Number 327: The 2024 Season Preview Issue

Has Red Bull Racing changed the game again with its “controlled aggression” RB20 as Max Verstappen goes for a fourth-straight Formula 1 World Championship, or can Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren or Aston Martin Martin close down the gap? The opening two grands prix showed Max taking up where he left off, but the chasers have all made progress, too. Question is, can they build on that, or are they just chasing a moving target?

In RACER’s 2024 Season Preview Issue that’s out now, we look for some answers on whether Red Bull’s rampage is unstoppable, run the ruler over the battles in the midfield and back of the grid, and check in with McLaren re-signee Lando Norris and F1 returnee Daniel Ricciardo on their big-picture plans.

In the NTT IndyCar Series, one won the 2023 Indy 500, but fell short in his quest to win a third championship. The other put on a season-long road- and street-course masterclass to clinch his second IndyCar title, but has yet to turn potential into a victory at the series’ most defining oval.

Call it unfinished business, but reigning Indy 500 winner and 2024 St. Pete victor Josef Newgarden and defending IndyCar Series champ Alex Palou are men on a mission in 2024, and possibly the guys to beat when it comes to picking favorites for the full-season championship and its centerpiece race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But with another dozen drivers – maybe more? – with the potential to fight for race wins at a minimum, it’s a season that’s set to be too close to call.

Check out our season guide that includes a look at a resized and refocused Andretti Global program, gets the lowdown on Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist, gets ready for an oval-heavy climax to the campaign, and sets the scene on the much anticipated, but oft delayed introduction of hybrid power (er, assuming that it does happen in 2024, of course…).

Elsewhere, we focus on the enduro-focused Risi Competizione, one of the teams to beat when it comes to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s long distance races, recap William Byron’s delayed, but deserved win in NASCAR’s Daytona 500, and find out why Boris Said still rates Trans Am as his go-to race series.

Add in an interview with Kawasaki’s World Superbike Championship team leader Alex Lowes on his return to winning ways, some good old speculation on who’ll take Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton’s seat in the Mercedes F1 team, and insight on the one-make action from the Mazda MX-5 Cup and we hope you enjoy RACER No. 327.