Summary
F1 Manager 24has been released with many improvements on previous titles. One notable feature is the “Create A Team” career mode, which enables players to start their very own F1 team andcompete with existing teamsacross a full season. Players can likewise select an existing team and manage them too. One important choice players will need to make in both modes is who they would like to be their drivers.
While there are many experienced and highly-rated drivers already on the grid, there are plenty of young prospects with lots of potential, and signing them can come at a significantly cheaper price than hiring established names like Hamilton or Alonso. Like manymanagement and simulation games,F1 Manager 24can take players across multiple seasons, so having drivers with youth on their side can be extra beneficial in the long run.
1Felipe Drugovich
A Consistent Driver With Plenty Of Talent And Development Potential
Aston Martin’s talented reserve driver Felipe Drugovich has yet to receive his breakthrough in Formula 1, but the Brazilian F2 Champion is an excellent signing to make,especially in Create A Team mode. Coming at a relative discount compared to many others, Drugovich is prone to the odd mistake or two but generally remains consistent and clean when properly managed.
Drugovich can also improve very quickly through simulator work, and he will certainly need some of this additional development focus to address his weaker skills. If given a half-decent car, Drugovich will occasionally outperform it and score points or podiums on more favorable tracks. He makes an excellent “Car 2” driver for wealthier teams and can be a solid number-one driver for lower-ranked teams as well.
2Mick Schumacher
An Experienced Racer With Bonuses To Marketing And Sponsorship
Son of the legendary Michael Schumacher, Mick already has a couple of years of experience in Formula 1. Unfortunately for him, these years were spent at the lowest at the underperforming Haas team, where he frequently found himself laps behind the main pack battling only with his teammate, Nikita Mazepin.
Mick’s driving abilities are therefore quite underrated, and he can perform very well throughout a season if given a point-scoring car. Schumacher will also help out massively with the team’s marketability, generatinglots of engagement and revenue, which can be huge for some of the lower-ranked teams.
3Oliver Bearman
A Highly Promising Ferrari Academy Driver With Proven F1 Experience
One of the most impressive talents to come through Formula 2 in recent years, Prema’s Oliver Bearman seems poised totake over a Ferrari seatone day in the future, particularly after an impressive performance at the 2024 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, where he replaced Carlos Sainz and made up four places to finish in P7.
Bearman is younger and cheaper than many of his counterparts with a similar rating, and he easily has the potential to be developed into a driver with a 90+ rating in the future. Whether as a reserve or a main driver, it is worth keeping Bearman scouted and on the radar should the need arise to sign any replacement drivers.
4Isack Hadjar
A Hot Prospect From Red Bull With Great Stats For His Age
Isack Hadjar is a promising talent in the Red Bull junior program and one of the leading contenders to take the F2 title in 2024. The French-Algerian has several race victories to his name in the lower leagues and comes at a cheaper cost but a higher rating than Bearman.
Hadjar can make an ideal affiliate driver for stronger teams but is worth taking a chance on for lower teams with underperforming drivers. If given the right car and setup, Hadjar can surprise and perform exceptionally well with a positive driver mentality.
5Theo Pourchaire
The Current F2 Champion Could Slot In Anywhere On The Grid
The 2023 Formula 2 champion, Theo Pourchaire, should be a relatively obvious pick for most players, coming at a discounted costcompared to the experienced F1 drivers, but still possessing plenty of talent and potential. Pourchaire makes an ideal young signing, and at just 20 years old, has plenty of room to grow.
Pourchaire is easily one of the best drivers not to be currently on the grid. As a result, he can make an ideal pick in Create A Team mode. Even for higher-ranked teams on the grid, it is worth considering signing Pourchaire as an affiliate due to his potential.
6Liam Lawson
One Of The Most Promising Red Bull Drivers In Recent Years
Liam Lawson seems very likely to be promoted at some point in the near future to an F1 seat. The young Red Bull academy driver already impressed when he stepped in as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement for five races in 2023, managing P11 twice and a P9 finish in Singapore despite driving one of the worst cars on the grid.
The start of the 2024 season is the ideal time to sign Lawson, as he is still full of potential and comes at a relatively cheap price when compared to drivers like Logan Sargeant and Zhou Guanyu. Lawson’s skills may need some refinement on the simulator, but generally, he can take to the ground running and perform as well asmany of the current F1 drivers.
7Andrea Kimi Antonelli
The Young Phenomenon Vastly Outperforms Any Drivers Of His Young Age
One of the hottest prospects to emerge in the last few years is Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Hotly tipped to replaceLewis Hamilton at Mercedesin 2025 when the 7x World Champion joins Ferrari, Antonelli is by far the highest-rated young driver with the most years still ahead of him.
Players can sign him for a very cheap price considering his talent, but his higher wage demands may prove to become an issue for some poorly financed teams. Since Antonelli is very likely to be signed by other teams at the end of the first season, it is worth scouting him or making him an affiliate driver as soon as possible.
