IndyCar winner sends under-pressure F1 drivers warning

Six-time IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe has named five F1 drivers who are under pressure to perform coming into the 2024 season.

In unique circumstances, the 2024 grid will line up with the same 20 drivers who ended the 2023 season, all in the same cars - a sign of job security for some, but a sign that others are on their last chance.

With a host of exciting drivers attempting to force their way into F1 seats via their performances in the junior formulas, some stars may find themselves unceremoniously dumped mid-season.

Hinchcliffe mentioned some predictable names, including Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and American driver Logan Sargeant, but also dropped in the Australian pair of Daniel Ricciardo and 2023 rookie sensation Oscar Piastri.

Hinchcliffe: Oscar Piastri under pressure

In a piece on F1's website, he wrote: "This might seem an odd one given the banner rookie campaign from Piastri – but the problem with early success is that expectation shifts accordingly.

"He showed such pace and promise as a rookie that the expectation will be, with a year under his belt, that he will be evenly matched with team mate Lando Norris from round 1 in Bahrain.

"Norris will, of course, up his game after the pressure Piastri put on him in the final 10 races of 2023 – which in turn makes Piastri’s job that much harder. And while I don’t believe Piastri to be the type of driver to read his own press and get too comfortable, in any sport the threat of a sophomore slump is real.

"He needs to back up his impressive first year with a strong head-to-head performance against Norris to truly establish himself as one of the best on the grid. And hopefully that happens in a McLaren capable of fighting for wins."

READ MORE: McLaren F1 car launch 2024: When, and how to watch live

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