With every success story is a tale of hardship and this is no different in F1. Though every team and driver has been competitive on the grid this season, there have been plenty of struggles up and down the grid. Who has struggled the most compared to expectation? RacingNews365 takes a look.
Nyck de Vries
Former F2 and Formula E champion Nyck de Vries was finally given his full-time F1 dream by AlphaTauri this season, but it soon turned into a nightmare. The Dutchman struggled for form in the early stages of the season, making numerous errors and struggling to match teammate Yuki Tsunoda. With the issues endured seemingly striking continuously, the Red Bull hierarchy opted to dismiss de Vries in favour of Daniel Ricciardo after only 10 races. Perhaps a harsh decision so early into the season, but de Vries' torrid time was ended for him.
Ferrari
The run-up to the summer break was positive for the Scuderia as Charles Leclerc supplied two podiums in four races to boost its points tally. But the fact it has continued its slump from last season to slip to fourth in the Constructors' standings, behind Aston Martin and Mercedes, is a tough pill to swallow. Tyre conservation issues in race trim was a serious concern in the opening stages of the year, though those fears have seemingly been addressed. A number of incidents including Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have cost vital points - including the Spaniard's clash with Oscar Piastri in the last race before the break in Belgium. The usual operational issues around strategy have persisted from previous seasons, with tetchy radio calls frequently heard on broadcasts. Whilst there is scope for a turnaround in the second half of the season, the championship table doesn't lie and the Scuderia will be displeased with the current position.
Haas
It is worth pointing out that Haas' qualifying pace has been pretty stellar - especially at the hands of Nico Hulkenberg, who has been so impressive on his return from a three-year sabbatical. But however special Saturdays [and Fridays at Sprints] have been, tyre overheating issues have left Hulkenberg and teammate Kevin Magnussen largely defenceless over a race distance. The VF-23 has been unable to sustain pace over a stint length as the tyre issues take a hold, either leaving the drivers plummeting through the order or being forced into an extra pit stop compared to rivals. That is a huge issue that may not be solved for the rest of this term but must be addressed for next year's machinery. If that can be achieved, Haas will be a solid points challenger.
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