

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was second, clocking a speed of 353.5 km/h (219.7 mph) at the Italian Grand Prix, known as the Temple of Speed.

Third place went to another driver lacking a seat for the 2025 season, Daniel Ricciardo, who hit a speed of 353.2 km/h (219.5 mph) at Monza.

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Nonetheless, Colapinto’s top speed is dwarfed by the qualifying record established by Valtteri Bottas in 2016 at the European Grand Prix, where he reached a staggering 378 km/h (234.878 mph).

However, achieving the highest speed does not ensure race points.

F1 sensation, 21, is set to be Max Verstappen’s teammate and is currently dating Wanda Icardi’s former rival

Following his record speed at qualifying in Las Vegas, Colapinto crashed into a wall.

The pole position for that race was claimed by Mercedes’ George Russell, who posted a time of 1:32.312, with Colapinto’s best time at 1:33.746 during the first session.

Overall, the majority of pole positions during the season were held by Verstappen and Lando Norris, each with eight.

Even without any pole positions, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton still managed to claim the title for the fastest lap in a race on two occasions.

Norris excelled in this area, achieving the fastest lap in six races.