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2014 Formula One World Championship
2014 Formula One World Championship
from Wikipedia

A photo of Lewis Hamilton wearing a hat
Lewis Hamilton won his second World Drivers' Championship in his second season with Mercedes.
a photo of Nico Rosberg wearing a hat
Hamilton's teammate Nico Rosberg finished second in the Drivers' Championship and won the inaugural Pole Trophy.
Daniel Ricciardo finished in third place, driving for Red Bull Racing.
Mercedes won their first Constructors' Championship, the first of eight consecutive, with the Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid.
Red Bull Racing, the defending Constructors' Champions, finished second in the Constructors' Championship with the Red Bull RB10.
Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship with the Williams FW36.

The 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 68th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 65th Formula One World Championship, a motor racing championship for Formula One cars, recognised by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. The season commenced in Australia on 16 March and concluded in Abu Dhabi on 23 November. In the nineteen Grands Prix of the season, a total of eleven teams and twenty-four drivers competed for the World Drivers' and World Constructors' championships. The season was the first Formula One season since 1994 to see an accident with fatal consequences as Jules Bianchi died on 17 July 2015 after spending nine months in a coma following a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.[1][2][3]

In 2014, the championship saw the introduction of a revised engine formula, in which the 2.4-litre V8 engine configuration—previously used between 2006 and 2013—was replaced with a new formula specifying a 1.6-litre (97.6 cu in) turbocharged V6 engine that incorporated an energy recovery system into its build. The 2014 calendar featured substantial revisions from the 2013 season; the Russian Grand Prix (held the first time in a century) was held at the Sochi Autodrom, and the Austrian Grand Prix was revived with the race held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The Indian Grand Prix was put on hiatus before being removed from the schedule entirely along with the Korean Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel started the season as defending World Drivers' Champion having secured his fourth consecutive Drivers' title the previous season at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix. His team, Infiniti Red Bull Racing, also started the season as defending World Constructors' Champions having secured its fourth consecutive Constructors' title last season at the same Grand Prix in which its lead driver secured his title.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won his second World Drivers' Championship - his first for Mercedes, having previously won his first title in 2008 with McLaren and becoming only the second driver to win the title for the Silver Arrows since Juan Manuel Fangio did so in 1955 - with 384 points and 11 victories ahead of his teammate, Nico Rosberg with 317 points and 5 victories, ending Red Bull's 4 year championship dominance (which started in 2010). Rosberg also won the inaugural FIA Pole Trophy having amassed a total of 11 pole positions over the course of the season. Mercedes secured their first World Constructors' Championship as a full works constructor in Russia, and finished the season with 701 points, 296 points ahead of Infiniti Red Bull Racing. The season also saw the first three wins of Daniel Ricciardo, who finished third in the championship for Infiniti Red Bull Racing. Meanwhile, Ricciardo's teammate and defending champion Vettel endured a winless season making the German driver the first defending champion since Jacques Villeneuve in 1998 to have this unwanted distinction and last to date, as of 2025.[4]

Teams and drivers

[edit]

The following teams and drivers took part in the 2014 season. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Pirelli.

Entrant Constructor Chassis Power unit No. Race drivers Rounds
Malaysia Caterham F1 Team Caterham-Renault CT05[5] Renault Energy
F1-2014
[6][7]
9
46
10
45
Sweden Marcus Ericsson[8]
United Kingdom Will Stevens[9]
Japan Kamui Kobayashi[8][10]
Germany André Lotterer[11][12]
1–16
19
1–11, 13–16, 19
12
Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari F14 T[13] Ferrari 059/3[14] 7
14
Finland Kimi Räikkönen[15]
Spain Fernando Alonso[16]
All
All
India Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India-Mercedes VJM07[17] Mercedes PU106A Hybrid[18][19] 11
27
Mexico Sergio Pérez[20]
Germany Nico Hülkenberg[21]
All
All
United Kingdom Lotus F1 Team Lotus-Renault E22[22] Renault Energy
F1-2014
[7][23]
8
13
France Romain Grosjean[24]
Venezuela Pastor Maldonado[24]
All
All
Russia Marussia F1 Team Marussia-Ferrari MR03[25] Ferrari 059/3[14][26] 4
42
17
42
United Kingdom Max Chilton[27]
United States Alexander Rossi[28]
France Jules Bianchi[29]
United States Alexander Rossi[30]
1–16
12[a]
1–15
16[b]
United Kingdom McLaren Mercedes[31] McLaren-Mercedes MP4-29[32] Mercedes PU106A Hybrid[19][33] 20
22
Denmark Kevin Magnussen[34]
United Kingdom Jenson Button[35]
All
All
Germany Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 W05
Hybrid
[36]
Mercedes PU106A Hybrid[19] 6
44
Germany Nico Rosberg[37]
United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton[38]
All
All
Austria Infiniti Red Bull Racing Renault Red Bull-Renault RB10[39] Renault Energy
F1-2014
[7][40]
1
3
Germany Sebastian Vettel[41]
Australia Daniel Ricciardo[42]
All
All
Switzerland Sauber F1 Team Sauber-Ferrari C33[43] Ferrari 059/3[14][44] 21
99
Mexico Esteban Gutiérrez[45]
Germany Adrian Sutil[46]
All
All
Italy Scuderia Toro Rosso Toro Rosso-Renault STR9[47] Renault Energy
F1-2014
[7][40]
25
26
France Jean-Éric Vergne[48]
Russia Daniil Kvyat[48]
All
All
United Kingdom Williams Martini Racing[49] Williams-Mercedes FW36[50] Mercedes PU106A Hybrid[19][51] 19
77
Brazil Felipe Massa[52]
Finland Valtteri Bottas[52]
All
All
Sources:[53][54][55]

This was the final season for Max Chilton, Jean-Éric Vergne, Kamui Kobayashi, Adrian Sutil, and Jules Bianchi, the latter of whom had a test driver contract for 2015, but suffered an accident leading to fatal injuries at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

Free practice drivers

[edit]

6 teams used free practice drivers over the course of the season.

Drivers that took part in free practice sessions
Constructor Practice drivers
No. Driver name Rounds
Caterham-Renault 46
45
45
Netherlands Robin Frijns
United States Alexander Rossi
Spain Roberto Merhi
3, 9
7
13, 15–16
Force India-Mercedes 34 Spain Daniel Juncadella 9, 13, 18
LotusRenault 30
31
France Charles Pic
France Esteban Ocon
13
19
Sauber-Ferrari 36
37
37
Netherlands Giedo van der Garde
Russia Sergey Sirotkin
Hong Kong Adderly Fong
3–5, 9–10, 12–13
16
19
Toro Rosso-Renault 38 Netherlands Max Verstappen 15, 17–18
Williams-Mercedes 40
41
Brazil Felipe Nasr
United Kingdom Susie Wolff
3–5, 17–18
9–10
Source: [10][56][57][58][59][60][61][30][62][63][64]

Team changes

[edit]
  • Cosworth elected not to build an engine to fit the 2014 generation of regulations.[65] This decision prompted Marussia, the only team using Cosworth engines during the 2013 season, to seek out a new engine supplier.[66] They joined Ferrari's customer programme with Ferrari providing the team with both engine and powertrain for 2014 and beyond.[26]
  • Toro Rosso secured an agreement with Renault for engines in 2014, ending their seven-year arrangement with Ferrari.[40]
  • Williams parted ways with Renault after two seasons, switching to Mercedes power in what the team described as a "long-term deal".[51] The deal came after Renault publicised their intentions to reduce their engine supply to three teams in 2014,[67] before the French manufacturer ultimately settled on supplying four.[23]
  • In 2011, former British American Racing team principal Craig Pollock announced the formation of Propulsion Universelle et Récuperation d'Énergie—commonly known by its acronym, PURE—and signalled his intentions to enter the sport in 2014 as a customer engine supplier, with the full support of the FIA.[68] However, the engine programme was eventually suspended in July 2012 due to problems regarding funding,[69] and was ultimately unable to secure any clients for the 2014 season.[23]

Driver changes

[edit]

Mid-season changes

[edit]
Caterham (top) and Marussia (bottom)—both seen here at the Singapore Grand Prix—went into administration late in the season.
  • In the week before the British Grand Prix, Caterham announced that team owner Tony Fernandes had sold his controlling stake in the team to a group of Swiss and Dubai-based investors. Former Midland and Spyker driver Christijan Albers was appointed as team principal, with the team declaring its intentions to continue competing under the Caterham name.[79] Albers was himself replaced by Manfredi Ravetto, who admitted that the sale was necessary to keep the team on the grid.[80] Ravetto was in turn replaced, this time by Finbarr O'Connell, who was appointed when the team was placed into administration ahead of the United States Grand Prix due to a dispute over the team's ownership.[81] The team was later given a dispensation to miss the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix in order to resolve the dispute.[82]
  • Three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 2011 Formula Nippon (now Super Formula) champion André Lotterer made his Formula One debut with Caterham, replacing Kamui Kobayashi at the Belgian Grand Prix.[11] Under the terms of the deal, Kobayashi returned to the team for the Italian Grand Prix, while Lotterer returned to Super Formula.[10] The team had further planned to substitute Kobayashi for Formula One's most experienced driver in history, Rubens Barrichello, in the United States, Brazilian and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, but were forced to abandon the plan when they entered administration.[83] The team ultimately put together a rescue package ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but with Marcus Ericsson formally leaving the team ahead of a move to Sauber in 2015, Caterham chose debutant Will Stevens as his replacement.[9]
  • Alexander Rossi was entered for the Belgian Grand Prix by Marussia as a replacement for Max Chilton.[84] However, following the first practice session, Chilton was reinstated as the team's racing driver, and Rossi only participated in the practice session.[85] Rossi was later nominated as Jules Bianchi's replacement for the Russian Grand Prix,[30] but the entry was ultimately withdrawn out of respect for the critically injured Bianchi.[86]
  • Jules Bianchi suffered a serious head injury in a crash at the Japanese Grand Prix, remaining hospitalised and in a coma until his death in July 2015.[87] Marussia decided to withdraw their second entry for the Russian Grand Prix, Alexander Rossi, out of respect for the Frenchman.[86] Faced with their own financial problems, the team was also granted a dispensation to miss the United States Grand Prix.[88] One week before the Grand Prix, Marussia followed Caterham into administration.[89]

Calendar

[edit]
Nations that hosted a Grand Prix in 2014 are highlighted in green, with former host nations shown in gray.

The following nineteen Grands Prix took place in 2014.

Round Grand Prix Circuit Date
1 Australian Grand Prix Australia Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne 16 March
2 Malaysian Grand Prix Malaysia Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur 30 March
3 Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir 6 April
4 Chinese Grand Prix China Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai 20 April
5 Spanish Grand Prix Spain Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló 11 May
6 Monaco Grand Prix Monaco Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 25 May
7 Canadian Grand Prix Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal 8 June
8 Austrian Grand Prix Austria Red Bull Ring, Spielberg 22 June
9 British Grand Prix United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 6 July
10 German Grand Prix Germany Hockenheimring, Hockenheim 20 July
11 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungary Hungaroring, Mogyoród 27 July
12 Belgian Grand Prix Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 24 August
13 Italian Grand Prix Italy Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 7 September
14 Singapore Grand Prix Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore 21 September
15 Japanese Grand Prix Japan Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka 5 October
16 Russian Grand Prix Russia Sochi Autodrom, Sochi 12 October
17 United States Grand Prix United States Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas 2 November
18 Brazilian Grand Prix Brazil Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo 9 November
19 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi 23 November
Sources:[90][91][92]

Calendar changes

[edit]

New and returning races

[edit]
In 2014 Formula One travelled to Russia for the first time, with the Russian Grand Prix at a street circuit in the Sochi Olympic Park.
  • Red Bull reached an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone to revive the Austrian Grand Prix after a ten-year absence from the calendar. The race was held at the Red Bull Ring,[92][93] which previously hosted the Austrian Grand Prix in 2003, when the circuit was known as the A1-Ring.
  • The calendar saw the introduction of the Russian Grand Prix with the race staged at the Sochi Autodrom near the end of the season.[94] The race took place on a street circuit constructed around the Sochi Olympic Park. It was the first Russian Grand Prix in a century, and the first time the country had ever hosted a round of the Formula One World Championship. The International Olympic Committee had cautioned that it would use its power to delay the race until 2015 if it felt that construction of the circuit and facilities were disrupting preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games,[95] but this proved not to be an issue.
  • The Hockenheimring returned to the calendar to host the German Grand Prix, in keeping with the event-sharing agreement first established in 2008 with the Nürburgring for the two circuits to host the Grand Prix in alternating years. The Hockenheimring last hosted a Grand Prix in 2012.[96]

Failed bids

[edit]
  • The Indian Grand Prix was not held in 2014 following the devaluation of the Indian rupee and ongoing complications arising from Indian taxation laws,[97] which had dogged the event since its inaugural race in 2011, with authorities classifying the Grand Prix as "entertainment", which under Indian law would have entitled the authorities to claim a portion of the teams' revenue as tax for competing in India, something they would have been unable to do if the race had been classified as a "sport".[98] The race promoters initially came to an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone to skip the 2014 event and return to the calendar early in 2015;[99] however, in March 2014, Ecclestone stated that the race would likely be pushed back to 2016 while the sport tried to resolve the taxation issue.[100] As of 2025, the Indian Grand Prix has yet to see a return to the Formula 1 schedule.[101]
  • The Korean Grand Prix, Mexican Grand Prix, and the Grand Prix of America were included in the provisional calendar published in September 2013, but were later removed from the final calendar released in December.[90][102]

Other changes

[edit]

Regulation changes

[edit]

Technical regulations

[edit]
Car aesthetics proved controversial in 2014, with the demand for a low nose resulting in teams designing cars with a finger-like appendage—seen here in the nose of the Caterham CT05—dubbed the "alien" at the front of the chassis.[106]
  • The 2014 season saw the introduction of a new engine formula, with turbocharged engines returning to the sport for the first time since 1988. The new engines were a 1.6-litre V6 format with an 8-speed semi-automatic gearbox.[107] The traditional 2.4 litres (146 cubic inches) naturally-aspirated V8 engines that were used since 2006 (and later became mandatory for all entrants since 2007) until 2013 were permanently retired. The rules dictated the use of a ninety-degree engine bank, with fixed crankshaft and mounting points for the chassis, while the engines were limited to 15,000 rpm. Individual engine units under the 2014 specifications had to last for at least 4,000 km (2,500 mi) before being replaced, in comparison to the pre-2014 engines, which were required to last for just 2,000 km (1,200 mi).[108] The engines, now known as "power units", were divided into six separate components: the internal combustion engine (ICE); turbocharger (TC); Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), which harvested energy that would normally be wasted under braking; Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H), which collected energy in the form of heat as it was expelled through the exhaust; Energy Store (ES), which functioned as batteries, holding the energy gathered by the Motor Generator Units; and Control Electronics (CE), which included the Electronic Control Unit and software used to manage the entire power unit.
    • Under the previous generation of engines, used from 2006 to 2013, engines were subject to a development "freeze", which prohibited manufacturers from upgrading their engines. Faced with the complexity of the 2014 engines, the engine freeze was replaced with a points-trading system to prevent manufacturers from being unable to develop or improve their engines. Under the system, the individual parts of the engine were classified as Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3, and were assigned a points value there within. Engine manufacturers were given a budget of sixty-six points, which they were free to spend on engine development, with points deducted from their budget depending on the parts developed.[109]
  • The kinetic energy recovery system—known from 2009 to 2013 as KERS, and renamed from 2014 as ERS-K[110]—was incorporated into the design of the engine and its usage increased; its function as a supplementary power source was taken by the introduction of the heat-based energy recovery system (ERS).[111][112] The ERS unit captured waste heat as it was dispelled from the exhaust turbocharger, using an electrical device known as a heat motor generator unit. This waste heat was stored as an electrical charge until it was used by a complementary system called the kinetic motor generator unit. This device was connected directly to the drive train to deliver the additional power in the most direct and efficient way.[112][113] In combination with the ERS-K it gave drivers an additional 161 bhp (120 kW) for thirty-three seconds per lap, compared to the KERS units used prior to 2014, which gave drivers 80 bhp (60 kW) for six seconds per lap.[108] This energy was released into the powertrain by the electronic control unit (ECU) to promote the most efficient and effective application of the power, but the driver had the ability to manually override the ECU and use the remaining available power instantly.
  • Teams were permitted to use electronic braking devices to manage the braking of the rear wheels as the increased power output from the ERS-K units made regulating the brake bias much harder than it had been previously.[110]
  • Teams were no longer allowed to change their gear ratios from race to race to suit the individual demands of a circuit. Instead, they had to nominate eight gear ratios ahead of the first race of the season, and these eight ratios were used at every Grand Prix. They were given one opportunity to change their ratios once the season had started, but any subsequent changes would have incurred a grid penalty.[114]
  • Lower noses returned for the first time since the 2010 season. The 2014 regulations required the use of lower noses than in previous years, in the interests of driver safety. The tip of the nose had to be no more than 185 mm (7.3 in) above the ground,[115] in comparison to the 550 mm (22 in) allowed in 2012.[116] These regulations were amended in June 2013 so as to completely outlaw the use of the "stepped noses" used in 2012 and 2013, thereby forcing teams to design a car with a genuinely lower nose rather than using the temporary solution.[117]
    • The original rules—first published in August 2011—also called for a variety of bodywork changes aimed at cutting downforce, most notably through the use of narrower front wings, and a shallower angle to the main plane of rear wings. These additional changes were formally abandoned in December 2012,[118] but the requirement that cars be built with a nose no more than 185mm above the ground was retained.[119] The planned reduction in front wing width from 1,800 mm (71 in) to 1,650 mm (65 in) was subsequently reintroduced.[120]
  • Teams were no longer able to use a beam wing at the rear of the car, a small carbon fibre wing mounted above the diffuser designed to generate low pressure as air passed over it, allowing them greater control over the air that was being deliberately directed over the diffuser.[121]
  • To promote fuel efficiency and limit horsepower levels seen in the 1980s, the last time Formula One used forced induction engines, fuel flow was restricted to 100 kg/h above 10,500 rpm;[112] below 10,500 rpm a formula for the maximum flow was applied based on the rpm in use.[122]
    • Following Daniel Ricciardo's disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix for exceeding the fuel-flow limit, the FIA issued a Technical Directive preventing teams from making modifications to their fuel sensors after an investigation into the problem found that compounds in the bespoke fuel used by some teams were corroding a rubber seal in the sensor, leading to anomalous readings.[123]
  • The position of the exhaust outlet changed so that it was now angled upwards toward the rear wing instead of downwards to face the rear diffuser so as to make the practice of using exhaust blown diffusers—passing exhaust gasses over the rear diffuser to improve the car's downforce—extremely difficult to achieve.[108]
  • The minimum weight of the cars was increased from 642 kg (1,415 lb) to 691 kg (1,523 lb) to account for the increased weight of the engine, energy recovery units, and 2014 specification of tyres.[124]
  • In the week following the British Grand Prix, the FIA announced a total ban on the Front-and-Rear Interconnected suspension system (commonly abbreviated as FRIC) starting with immediate effect on the grounds that it was a movable aerodynamic device under Article 3.15 of the technical regulations.[125] The FRIC system linked the front and rear suspension arrays together, using inertia to transfer hydraulic fluid across the car to offset the effects of weight transfer on the car under braking, acceleration and cornering, thereby creating a static ride height and improving stability.
  • The use of false camera mountings was banned. Teams had previously exploited a loophole in the regulations that allowed them to add additional pieces of bodywork to the car in the place of camera mountings and take advantage of the aerodynamic benefits. From 2014, this loophole was closed, with the regulations rewritten to only allow camera mountings to be used for cameras.[110] This rule was later updated to force the teams to mount the cameras on an external piece of bodywork after Red Bull fitted its cameras within the nose of the RB10 chassis.[126]

Sporting regulations

[edit]
  • Mid-season testing returned in 2014. Three European venues each hosted a two-day test in the week following the Grand Prix held at the circuit with one test being held in the week after the final round in Abu Dhabi.[127][128] In addition to this, teams had to dedicate one of these days to aiding tyre supplier Pirelli in the development of their tyres.[129] These rules were later adjusted to allow teams to choose which venues they tested at during the season. Additionally, cars were also classified as "current", "previous" and "historic", with the FIA introducing limits on which cars could be used and the conditions under which they were tested.[130] The end-of-season Young Driver Tests, which were held to give teams the opportunity to assess rookie drivers, were discontinued.
  • The penalty system was overhauled in 2014 so as to improve driving standards, with the introduction of a "penalty points" system for driving offences.[131] Under the system, driving offences carried a pre-determined points value based on their severity. These points were tallied up over the course of a season, with a driver receiving a race ban after accumulating twelve penalty points.[132] Any driver who received a race ban would also have received an additional five penalty points upon their return, as a form of probation to discourage further driving offences. Penalty points remained on a driver's licence for twelve months, at which point they will have been removed.[130]
    • Stewards were given the power to hand out five-second penalties in addition to the existing range of penalties within their power. The five-second penalties were introduced for situations where a penalty was justified, but the existing penalties—such as a drive-through or a stop/go penalty—were considered too severe, or where such a penalty would radically alter the outcome of a race if applied retroactively, with penalised drivers facing the loss of championship points for otherwise minor violations of the rules.[130] Drivers were permitted to serve these penalties before a regular pit stop, with the driver stopping in their pit bay for five seconds before any work was carried out on the car.[124] The five-second penalty could also be added to a driver's total race time in the event that it was issued after they had made their final pit stop. Drivers serving drive-through or stop/go penalties were still not permitted to serve a penalty ahead of their pit stop, and were instead required to enter the pit lane separately to serve the penalty.
  • The rules regarding unsafe pit releases—when a car is released from its pit bay to the lane directly into the path of an oncoming car—were rewritten, with the driver who was released in an unsafe fashion given a grid penalty for the next race.[130]
  • The pit lane speed limit was reduced from 100 km/h (62 mph) to 80 km/h (50 mph).[133]
  • Drivers were only able to use five engines over the course of a season in 2014, down from eight in 2013. Drivers who used a sixth engine started the race from the pit lane, as opposed to the ten-place grid penalty handed down for going over the engine quota in previous season.[133] Drivers were only able to use five individual components of each power unit element over the course of the season. If a driver went over this quota for any individual element, they incurred a ten-place grid penalty.[134] They would receive a further five-place penalty for going over the five-unit allocation of any other element after the original ten-place penalty was applied in a bid to stop teams changing multiple elements of the engine unit after receiving a grid penalty.[130]
    • In the event that such a penalty relegated a driver past the back row of the grid, the remaining penalty carried over to the next race. For example, if a driver qualified in nineteenth position and received a five-place grid penalty, they dropped to twenty-second and last place for that race, and then would receive an additional two-place penalty in the next Grand Prix. These penalties could only be carried over to the next race, rather than accumulate,[130] and only applied to penalties issued for going over the component quota.[135] Penalties cannot be carried over from season to season; when a driver incurred such a penalty during the final race of the season, the stewards had the power to issue time penalties during the race.[136]
  • The procedure for issuing penalties for speeding under yellow flag conditions in qualifying was changed for 2014. Previously, drivers had been forced to slow down in the timing sector of the circuit where a yellow flag was being waved. However, after a series of penalties were issued to drivers for speeding in a sector with yellow flags when the incident that triggered the yellow flag took place behind them, the FIA introduced a change to the procedure. Starting in 2014, the circuits were divided into two hundred metre intervals. In the event of a yellow flag, drivers had to demonstrate that they slowed down in the two hundred metres immediately before and after the yellow flags while they were being displayed, or else incurred a penalty.[137]
    • Following Jules Bianchi's accident at the Japanese Grand Prix, the FIA announced plans to introduce a mandatory speed limiter to cars that could be remotely activated from Race Control in the event of a yellow flag. Labelled "Virtual Safety Car" (VSC), the system is an alternative to the use of an actual safety car and was first tested during practice at the United States Grand Prix. The system originally aimed at restricting drivers to a 100 km/h (62 mph) speed limit under specific yellow flag situations, following reports that Bianchi had been travelling at 212 km/h (132 mph) when he left the circuit.[138] Similar trials were conducted in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, with VSC ultimately being managed through specified sector (delta) times rather than a speed limit in affected sectors.[139]
  • Following a series of high-profile incidents involving tyres throughout the 2013 season that culminated in a string of explosive blow-outs at the 2013 British Grand Prix, the FIA passed a resolution granting them the power to change the specifications of the tyres used by competitors with immediate effect should the need arise.[110]
  • Drivers were assigned permanent numbers for the duration of their careers, with the championship adopting a system similar to the one used in MotoGP. The number 1 was the champion's right, with drivers free to choose any number from 2 to 99; the champion's "regular" number was reserved while the champion was using the number 1. The regulations further stipulated that a driver's number had to be clearly visible, both on their car and on their helmet.[130] Previously, the numbering system had been partially based on the World Constructors' Championship finishing positions from the previous year.
  • Drivers who did not take part in a qualifying period were assigned grid positions based on the qualifying bracket they were in at the time and their Free Practice 3 lap times.[130] For example, if two drivers qualified for but did not take part in Q3, they started the race from ninth and tenth places, with the positions they took decided by their FP3 times. The rule was rewritten as grid positions for drivers who had not set lap times or left the pits had previously been decided by car numbers.
  • The FIA introduced the "Pole Trophy", a non-championship award presented to the driver who qualified on pole for the most races.[130]
  • The qualifying format was adjusted to allow drivers more time to complete flying laps in Q3. The final qualifying period was extended to twelve minutes in length, with Q1 scaled back to eighteen minutes to keep the entire session within one hour.[140]
    • The 107% rule was relaxed at the start of the season to account for teams dealing with the challenges that arose from the new engine regulations. FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting was quoted as saying that the enforcement of the rule would be taken on a case-by-case basis, but that the stewards would consider a driver able to qualify provided they set consistent lap times in Free Practice.[141]
  • The FIA introduced a curfew system in 2011 that prohibited team personnel from accessing the circuit in the six hours before the first session of the day, with teams given four "jokers"—exceptions to the rule that allowed them to stay within the circuit boundaries past the curfew hours without penalty so as to complete work on cars—to use throughout the season. The rule was revised for 2014, with teams given six exceptions over the course of the year as a response to the introduction of the new engine formula.[124]
  • Drivers had to be able to return to the pits under their own power after the chequered flag had fallen in a bid to stop drivers from pulling over in order to preserve the mandatory one-litre fuel sample required to pass post-race scrutineering.[124]
  • Teams were now allowed to run up to four drivers during both Friday practice sessions,[c] though they were still limited to entering a maximum of two cars during the sessions. If one of the team's nominated drivers was unable to take part, any replacement driver had to use the engine, gearbox and tyres which were allocated to the original driver.[142][143]
  • The final race of the season offered double points to teams and drivers in a bid to keep the championship fight alive for longer.[144]
  • Starting as of the Singapore Grand Prix, the FIA restricted pit-to-car communications, banning any radio transmissions between driver and team or pit boards displaying information that are deemed to be related to the performance of the driver or their car—such as discussing sector times relative to other cars—under Article 20.1 of the sporting regulations, which stated that a competitor must drive the car unaided.[145]

Season report

[edit]
Mercedes secured their first World Constructors' Championship with a 1–2 finish in Russia.
Jules Bianchi—seen here in Bahrain—scored Marussia's first and only points in Formula One at the Monaco Grand Prix. He became the first Formula One fatality since 1994 after an accident at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Mercedes won their first World Constructors' Championship after taking a 1–2 finish in Russia. Lewis Hamilton won his second World Drivers' Championship after a season-long battle with teammate Nico Rosberg.[146] Rosberg won the Australian and Monaco Grands Prix, and Hamilton the races in Malaysia, Bahrain, China and Spain after retiring in Australia. The Mercedes team's run of victories ended in Canada where Rosberg and Hamilton were simultaneously hit with a power unit failure that put additional strain on their brakes. Hamilton was forced out of the race and while Rosberg was able to continue, his performance deteriorated and he ultimately finished second. Mercedes returned to the top of the podium in Austria, with Rosberg leading Hamilton across the finish line for his third victory of the season. Hamilton reclaimed ground in the championship standings in Britain winning after Rosberg was forced out with gearbox issues. Rosberg claimed the win in Germany, while Hamilton recovered to third after an accident in qualifying saw him start from twentieth place. Hamilton finished third in Hungary after starting from pit lane, ahead of Rosberg. Rosberg had to settle for second place in Belgium after contact with Hamilton early in the race, which ultimately prompted Mercedes to retire Hamilton's car. Hamilton went on to claim his sixth win of the season in Italy, ahead of Rosberg. Hamilton reclaimed the championship lead with a win in Singapore, while Rosberg was retired with a broken wiring loom. Hamilton claimed the win in rain- and accident-shortened Japan, ahead of Rosberg. Hamilton won the inaugural race in Russia, once again ahead of Rosberg. The result was enough for Mercedes to secure their first World Constructors' Championship. Hamilton took his fifth consecutive win – for the first time in his career – in the United States, again ahead of Rosberg. Rosberg took his fifth win of the season in Brazil, with Hamilton finishing in second. Hamilton carried a seventeen-point advantage into the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and went on to win the race while Rosberg struggled with electrical problems and finished outside the points. With eleven pole positions to his name, Rosberg won the inaugural FIA Pole Trophy.[147]

Red Bull Racing finished second overall, after suffering a difficult start to the season when Sebastian Vettel retired and Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from the Australian Grand Prix.[148][149] Red Bull appealed the disqualification, but the result was upheld by the International Court of Appeal.[150] Vettel went on to finish third in Malaysia, while Ricciardo retired, and both drivers scored points in Bahrain and China. Ricciardo recorded his first podium finish with a third place in Spain, while Vettel recovered to fourth place after technical problems and a penalty for a gearbox change saw him start the race from fifteenth position. Ricciardo finished in third place in Monaco, while Vettel retired due to an issue with his power unit. Ricciardo took advantage of the Mercedes team's difficulties in Canada to claim his maiden Grand Prix victory—and Renault's first with a turbocharged engine since the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix—while Vettel finished third. The team struggled in their home race in Austria, with Vettel retiring early with yet another engine issue and Ricciardo finishing eighth. Ricciardo returned to the podium in Britain, while Vettel finished fifth after a protracted battle with Alonso. Vettel and Ricciardo were fourth and sixth respectively in Germany. Ricciardo scored his second career win in Hungary, while Vettel finished seventh after a spin. Ricciardo scored his third career victory in Belgium while Vettel took fifth. In Italy, Ricciardo took fifth place, ahead of Vettel. Both drivers recorded podium finishes in Singapore. Vettel took to the podium with third place in Japan, ahead of Ricciardo. Ricciardo took seventh place in Russia, ahead of Vettel. Ricciardo returned to the podium in the United States, while Vettel finished in seventh after starting from pit lane following a complete change of his power unit. Vettel finished fifth in Brazil while Ricciardo retired when his front-left upright suspension was broken. Both drivers were thrown out of qualifying in Abu Dhabi after their cars failed scrutineering, and they started from the pit lane. Vettel came home 8th and Ricciardo got 4th place.

Susie Wolff became the first woman to take part in an F1 weekend since 1992 when she participated in free practice at the British Grand Prix.

Williams were third, having started the season strongly when Valtteri Bottas scored more points in the opening race than the Williams team did during the 2013 season. Bottas and teammate Felipe Massa went on to record points finishes in Malaysia and Bahrain. The team recorded another minor points finish in China, before Bottas showed enough pace to challenge Ricciardo for a podium position early in the Spanish Grand Prix, but eventually finished fifth after being overtaken by Vettel late in the race. Massa finished seventh in Monaco, while Bottas retired. In Canada, Massa showed good enough pace to challenge for the lead in the late stages of the race until he collided with Sergio Pérez on the final lap. Williams managed to lock out the front row when Mercedes struggled in qualifying, with Massa qualifying on pole, his first since the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, and he went on to finish in fourth while Bottas scored the first podium of his career, crossing the finish line in third place. Bottas secured back-to-back podium finishes by scoring second place in Britain and soon after claimed his third consecutive podium finish after finishing in second place in Germany, while Massa retired on the opening lap in both Britain and Germany. In Hungary, Massa and Bottas were fifth and eighth, respectively. Bottas returned to the podium in Belgium, while Massa was outside the points. Massa took his first podium since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix in Italy, ahead of Bottas. Massa took fifth place in Singapore, while Bottas finished outside the points due to a loss of grip in the late stages. In Japan, Bottas and Massa were sixth and seventh, respectively. Bottas took the fifth podium of his career with a third place in Russia, while Massa finished outside the points. At the next round in the United States, Massa and Bottas finished fourth and fifth respectively. In Brazil, Massa took his second podium of the season and his fifth podium on his home soil in third place, while Bottas finished tenth. In the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi, both drivers stepped on the podium with Massa finishing second and Bottas third.

Ferrari finished fourth, with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen scoring a mixed run of results throughout the season. Alonso took his first podium of the season with his third-place finish in China, while Räikkönen had a string of relatively low-placed results, the best of which was fourth place in Belgium. Both drivers recorded minor points in Canada and again in Austria. Alonso had to be content with sixth place in Britain after a rain-affected qualifying saw him start from sixteenth place, while Räikkönen crashed heavily on the opening lap, forcing the temporary stoppage of the race. Alonso finished in fifth place in Germany, while Räikkönen was outside the points. Alonso managed to get the team's best result with second place in Hungary, while Räikkönen returned to the points in sixth place. Räikkönen took fourth place in Belgium, while Alonso finished eighth but was promoted to seventh after Magnussen's penalty. In Italy, Alonso was retired with an ERS failure, while Räikkönen finished in tenth, but was promoted to ninth after Magnussen's penalty. Alonso took fourth place in Singapore, while Räikkönen took eighth. In Japan, neither Alonso nor Räikkönen scored points, as Alonso retired when his power unit failed due to an electrical problem, while Räikkönen ended up in twelfth, ending Ferrari's run of eighty-one consecutive points finishes—the longest run in Formula One history. Alonso took sixth place in Russia, while Räikkönen came home in ninth. Alonso repeated the result in the United States, while Räikkönen finished outside the points. In Brazil, Alonso finished sixth, ahead of Räikkönen. Both drivers recorded minor points in Abu Dhabi. It was the first time since 1993 that Ferrari failed to win a race in a season.

McLaren secured fifth place. Following their first season without a podium finish in 2013, the team saw Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button finish second and third in Australia. Both drivers recorded points finishes in Malaysia, but were forced out of the Bahrain Grand Prix with clutch issues, and failed to score points in China and again in Spain. The team managed to recover in Monaco, with Button finishing sixth and Magnussen tenth after contact with Räikkönen. Button finished fourth in Canada after a string of late-race retirements helped him move up the order. Magnussen used his recent knowledge of the circuit to finish seventh in Austria, while Button's attempt at a different strategy failed, leaving him in eleventh. Button and Magnussen were fourth and seventh respectively in Britain. Button finished eighth in Germany, ahead of Magnussen, who was involved in a first-lap altercation with Massa. Button finished tenth in Hungary, while Magnussen was outside the points. In Belgium, Magnussen finished sixth ahead of Button, but was given a twenty-second time penalty after the race, demoting him to twelfth. In Italy, Magnussen and Button originally finished seventh and ninth respectively, but Magnussen received another time penalty—this time for five seconds—demoting him to tenth, while Button promoted to eighth. Magnussen took the final point in Singapore, while Button was forced out when his engine shut down. Button finished fifth in Japan, while Magnussen was outside the points. The team took fourth and fifth place in Russia, with Button finishing in front of Magnussen. Magnussen took eighth in the United States, while Button failed to score points. Button finished fourth in Brazil whilst Magnussen finished ninth. In Abu Dhabi, Button finished fifth, while Magnussen finished outside the points.

Force India were classified sixth overall. In Bahrain, the team scored their first podium finish since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix; Sergio Pérez, who finished third for the team in Bahrain, was on target to score another podium in Canada, but was rear-ended by Felipe Massa late in the race and both retired. Pérez briefly held the lead in Austria, but gradually fell back to sixth, and recorded the fastest lap, whilst Nico Hülkenberg battled Räikkönen for ninth. Hülkenberg finished eighth in Britain, while Pérez was outside the points. Both drivers scored minor points in Germany. Force India suffered their first double retirement of the season in Hungary as both drivers crashed out of the race. Pérez finished ninth in Belgium, while Hülkenberg was outside the points. Both drivers however were later promoted to eighth and tenth respectively after Kevin Magnussen was issued a time penalty shortly after the race. Pérez originally finished eighth in Italy, but was promoted to seventh after Magnussen's penalty, while Hülkenberg was outside the points. Hülkenberg finished ninth in Singapore, while Pérez recovered to seventh place after being forced to make an unscheduled pit stop following contact with Adrian Sutil. Hülkenberg and Pérez were eighth and tenth respectively in Japan. Pérez took the final points-scoring position in Russia, while Hülkenberg was outside the points. The team had another double retirement in United States, as Pérez collided with both Räikkönen and Sutil, forcing both himself and Sutil into retirement, while Hülkenberg ground to a halt later in the race with mechanical issues. Hülkenberg finished eighth in Brazil whilst Pérez finished outside the points. Hülkenberg and Pérez fared slightly better in Abu Dhabi, finishing sixth and seventh respectively.

Scuderia Toro Rosso were seventh overall, with Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat becoming the youngest driver to score points in Formula One, having finished ninth in Australia. Jean-Éric Vergne finished eighth in Canada, while Kvyat retired with a mechanical failure. Both drivers retired in Austria: Kvyat after suffering a rear suspension failure, and Vergne with brake issues. Both drivers recorded points in Britain. Vergne finished ninth in Hungary, while Kvyat missed the points. Kvyat finished ninth in Belgium, while Vergne was outside the points. Vergne recorded the team's best result of the season with sixth place in Singapore. Vergne took ninth in Japan, while Kvyat qualified a career-best fifth in Russia, but fell down the order with fuel consumption problems. Vergne originally took ninth in the United States, but was demoted to tenth after he incurred a five-second penalty following contact in an incident with Grosjean. Kvyat finished outside the points after taking a ten-place grid penalty for an engine change. Both Toro Rossos finished outside the points in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, bringing a disappointing end to both drivers' careers with the team.

After missing the first test of pre-season, Lotus finished the season in eighth position, with Romain Grosjean finishing eighth in both Spain and Monaco, while Pastor Maldonado remained scoreless until he picked up two points for ninth place in the United States.

Marussia were classified ninth, owing to Jules Bianchi scoring points in Monaco as he finished the race in ninth place, but both drivers collided on the opening lap of the Canadian Grand Prix, bringing about an end to Max Chilton's run of twenty-five consecutive classified race finishes. Bianchi managed to score the team's best ever qualifying result with twelfth in Britain. He was later critically injured in an accident in the closing stages of the Japanese Grand Prix and succumbed to his injuries on 17 July 2015.[151] The team later elected to sit out the United States round altogether before the team closed down ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.[152]

Sauber and Caterham finished tenth and eleventh overall, with both teams having failed to score a point in 2014. Sauber suffered a string of retirements for both drivers while struggling with a car that was too heavy. Sutil took the team's best result by qualifying in ninth in the United States, but his performance was short-lived, as he was hit from behind by Sergio Pérez, and the team ultimately endured their first pointless season in their twenty-two-year history. Caterham spent the early races trading places with Marussia, but fell behind once Bianchi scored points for Marussia in Monaco, despite an eleventh-place finish for Marcus Ericsson in the same race. In Belgium, Caterham opted to replace current driver Kobayashi with three time Le Mans winner and current FIA World Endurance Championship champion André Lotterer; however after out-qualifying Ericsson, he was forced to retire after a single lap when his power unit cut out. Team principal Tony Fernandes sold the team in July, but the transaction was never finalised and the team was put into administration following the Russian Grand Prix.[153] As a result, Caterham was forced to miss the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix.[152] They returned in time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, entering Kamui Kobayashi alongside debutant Will Stevens. Kobayashi retired from the race, while Stevens was the final classified driver in 17th place.

Results and standings

[edit]

Grands Prix

[edit]
Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, the car entered by World Constructors' Champion Mercedes
Round Grand Prix Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning constructor Report
1 Australia Australian Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes Report
2 Malaysia Malaysian Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
3 Bahrain Bahrain Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Nico Rosberg United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
4 China Chinese Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Nico Rosberg United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
5 Spain Spanish Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Sebastian Vettel United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
6 Monaco Monaco Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Finland Kimi Räikkönen Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes Report
7 Canada Canadian Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Brazil Felipe Massa Australia Daniel Ricciardo Austria Red Bull Racing-Renault Report
8 Austria Austrian Grand Prix Brazil Felipe Massa Mexico Sergio Pérez Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes Report
9 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
10 Germany German Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes Report
11 Hungary Hungarian Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Nico Rosberg Australia Daniel Ricciardo Austria Red Bull Racing-Renault Report
12 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Nico Rosberg Australia Daniel Ricciardo Austria Red Bull Racing-Renault Report
13 Italy Italian Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
14 Singapore Singapore Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
15 Japan Japanese Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
16 Russia Russian Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Finland Valtteri Bottas United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
17 United States United States Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Sebastian Vettel United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
18 Brazil Brazilian Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes Report
19 United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Germany Nico Rosberg Australia Daniel Ricciardo United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes Report
Source:[154]

Scoring system

[edit]

Points were awarded to the top ten classified finishers in every race, using the following structure,[155] except for the final race in which the points were doubled:

Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Points 25 18 15 12 10 8 6 4 2 1

In the event of a tie, a count-back system was used as a tie-breaker, with a driver's best result used to decide the standings.[d]

World Drivers' Championship standings

[edit]
Pos. Driver AUS
Australia
MAL
Malaysia
BHR
Bahrain
CHN
China
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
AUT
Austria
GBR
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
SIN
Singapore
JPN
Japan
RUS
Russia
USA
United States
BRA
Brazil
ABU
United Arab Emirates
Points
1 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton RetP 1PF 1 1P 1P 2 Ret 2 1F 3F 3 Ret 1PF 1PF 1F 1P 1 2F 1 384
2 Germany Nico Rosberg 1F 2 2PF 2F 2 1P 2P 1 RetP 1P 4PF 2PF 2 Ret 2P 2 2P 1P 14P 317
3 Australia Daniel Ricciardo DSQ Ret 4 4 3 3 1 8 3 6 1 1 5 3 4 7 3 Ret 4F 238
4 Finland Valtteri Bottas 5 8 8 7 5 Ret 7 3 2 2 8 3 4 11 6 3F 5 10 3 186
5 Germany Sebastian Vettel Ret 3 6 5 4F Ret 3 Ret 5 4 7 5 6 2 3 8 7F 5 8 167
6 Spain Fernando Alonso 4 4 9 3 6 4 6 5 6 5 2 7 Ret 4 Ret 6 6 6 9 161
7 Brazil Felipe Massa Ret 7 7 15 13 7 12F 4P Ret Ret 5 13 3 5 7 11 4 3 2 134
8 United Kingdom Jenson Button 3 6 17 11 11 6 4 11 4 8 10 6 8 Ret 5 4 12 4 5 126
9 Germany Nico Hülkenberg 6 5 5 6 10 5 5 9 8 7 Ret 10 12 9 8 12 Ret 8 6 96
10 Mexico Sergio Pérez 10 DNS 3 9 9 Ret 11 6F 11 10 Ret 8 7 7 10 10 Ret 15 7 59
11 Denmark Kevin Magnussen 2 9 Ret 13 12 10 9 7 7 9 12 12 10 10 14 5 8 9 11 55
12 Finland Kimi Räikkönen 7 12 10 8 7 12F 10 10 Ret 11 6 4 9 8 12 9 13 7 10 55
13 France Jean-Éric Vergne 8 Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret 8 Ret 10 13 9 11 13 6 9 13 10 13 12 22
14 France Romain Grosjean Ret 11 12 Ret 8 8 Ret 14 12 Ret Ret Ret 16 13 15 17 11 17 13 8
15 Russia Daniil Kvyat 9 10 11 10 14 Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 14 9 11 14 11 14 15 11 Ret 8
16 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado Ret Ret 14 14 15 DNS Ret 12 17 12 13 Ret 14 12 16 18 9 12 Ret 2
17 France Jules Bianchi NC Ret 16 17 18 9 Ret 15 14 15 15 18 18 16 20 2
18 Germany Adrian Sutil 11 Ret Ret Ret 17 Ret 13 13 13 Ret 11 14 15 Ret 21 16 Ret 16 16 0
19 Sweden Marcus Ericsson Ret 14 Ret 20 20 11 Ret 18 Ret 18 Ret 17 19 15 17 19 0
20 Mexico Esteban Gutiérrez 12 Ret Ret 16 16 Ret 14 19 Ret 14 Ret 15 20 Ret 13 15 14 14 15 0
21 United Kingdom Max Chilton 13 15 13 19 19 14 Ret 17 16 17 16 16 Ret 17 18 Ret 0
22 Japan Kamui Kobayashi Ret 13 15 18 Ret 13 Ret 16 15 16 Ret 17 DNS 19 Ret Ret 0
23 United Kingdom Will Stevens 17 0
Germany André Lotterer Ret 0
United States Alexander Rossi WD WD 0
Pos. Driver AUS
Australia
MAL
Malaysia
BHR
Bahrain
CHN
China
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
AUT
Austria
GBR
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
SIN
Singapore
JPN
Japan
RUS
Russia
USA
United States
BRA
Brazil
ABU
United Arab Emirates
Points
Source:[156][failed verification]
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap



Notes:

  • † – Drivers did not finish the Grand Prix, but were classified as they completed more than 90% of the race distance.
  • ‡ – Double points were awarded at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[144]

World Constructors' Championship standings

[edit]
Pos. Constructor AUS
Australia
MAL
Malaysia
BHR
Bahrain
CHN
China
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
AUT
Austria
GBR
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
SIN
Singapore
JPN
Japan
RUS
Russia
USA
United States
BRA
Brazil
ABU
United Arab Emirates
Points
1 Germany Mercedes 1F 1PF 1 1P 1P 1P 2P 1 1F 1P 3 2PF 1PF 1PF 1F 1P 1 1P 1 701
RetP 2 2PF 2F 2 2 Ret 2 RetP 3F 4PF Ret 2 Ret 2P 2 2P 2F 14P
2 Austria Red Bull Racing-Renault Ret 3 4 4 3 3 1 8 3 4 1 1 5 2 3 7 3 5 4F 405
DSQ Ret 6 5 4F Ret 3 Ret 5 6 7 5 6 3 4 8 7F Ret 8
3 United Kingdom Williams-Mercedes 5 7 7 7 5 7 7 3 2 2 5 3 3 5 6 3F 4 3 2 320
Ret 8 8 15 13 Ret 12F 4P Ret Ret 8 13 4 11 7 11 5 10 3
4 Italy Ferrari 4 4 9 3 6 4 6 5 6 5 2 4 9 4 12 6 6 6 9 216
7 12 10 8 7 12F 10 10 Ret 11 6 7 Ret 8 Ret 9 13 7 10
5 United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 2 6 17 11 11 6 4 7 4 8 10 6 8 10 5 4 8 4 5 181
3 9 Ret 13 12 10 9 11 7 9 12 12 10 Ret 14 5 12 9 11
6 India Force India-Mercedes 6 5 3 6 9 5 5 6F 8 7 Ret 8 7 7 8 10 Ret 8 6 155
10 DNS 5 9 10 Ret 11 9 11 10 Ret 10 12 9 10 12 Ret 15 7
7 Italy Toro Rosso-Renault 8 10 11 10 14 Ret 8 Ret 9 Ret 9 9 11 6 9 13 10 11 12 30
9 Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 13 14 11 13 14 11 14 15 13 Ret
8 United Kingdom Lotus-Renault Ret 11 12 14 8 8 Ret 12 12 12 13 Ret 14 12 15 17 9 12 13 10
Ret Ret 14 Ret 15 DNS Ret 14 17 Ret Ret Ret 16 13 16 18 11 17 Ret
9 Russia Marussia-Ferrari 13 15 13 17 18 9 Ret 15 14 15 15 16 18 16 18 WD 2
NC Ret 16 19 19 14 Ret 17 16 17 16 18 Ret 17 20 Ret
10 Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 11 Ret Ret 16 16 Ret 13 13 13 14 11 14 15 Ret 13 15 14 14 15 0
12 Ret Ret Ret 17 Ret 14 19 Ret Ret Ret 15 20 Ret 21 16 Ret 16 16
11 Malaysia Caterham-Renault Ret 13 15 18 20 11 Ret 16 15 16 Ret 17 17 15 17 19 17 0
Ret 14 Ret 20 Ret 13 Ret 18 Ret 18 Ret Ret 19 DNS 19 Ret Ret
Pos. Constructor AUS
Australia
MAL
Malaysia
BHR
Bahrain
CHN
China
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
AUT
Austria
GBR
United Kingdom
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
SIN
Singapore
JPN
Japan
RUS
Russia
USA
United States
BRA
Brazil
ABU
United Arab Emirates
Points
Source:[156]
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap



Notes:

  • † – Drivers did not finish the Grand Prix, but were classified as they completed more than 90% of the race distance.
  • ‡ – Double points were awarded at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[144]
  • The standings are sorted by best result, rows are not related to the drivers. In case of tie on points, the best positions achieved determined the outcome.

See also

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The 2014 Formula One World Championship was the 65th season of the FIA World Championship, consisting of nineteen Grands Prix held across five continents and marking the debut of turbo-hybrid power units. of Mercedes claimed the Drivers' Championship with 384 points, securing his second world title after winning eleven races, while his teammate finished second with 317 points after five victories. Mercedes dominated the Constructors' Championship, amassing 701 points for their first-ever title in the category, far ahead of Red Bull Racing's 405 points. The season introduced major technical regulations, including 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged engines paired with energy recovery systems (ERS) that boosted efficiency and total power output to approximately 780 horsepower, though initial lap times were slower than in 2013 due to narrower tires and aerodynamic restrictions. Mercedes' superior preparation for the hybrid era led to their sweep of eighteen pole positions and all but three race wins, underscoring a shift in competitive balance from the previous V8 engine period. The intra-team rivalry between Hamilton and Rosberg intensified throughout the year, culminating in the controversial double-points finale at the , where Hamilton's victory clinched the title despite Rosberg's earlier leads. , in his debut season with , emerged as a standout with three wins and third place in the standings, highlighting Renault's engine struggles but his personal talent. Williams' resurgence to third in constructors with 320 points, driven by ' podium finishes, marked a return to form after a dismal 2013.

Teams and drivers

Driver line-ups

The 2014 Formula One season featured 11 teams and 22 primary drivers, marking the introduction of a new permanent numbering system by the FIA. Under this regulation, the defending world champion, , retained the number 1, while all other drivers selected a fixed number between 2 and 99 to use throughout their careers, replacing the previous system of assigned numbers per race. This change aimed to enhance driver identity and branding. The grid included a mix of established stars, midfield contenders, and three rookies: at , at Toro Rosso, and at . Notable line-up changes included McLaren pairing veteran with rookie , who replaced after Pérez's move to alongside . Lotus signed to join , leveraging Maldonado's sponsorship ties. The season's power units were supplied by three manufacturers—Mercedes, , and —transitioning to 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged hybrid engines, with Mercedes powering four teams, Ferrari three, and Renault four. Team bases were predominantly in the , reflecting the concentration of F1 operations in the country's "Motorsport Valley," with outliers in , , and for ownership. Below is the complete starting grid, including nationalities, car numbers, engine suppliers, and base locations.
TeamDriver 1Driver 2Engine SupplierBase Location
Mercedes (GBR, #44) (GER, #6)MercedesBrackley, UK
(GER, #1) (AUS, #3), UK
Ferrari (ESP, #14) (FIN, #7)Ferrari,
(GBR, #22) (DEN, #20)Mercedes, UK
(GER, #27) (MEX, #11)MercedesSilverstone, UK
Williams (BRA, #19) (FIN, #77)MercedesGrove, UK
Toro RossoJean-Éric Vergne (FRA, #25) (RUS, #26),
Sauber (GER, #99) (MEX, #21)Ferrari,
Lotus (FRA, #8) (VEN, #13)Enstone, UK
Caterham (JPN, #10) (SWE, #9)Leafield, UK
Marussia (FRA, #17) (GBR, #4)FerrariBanbury, UK
This configuration set the stage for a competitive season, with mid-season substitutions occurring later for some teams.

Reserve and practice drivers

In the 2014 Formula One World Championship, reserve and practice drivers played a crucial role in team development and compliance with FIA regulations, particularly the sporting rules requiring each team to allocate at least two Free Practice 1 (FP1) sessions to drivers with fewer than two full seasons of prior Grand Prix experience. This mandate aimed to provide opportunities for emerging talent while allowing teams to gather additional data during race weekends. Reserve drivers typically attended all events, participated in testing, and stood ready to step in if needed, often fulfilling the young driver requirement through FP1 outings. The following table summarizes the primary reserve and test drivers for each team during the 2014 season:
TeamReserve/Test Drivers
, Antonio Félix da Costa []
Mercedes []
FerrariPedro de la Rosa, , Davide Rigon []
McLaren []
No official reserve announced []
Sauber, []
Toro RossoNo official reserve announced []
Williams, []
LotusCharles Pic, Marco Sørensen, Nicolas Prost []
Marussia []
Robin Frijns, []
Several reserve drivers fulfilled the young driver FP1 obligations, providing valuable track time and performance insights. For instance, participated in five FP1 sessions for Williams, including , , and , where he completed laps to aid setup development and demonstrated competitive pace, finishing as high as eighth in Austin. , Williams' other reserve, made history by driving in two FP1 sessions at the British and German Grands Prix, becoming the first woman to participate in an official F1 session in 22 years and completing 27 laps at . Alexander Rossi served as reserve for both Marussia and Caterham, driving in multiple FP1 sessions such as for Marussia and and for Caterham, marking him as the only American driver active in F1 that year and helping the teams meet regulatory requirements while gathering data. Sergey Sirotkin took part in three FP1 sessions for Sauber in , , and , providing feedback on the C33's handling early in the season. Charles Pic handled two FP1 outings for Lotus in and Austin, contributing to the team's efforts amid a challenging year. Notable among the reserves was , who joined Sauber as test and reserve driver after racing for in 2013; although he did not drive in any official sessions during 2014, his role included extensive simulator work and testing, but it later sparked legal disputes when Sauber sought to replace him for 2015 despite an alleged prior agreement for a race seat. These reserve positions often served as launchpads for future careers, with drivers like and progressing to full-time F1 roles in subsequent years based on their 2014 contributions.

Personnel changes

The 2014 Formula One season saw several pre-season team changes, primarily driven by the shift to new 1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid power units. Marussia F1 Team, previously reliant on engines, secured a multi-year deal with Ferrari to supply engines, gearboxes, and hydraulic systems starting in 2014, announced on July 16, 2013, to better align with the technical regulations and improve competitiveness. No other major engine supplier shifts occurred among the established teams, though opted not to develop a compliant power unit, ending its F1 involvement. The driver market for 2014 was active from mid-2013, with key announcements shaping the grid amid the regulatory overhaul. Ferrari confirmed Kimi Räikkönen's return on September 11, 2013, pairing him with on a two-year contract to leverage his prior experience with the team from 2007–2009. Marussia retained on October 3, 2013, extending his rookie deal after his strong debut season, citing his development potential as a Ferrari protégé. Williams announced Felipe Massa's signing on November 11, 2013, replacing to bring veteran expertise following Massa's Ferrari departure after eight years. replaced with on November 14, 2013, promoting the 3.5 champion to inject youth alongside . Lotus finalized 's move from Williams on November 29, 2013, securing his financial backing to stabilize the team post-Räikkönen's exit. Force India re-signed on December 3, 2013, for a multi-year term after his Sauber stint, valuing his consistency and podium potential. Caterham confirmed and on January 20, 2014, blending experience with rookie talent to aid adaptation to the new chassis. Mid-season substitutions were limited but notable at backmarker teams facing financial and performance pressures. replaced with for the on August 19, 2014, seeking the endurance champion's feedback on the amid the team's struggles. Later, debuted for in place of at the on November 19, 2014, as the team navigated ownership turmoil and aimed to showcase academy talent in its final race. No full-season driver replacements occurred elsewhere. Team principal changes were sparse, with continuity at most outfits like under . Sauber maintained as team principal throughout 2014, her leadership focused on navigating financial challenges despite a scoreless season. Ferrari saw the most significant shift when resigned on April 14, 2014, after a poor start with no podiums in the first four races, replaced immediately by from Ferrari's North American operations to refocus strategy.

Race calendar

2014 schedule

The 2014 Formula One World Championship featured a 19-race calendar spanning from 16 March to 23 November, covering 19 countries across five continents and emphasizing a global tour with a mix of historic venues and new additions. Circuits ranged in length from the compact 3.337 km street layout of to the demanding 7.004 km Spa-Francorchamps. The inclusion of the at the 5.848 km Sochi Autodrom represented the season's sole debut circuit for , constructed adjacent to the venues of the . Each event adhered to the standard weekend structure: two free practice sessions on Friday, an additional practice and qualifying on Saturday, followed by the approximately 305 km race distance on Sunday afternoon local time. The sole variation was the season-ending , which awarded double championship points to amplify stakes in potential title deciders.

Calendar modifications

The 2014 Formula One World Championship calendar underwent significant adjustments from the season, maintaining 19 races overall but incorporating new venues, the removal of established events, and shifts in scheduling to accommodate global logistics. The provisional calendar released by the FIA in September 2013 initially proposed 22 races, but this was revised downward following the withdrawal of several proposed events due to financial and organizational challenges. A key addition was the debut of the at the Sochi Autodrom on October 12, marking the first F1 race in and fulfilling a long-standing ambition to expand into the region following the . The also returned after an 11-year absence since 2003, held at the on June 22, reviving a historic European venue previously known as the Österreichring and A1-Ring. Several races were dropped or postponed, reflecting ongoing challenges in hosting F1 events. The Indian Grand Prix, which had featured annually since 2011 at the , was removed from the 2014 schedule due to taxation disputes between organizers and the government, preventing its continuation. The South Korean Grand Prix at the was postponed indefinitely owing to insufficient financial support from local authorities after four editions from 2010 to 2013. Proposed newcomers, the Grand Prix of America in and a return to the in , were canceled from the provisional calendar; failed due to a lack of the required $100 million , while Mexico's revival was delayed to 2015 amid circuit renovations. Other modifications included date shifts to optimize the sequence and reduce travel burdens. The was rescheduled from April 21 in 2013 to April 6, creating a back-to-back pairing with the on March 30 and also transitioning to a night race for the first time. In the European leg, the calendar featured a condensed sequence with the on July 27, followed by the on August 24 and the on September 7 after the mandatory summer break, forming a tight regional cluster. Late-season adjustments addressed the dropped races by repositioning the to November 2 at , the Brazilian Grand Prix to November 9 at , and the to November 23 as the finale, introducing back-to-back weekends for Japan-Russia (October 5-12) and USA-Brazil. These changes heightened logistical demands on teams, with multiple consecutive races increasing transcontinental travel—such as the swing early in the season and the finale—while the overall calendar spanned from March 16 in to November 23 in , covering approximately 80,000 kilometers in total distance. The revisions aimed to balance expansion ambitions with , though the compressed late schedule drew criticism for exacerbating fatigue and costs.

Regulatory framework

Technical regulations

The 2014 Formula One season introduced a comprehensive overhaul of the power unit regulations, marking a shift from the naturally aspirated V8 engines used since 2006 to 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged hybrid power units incorporating energy recovery systems (ERS). These units combined an internal combustion engine producing approximately 600 brake horsepower with two electric motors—the Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K) for kinetic energy recovery from braking and the Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H) for harvesting exhaust heat—delivering an additional 160 brake horsepower for up to 33 seconds per lap. The power unit comprised six main elements: the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store, and control electronics, with teams limited to a maximum of five of each per driver per season to encourage reliability and durability; exceeding this incurred grid penalties. This hybrid system replaced the previous 2.4-litre V8 configuration and banned five-cylinder engines, aiming to promote sustainable technology and efficiency. Fuel management was tightly regulated to align with the hybrid power unit's efficiency goals, imposing a maximum flow rate of 100 kilograms per hour and a total fuel allocation of 100 kilograms per race. These limits necessitated advanced mapping and deployment strategies for the ERS, as the MGU-K could recharge the energy store during braking and the MGU-H via exhaust gases, providing hybrid boosts without exceeding fuel caps. The regulations prohibited refueling during races, further emphasizing conservation. Aerodynamic modifications sought to enhance overtaking and visual appeal while integrating the new power unit. Front wings were narrowed from 1,800 mm to 1,650 mm in width, and the nose tip height was reduced to a maximum of 185 mm (from 550 mm) to improve sightlines for television coverage, though initial designs featured elevated main planes with compliant low tips, prompting a revision for 2015 to enforce lower profiles. Rear wing adjustments included a shallower upper flap reduced by 20 mm, the elimination of the beam wing, and an increased Drag Reduction System (DRS) opening to 65 mm for greater overtaking potential. Mid-season, the FIA banned Front and Rear Inter-Connected (FRIC) suspension systems, classifying them as moveable aerodynamic devices that interconnected front and rear axles via hydraulic or mechanical links to maintain ride height and optimize downforce, effective from the 2014 German Grand Prix after teams failed to unanimously approve their continuation. Additionally, a single central exhaust outlet was mandated, abolishing multi-pipe and blown diffuser setups to curb aerodynamic exploitation of exhaust gases. Chassis dimensions and materials were updated to accommodate the heavier hybrid components while prioritizing and . The overall car width remained at 1,800 mm, excluding tires, with steered wheels in the straight-ahead position. Minimum weight increased to 690 kg (including but excluding ), up from 642 kg in , reflecting the power unit's added mass of approximately 145 kg for the engine plus 35 kg for the battery. The chassis survival cell height was lowered to 525 mm from 625 mm, and was prohibited for exhaust systems to reduce costs and promote uniformity. To control escalating development expenses, several cost-saving measures were implemented. All teams were required to use a standardized (ECU) supplied by Electronic Systems and TAG, eliminating proprietary engine management systems. Gearboxes featured fixed ratios for the season and were limited to one unit per driver for the first six events to minimize replacements. and (CFD) testing hours were restricted based on the previous year's Constructors' Championship ranking, with top teams allocated fewer hours—such as 40 hours per week for the leaders during certain periods—to level the playing field for smaller outfits.

Sporting regulations

The 2014 Formula One World Championship operated under the FIA's Sporting Regulations, which governed driver conduct, race procedures, and team operations to ensure fair competition and . These rules emphasized progressive penalties for repeated infractions and procedural consistency across events, building on prior seasons while introducing mechanisms to deter and enhance season-end excitement. A key innovation was the penalty points system applied to drivers' FIA Super Licences, marking its debut in to address rising incidents of collisions and aggressive maneuvers. Stewards could assign 1 to 3 points for violations such as causing a collision (typically 2-3 points), ignoring yellow flags (up to 3 points), or unsafe releases from the pits (2 points), with points accumulating over a rolling 12-month period. Reaching 12 points triggered an automatic one-race ban, though points expired after 12 months from issuance; this aimed to promote accountability without immediate race exclusions for minor errors. To intensify the championship finale, the FIA approved double points for the season-closing , effectively doubling the standard allocation (e.g., 50 points for first place instead of 25) in an effort to maintain title contention and boost viewer engagement until the last event. This one-off rule, proposed by Formula One's commercial rights holder , was unanimously ratified by the World Motor Sport Council but drew criticism for potentially undermining season-long consistency. Qualifying retained its established three-phase format (Q1, Q2, Q3) to determine the starting grid, with minor adjustments for better flow: Q1 lasted 18 minutes (down from 20) to eliminate the slowest seven cars, Q2 ran 15 minutes to drop another seven, and Q3 extended to 12 minutes (up from 10) for the top ten to set their positions. Tire rules mandated specific allocations, including one new set of soft compound tires reserved for Q2 survivors in Q3 only, while pit lane speed remained capped at 60 km/h, with lanes divided into a fast outer section for exiting and an inner for working to minimize congestion. Race starts followed standard procedures, featuring a formation lap led by the pole sitter to warm tires and brakes, followed by a signaled by five red lights extinguishing sequentially from 5 seconds to 1 second. Safety car deployment remained unchanged for hazardous conditions, requiring drivers to bunch within 10 car lengths behind it without until passing the first safety car line post-pits, though trials of a virtual safety car—where drivers maintain a minimum delta time without bunching—were conducted in practice sessions as a precursor to its formal 2015 adoption. All participants required an , issued annually upon application through a national sporting authority and contingent on demonstrated experience, such as points from junior series or prior international licenses, to verify competency at Formula One's elite level. For rookies—defined as drivers with limited prior starts—teams were obligated to allocate at least two free practice 1 (FP1) sessions per car to eligible newcomers holding a Super Licence, fostering development opportunities while using the nominated race driver's power unit and tires. Technical penalties, such as grid position drops for exceeding power unit component limits, could also influence starting orders under these regulations.

Pre-season preparations

Testing sessions

The pre-season testing for the 2014 Formula One World Championship consisted of three official sessions, mandated by the FIA for all eleven teams to prepare their new hybrid power unit-equipped cars. These sessions were held under strict regulatory constraints, including limits on power unit components to simulate season-long reliability demands, with testing restricted to 2014-specification chassis and engines from the outset. The first session took place at the in from 28 to 31 January, spanning four days. Rain on the opening day and subsequent wet conditions severely limited running, with only 1,470 laps (approximately 6,509 km) completed across all teams—less than half the distance achieved in the 2013 Jerez test. advanced its mandatory wet-tyre testing to the second day due to overnight rain, using special cold-weather compounds to simulate variable conditions, while teams focused on basic shakedown laps amid frequent stoppages. The second session occurred at the from 19 to 22 February, also over four days, benefiting from more reliable hot and dry weather that allowed for extended track time. Teams accumulated approximately 12,600 km collectively, with emphasis on aerodynamic development and power unit mapping, though early reliability persisted for some outfits. Mercedes demonstrated strong endurance, covering over 1,000 km without major issues, while Renault-powered teams like encountered hybrid system faults that curtailed their programs. The final session returned to Bahrain from 27 February to 2 March, again four days, under consistent desert conditions that enabled the highest mileage of pre-season. Approximately 17,900 km were logged in total across this test, pushing the cumulative distance for all three sessions to 36,974 km. Mercedes continued its reliability edge, with its customer teams like Williams also racking up significant laps, whereas Lotus faced ongoing power unit troubles, including electrical and turbocharger failures that limited their running; McLaren, despite earlier issues, achieved solid mileage in this session.
SessionLocationDatesKey Notes
1Jerez, 28–31 JanuaryRain-disrupted; 6,509 km total; wet-tyre focus.
219–22 FebruaryImproved conditions; ~12,600 km; early hybrid issues.
327 February–2 MarchHighest mileage; 17,900 km; Mercedes dominance in reliability.

Launch events and expectations

The 2014 Formula One season's pre-season period was marked by a series of car unveilings, with teams opting for a mix of online presentations and trackside reveals to generate early buzz amid the radical new hybrid regulations. kicked off the launches on January 24 with an online unveiling of the MP4-29, followed by Ferrari's digital reveal of the F14 T the next day. Sauber presented the C33 online on , while Toro Rosso debuted the STR9 at Jerez on January 27. The following day at Jerez saw a flurry of activity, including Red Bull's RB10, Mercedes' W05, Force India's VJM07, Caterham's CT05, and Williams' FW36, all unveiled during the first pre-season test. Marussia rolled out the MR03 on January 30 at the same circuit, and Lotus delayed its E22 debut until a shakedown on February 19 in . Several launches doubled as media days with initial track runs, highlighting the challenges of the new 1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid power units. Mercedes conducted a shakedown of the W05 at Jerez, completing installation laps without major hitches, while Red Bull's RB10 managed only limited running due to early reliability . McLaren's MP4-29 faced electrical problems that prevented it from turning a on the first day of testing, underscoring the teething troubles many teams encountered with the unproven technology. Ferrari opted for an online launch but scheduled a and further shakedown in ahead of the second test session. These events built anticipation, though some teams like Lotus postponed full reveals to focus on resolving development delays. Pre-season expectations centered on the shift to hybrid powertrains, with Mercedes widely tipped as favorites thanks to their advanced development, which promised superior efficiency and power delivery compared to rivals. Analysts highlighted Mercedes' head start in hybrid technology, positioning and for a fierce intra-team rivalry that could define the championship. , four-time consecutive constructors' champions, faced uncertainty in adapting their expertise from the outgoing V8 era to the energy-recovery-heavy hybrids, with Renault's power unit drawing scrutiny for potential deficits. Ferrari aimed to leverage their in-house but entered with concerns over reliability and integration, hoping and Kimi Raikkonen could capitalize on any Mercedes missteps. Among the backmarkers, Marussia targeted consistent qualification for all races and their first points finish, bolstered by switching to Ferrari power. Expert forecasts emphasized unpredictability, with many predicting a tight drivers' title fight between Hamilton and Rosberg, fueled by Mercedes' perceived edge, while was seen as a credible challenger to within , potentially outshining his teammate in several sessions. Testing lap times offered early hints of Mercedes' pace, though reliability limited meaningful comparisons across the field.

Season progression

Opening races

The 2014 Formula One season marked the debut of the new 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged hybrid power units, introducing significant technological challenges as teams adapted to the more efficient but complex engines that emphasized systems (ERS) and reduced fuel consumption. Mercedes quickly demonstrated superiority with their power unit, securing strong results in the opening rounds while rivals, particularly those using engines like and Toro Rosso, grappled with reliability issues such as excessive fuel flow and overheating. Backmarker teams, including , Marussia, and Sauber, faced additional struggles with development resources limited under the cost-capping ethos of the era, often qualifying at the rear and battling to complete races without penalties or mechanical failures. The season opener at the Australian Grand Prix on 16 March in showcased Mercedes' dominance from the outset. Nico Rosberg led a Mercedes 1-2 finish after Lewis Hamilton retired early due to an electrical fault in his ERS, marking the team's first victory in the hybrid era. Red Bull's initially crossed the line in second place but was disqualified post-race for exceeding the maximum fuel flow rate allowed under the new regulations, promoting McLaren's to second and to third. This result highlighted early teething problems for Renault-powered cars, as both Red Bulls encountered sensor issues that hampered performance, while backmarkers like Sauber and Marussia struggled with straight-line speed deficits. In the on 30 March at Sepang, under night race conditions for the first time with hybrids, Hamilton rebounded emphatically to claim victory despite a late-race ERS malfunction that forced him to nurse his car across the line. Rosberg finished a distant second, securing another Mercedes 1-2, with salvaging third for after a strategy gamble on softer tyres paid off. The race underscored Mercedes' reliability edge, as Ferrari's charged to fourth from a poor start, but teams continued to falter—Ricciardo retired with a power loss—exacerbating concerns over the French manufacturer's integration with the new turbo-hybrid technology. The on 6 April at delivered one of the season's early thrillers, with Hamilton edging out teammate Rosberg by 1.090 seconds after an intense late-race duel involving multiple overtakes and aggressive defending under the desert lights. Sergio Perez earned Force India's first podium of the hybrid era in third, capitalizing on Mercedes' intra-team battle, while Ricciardo took fourth for . Vettel received a 10-second time penalty for forcing Ricciardo off-track during a defensive move, finishing sixth and compounding 's frustrations with Renault's inconsistent power delivery. Backmarker outfits, such as Lotus, also suffered, with both cars retiring due to hydraulic failures that pointed to broader adaptation woes in the midfield. Hamilton extended his winning streak at the on 20 April in , starting from second on the grid but quickly asserting control to lead Rosberg across the line for Mercedes' fourth consecutive 1-2. Ferrari's secured third with a strong strategy, fending off Ricciardo's charge to fourth, as showed signs of closing the gap but still battled ERS deployment limitations. The race emphasized Mercedes' aerodynamic and power unit advantages on the flowing Shanghai layout, while Renault's reliability improved slightly yet remained a liability, with Toro Rosso's Jean-Éric Vergne retiring early from gearbox issues. Hamilton completed his run of four straight victories at the on 11 May at , holding off Rosberg in a processional race to lock in yet another Mercedes 1-2, with Ricciardo breaking his podium drought in third for . Vettel followed in fourth but trailed significantly, as 's ongoing fuel mapping penalties and power deficits kept from challenging the leaders. The opening phase thus established Mercedes as the benchmark in the hybrid era, amassing substantial points leads while exposing reliability vulnerabilities for teams and resource strains for backmarkers, setting a tone of Mercedes' early supremacy.

Mid-season developments

The mid-season phase of the 2014 Formula One World Championship, spanning rounds 6 through 14, saw teams adapting to the new hybrid power unit regulations while intra-team rivalries at Mercedes intensified and began to show signs of resurgence through Daniel Ricciardo's consistent performances. Following the FIA's mid-season clarification on technical rules, the Front and Rear Interconnected (FRIC) suspension systems—used by all teams to optimize aerodynamic performance—were banned effective from the , prompting hurried modifications that briefly disrupted setup balances without fundamentally altering the competitive order. At the Monaco Grand Prix on May 25, Nico Rosberg secured victory for Mercedes, finishing 7.210 seconds ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton in second, with Ricciardo taking third for Red Bull—marking the team's first podium of the season. The race was overshadowed by controversy after Hamilton accused Rosberg of deliberately impeding him during qualifying by running slowly in the final sector, a claim Rosberg denied but which led to team radio tensions and heightened scrutiny on the Mercedes drivers' relationship. Rosberg's win allowed him to reclaim the drivers' championship lead with 122 points to Hamilton's 118. Round 7 in on June 8 delivered Ricciardo's maiden Grand Prix victory, as the Australian capitalized on reliability issues plaguing Mercedes to overtake Rosberg—who finished second after nursing a failing energy recovery system (ERS)—with two laps remaining, while rounded out the podium in third for . Hamilton retired on lap 44 due to an ERS failure, the second consecutive race where both Mercedes cars suffered the same component issue, highlighting early teething problems with the hybrid units despite their overall dominance. This result narrowed Rosberg's lead to just four points over Hamilton at 140-136, while Ricciardo's triumph signaled 's improving form amid ongoing power unit restrictions. The on June 22 returned the spotlight to Mercedes, with Rosberg edging Hamilton by 0.499 seconds for his third win of the season, as the teammates dueled intensely in the closing stages without contact. Williams demonstrated strong pace on the Red Bull Ring's return to the calendar, with claiming third ahead of teammate in fourth, underscoring the British squad's adaptation to the turbo-hybrid era. Ferrari continued to struggle, with finishing fifth and 10th, extending their podium drought that had begun after the . Lewis Hamilton claimed an emotional home victory at the British Grand Prix on July 6, leading from pole after Rosberg retired on lap 29 with a hydraulic failure, allowing Bottas to finish second for Williams and Ricciardo third despite a late pit stop for a slow puncture. The win reduced the gap to four points, leaving Rosberg with 165 to Hamilton's 161 in the drivers' standings, amplifying the intra-Mercedes rivalry as team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged the need for better management of their battles to avoid costly errors. Rain-affected conditions tested all teams' setups, but Mercedes' pace advantage remained evident, with the top three finishers separated by just 0.612 seconds at the flag before Rosberg's retirement. Rosberg reasserted control at his home on July 20, winning by 24.951 seconds over Bottas in second, with Hamilton recovering to third after a first-lap spin dropped him to 20th. Vettel, running second for much of the race, finished fourth after a late charge but could not challenge the Mercedes trio, as Red Bull's progress was tempered by ongoing reliability concerns. The FRIC ban's debut here forced teams to revert to conventional suspensions, yet Mercedes adapted seamlessly, extending their constructors' lead to 291 points over Red Bull's 118. In Hungary on July 27, Ricciardo scored his second victory of the season, holding off —who achieved Ferrari's first since October 2013 with second place—by 5.234 seconds, while Hamilton overtook Rosberg late for third. Starting from fourth, Ricciardo benefited from a rain-interrupted race that shuffled the order, showcasing Red Bull's tire management prowess in mixed conditions. This result propelled Ricciardo to third in the standings with 116 points, underscoring Red Bull's resurgence, while Alonso's provided a morale boost for Ferrari amid their challenging campaign. The on August 24 saw Ricciardo claim his third win, leading Rosberg—who started from pole but finished 3.383 seconds behind—while Bottas took third for Williams. The race was marred by a serious crash for Marussia's on lap 43, when he collided with a recovery vehicle in wet conditions at , resulting in severe head injuries that overshadowed the on-track action. Mercedes' Hamilton and Rosberg clashed on lap 25 at Les Combes, with both sustaining punctures and penalties—Hamilton classified 7th after a 10-second stop-go—further straining their partnership as Rosberg extended his championship lead to 29 points. At the Italian Grand Prix on September 7, Hamilton dominated from pole to win by 3.175 seconds over Rosberg, with Massa securing third for Williams in a home race boosted by the passionate Monza crowd. Caterham fielded rookie Andre Lotterer alongside Marcus Ericsson in a one-off appearance, as the team grappled with mounting financial pressures that delayed payments to staff and suppliers. Lotus faced similar woes, with ongoing disputes over unpaid salaries forcing reliance on short-term funding, though both backmarkers completed the race without major incidents. Hamilton sealed a crucial victory at the on September 21, leading from pole and finishing 2.258 seconds ahead of Vettel in second, with Ricciardo third for a 2-3 as Rosberg retired on lap 15 with electrical failure. The win propelled Hamilton into the championship lead for the first time since , by three points over Rosberg, amid escalating tensions at Mercedes highlighted by post-race comments on . By this stage, Lotus and Caterham's financial instability had intensified, with unpaid bills leading to operational strains and foreshadowing their season absences later. Throughout this period, Red Bull's Ricciardo emerged as the primary challenger to Mercedes' dominance, securing three victories and consistent points hauls that elevated the team to second in constructors', while Williams capitalized on midfield opportunities with multiple podiums. The Mercedes duo's rivalry, marked by on-track incidents and public friction, defined the , setting the stage for a tense finale.

Closing races and

The closing phase of the 2014 Formula One World Championship intensified the intra-team rivalry at Mercedes between and , with Hamilton mounting a comeback from a mid-season points deficit. Entering the , Rosberg held a narrow three-point lead over Hamilton following his victory in . The final five races showcased Mercedes' dominance, as the team secured victory in every event, while the collapse of backmarker teams and Marussia due to financial administration reduced the grid size for the , , and Grands Prix, leaving only 18 cars in competition. At the on October 5 in Suzuka, heavy rain from led to a delayed start behind the , with Rosberg on pole ahead of Hamilton. Hamilton overtook Rosberg on 27 and pulled away to win by 9.2 seconds, reclaiming the championship lead by 10 points at 266-256. The race was red-flagged on 42 after Marussia driver crashed into a recovery vehicle under conditions at Dunlop curve, suffering severe ; the race was not restarted, and results stood as final. Bianchi remained in a until his in July 2015, marking the first fatality in F1 since Ayrton Senna's in 1994. The inaugural on October 12 at Sochi Autodrom saw both Mercedes drivers start from the front row, with Hamilton on pole. Rosberg flat-spotted his tires on the opening lap, necessitating an early , but he recovered to finish second behind Hamilton, who led every lap for a comfortable victory. This result extended Hamilton's lead to 17 points at 291-274, solidifying his momentum as Mercedes achieved their first constructors' title. Marussia participated in this race before entering administration shortly afterward, alongside . After a four-week break, the on November 2 at featured a reduced 18-car grid due to the absence of and Marussia. Hamilton, starting second, passed Rosberg on lap 24 following a minor front-wing adjustment and went on to win by 4.4 seconds, with third for . The victory increased Hamilton's advantage to 24 points at 301-277, but the title remained undecided owing to the double-points format planned for the season finale in . In the Brazilian Grand Prix on November 9 at , wet conditions at the start gave way to drying track, with Rosberg starting from pole and defending against Hamilton throughout. Rosberg held on for his fifth win of the season, finishing 1.0 second ahead of Hamilton, who spun while pushing hard late in the race. Massa rounded out for Williams in his home event. This narrowed Hamilton's lead to 17 points at 326-309 heading into the finale, keeping the drivers' championship battle alive despite Mercedes' unbeatable form. The season concluded at the on November 23 under twilight conditions at , with double points on offer and an 18-car grid. Hamilton started from pole and controlled the race to win by 2.5 seconds over Williams' , with teammate third. Rosberg, starting second, suffered an ERS failure that dropped him to 14th place, scoring no points. Hamilton's 11th victory of the year secured his second drivers' title with 384 points to Rosberg's 317, capping a dramatic comeback from an early-season deficit exacerbated by reliability issues. Mercedes' supremacy was underscored by their 16 race wins and first constructors' championship.

Incidents and controversies

Safety incidents

The 2014 Formula One season saw no driver fatalities during race weekends, marking a continuation of improved standards since the mid-1990s, though it ended with heightened focus on wet-weather protocols following several high-profile incidents. The season's safety landscape was dominated by Bianchi's severe accident, which underscored vulnerabilities in trackside recovery operations under adverse conditions. Overall, while crashes occurred across the calendar, they highlighted ongoing needs for enhanced driver protection and procedural reforms without resulting in immediate on-track deaths. The most tragic event unfolded at the on October 5, 2014, at Suzuka Circuit, where Marussia driver , aged 25, lost control of his car in heavy rain on lap 43. His vehicle aquaplaned off the track at the Dunlop Curve, colliding with a recovering Adrian Sutil's Sauber, which had earlier crashed in the same session due to similar wet conditions. Bianchi suffered catastrophic from the impact, remaining in a until his death on July 17, 2015, in a French hospital; this marked the first F1 driver fatality since in 1994. An FIA-appointed panel's investigation concluded that —specifically, the decision to deploy a recovery vehicle without a despite deteriorating visibility and standing water—was the primary cause, exacerbated by the absence of effective speed-limiting measures. Other notable safety incidents included mechanical failures and collisions that tested the season's new penalty points system, introduced by the FIA to deter with a 12-point threshold for a one-race ban. In the season-opening , Caterham's experienced a rear brake failure on the first lap, causing his car to slam into the rear of Williams driver Felipe Massa's vehicle at over 200 km/h; both drivers escaped unharmed, and stewards cleared Kobayashi after confirming the mechanical issue. Similarly, at the , Sauber's Esteban was involved in a dramatic collision on lap 41 when Lotus' clipped his rear, flipping Gutiérrez's car end-over-end before it landed upright; Gutiérrez walked away uninjured, though the incident drew attention to risks in close racing. At Suzuka, Sutil's initial crash into the barriers under wet conditions prompted the controversial crane deployment that factored into Bianchi's accident. The penalty points system saw limited activation without any bans issued, as drivers like accumulated two points across the season for a collision in but stayed well below the limit. This reflected the system's role in promoting amid 2014's 19 races, where mechanical and environmental factors drove most incidents rather than deliberate infractions. Broader scrutiny intensified on wet-weather procedures, with no fatalities during events but Bianchi's case exposing gaps in recovery vehicle protocols. In response, the FIA accelerated safety enhancements, mandating the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) for the 2015 season to enforce controlled slowing during incidents without deploying a full safety car, directly addressing the Suzuka lapses. Discussions on protection devices, including the eventual halo system introduced in 2018, gained urgency post-Bianchi, with the FIA's accident panel recommending improved visibility aids and stricter guidelines for trackside operations in low-visibility conditions. These measures built on 2014's data collection from drivers' earpieces, aimed at quantifying impact forces for future regulations.

Team and driver disputes

The 2014 Formula One season was marked by several high-profile internal rivalries within teams, particularly at Mercedes, where drivers and engaged in intense competition that spilled into off-track disputes over team strategies and radio communications. The rivalry also manifested in on-track incidents, including a collision during qualifying for the , where Rosberg struck the rear of Hamilton's car at low speed in the final corner, earning Rosberg a 10-place grid penalty after investigation deemed it avoidable. Another clash occurred on the second lap of the at Spa-Francorchamps, when the pair made contact at ; Rosberg was penalized with a 10-second time addition, dropping him from second to sixth place, amid accusations of deliberate contact that intensified their feud. During the , after Rosberg executed an undercut to take the lead from Hamilton, Mercedes instructed Hamilton to allow Rosberg to remain ahead; Hamilton refused, leading to heated radio exchanges where he expressed frustration and ignored the order, ultimately finishing second behind Rosberg. Rosberg subsequently called for team discussions to address Hamilton's defiance, highlighting underlying tensions between the drivers' respective support camps on the pit wall, which influenced strategic decisions throughout the season. These incidents exacerbated the intra-team rivalry, with both drivers publicly acknowledging the strain but committing to conduct moving forward. At , lingering tensions from the previous year's Multi-21 controversy in —where ignored to hold position behind Mark Webber—continued to affect team dynamics into 2014, compounded by Vettel's decision to disregard instructions again during the . In , asked Vettel to yield to teammate after a poor start, but Vettel responded defiantly over the radio with "tough luck," overtaking Ricciardo to secure second place and intensifying scrutiny over his adherence to team directives. These episodes contributed to broader frustrations within the team, as also faced FIA disqualifications, including Ricciardo's post-race exclusion from the Australian Grand Prix results due to a fuel flow exceeding the 100kg/h limit, a ruling upheld after the team's appeal was rejected by the International Court of Appeal. Vettel's subsequent announcement of his departure from at season's end further underscored the strained relationships. Financial instability plagued several backmarker teams, culminating in the administrations of and Marussia toward the end of the year, which forced both to miss races and highlighted the sport's economic disparities. entered administration in mid-October 2014 amid funding shortfalls, leading to their withdrawal from the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix, with administrators unable to secure a viable buyer despite efforts to continue operations. Marussia followed suit days later, entering administration on October 27 and missing the , before ceasing trading entirely in November and resulting in around 200 redundancies; the collapse was attributed to chronic cashflow issues and failure to attract investment. Concurrently, Sauber grappled with payment delays to staff and drivers throughout 2014 due to financial difficulties, which strained relations and precipitated a contract dispute with reserve driver ; although the lawsuit materialized in 2015, it stemmed from Sauber's 2014 fiscal woes and unfulfilled obligations under a prior agreement, prompting broader discussions among drivers about on unpaid wages. The FIA issued several technical rulings that sparked disputes, including penalties related to power unit components under the new hybrid regulations, affecting teams like Toro Rosso with their Renault engines. Toro Rosso's Jean-Éric Vergne received a 10-place grid penalty for the Japanese Grand Prix after fitting a new internal combustion engine, one of multiple such infractions for the team as they exceeded allocation limits amid reliability challenges with the unproven power unit. Lotus faced scrutiny over their exhaust system design, reverting to a previous specification during pre-season testing after a new layout failed and caused minor damage to the car's rear, prompting questions about compliance with the season's stricter exhaust placement rules aimed at eliminating residual blown diffuser effects from prior years. Driver-FIA relations were tested by the introduction of the penalty points system on super licenses, with at the center of debates due to his history of first-lap incidents that inspired the rule change. Implemented in 2014 to deter , the system awarded points for infractions like causing collisions or track limit violations, accumulating over a 12-month rolling period toward a potential race ban at 12 points; Grosjean, who had been banned in 2012 for similar issues, accumulated points in 2014, including for incidents like impeding in qualifying sessions, fueling discussions on the system's fairness and reset mechanics to avoid perpetual penalties for early-season errors.

Championship outcomes

Grand Prix summaries

The 2014 Formula One season consisted of 19 Grands Prix, with Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg dominating the results, securing all but three victories between them.
  • Australian Grand Prix (16 March, Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Rosberg (Mercedes), 2nd Kevin Magnussen (McLaren-Mercedes), 3rd Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 1:28.544).
  • Malaysian Grand Prix (30 March, Sepang International Circuit): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:38.518).
  • Bahrain Grand Prix (6 April, Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Sergio Pérez (Force India-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:37.836). This marked the first night race at Bahrain, illuminated by floodlights for enhanced visibility.
  • Chinese Grand Prix (20 April, Shanghai International Circuit): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); Fastest lap – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 1:40.480).
  • Spanish Grand Prix (11 May, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:25.232).
  • Monaco Grand Prix (25 May, Circuit de Monaco): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Rosberg (Mercedes), 2nd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:15.989).
  • Canadian Grand Prix (8 June, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal): Pole – Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Winner – Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Podium – 1st Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 1:15.373).
  • Austrian Grand Prix (22 June, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Rosberg (Mercedes), 2nd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 3rd Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:08.759).
  • British Grand Prix (6 July, Silverstone Circuit): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes), 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 1:37.220). Rain affected qualifying sessions, but the race proceeded in dry conditions.
  • German Grand Prix (20 July, Hockenheimring): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Rosberg (Mercedes), 2nd Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes), 3rd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:18.439).
  • Hungarian Grand Prix (27 July, Hungaroring): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Podium – 1st Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault), 2nd Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 3rd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:25.215).
  • Belgian Grand Prix (24 August, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Podium – 1st Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari, 1:49.385).
  • Italian Grand Prix (7 September, Monza Circuit): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Felipe Massa (Williams-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:24.109).
  • Singapore Grand Prix (21 September, Marina Bay Street Circuit): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault), 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:50.417).
  • Japanese Grand Prix (5 October, Suzuka Circuit): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:34.308).
  • Russian Grand Prix (12 October, Sochi Autodrom): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:40.896). The circuit was constructed on the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics venues, serving as a legacy project.
  • United States Grand Prix (2 November, Circuit of the Americas, Austin): Pole – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault); Fastest lap – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 1:40.321).
  • Brazilian Grand Prix (9 November, Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Rosberg (Mercedes), 2nd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 3rd Felipe Massa (Williams-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:12.463).
  • Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (23 November, Yas Marina Circuit): Pole – Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); Winner – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); Podium – 1st Hamilton (Mercedes), 2nd Felipe Massa (Williams-Mercedes), 3rd Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes); Fastest lap – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 1:40.480).
Across the season, achieved 11 wins, 5, and 3, with Mercedes securing poles in 18 of 19 races. The introduction of turbo-hybrid engines led to elevated DNF rates, particularly from reliability failures in the new power units, with around 18% of starts ending in retirement overall and impacting Mercedes' otherwise dominant performance. Most races unfolded in dry conditions, enabling consistent pace from the frontrunners, though variable weather in select events like Britain added strategic elements.

Scoring rules

The scoring system for the 2014 Formula One World Championship awarded points to the top ten classified finishers at each Grand Prix, based on the following allocation:
PositionPoints
1st25
2nd18
3rd15
4th12
5th10
6th8
7th6
8th4
9th2
10th1
This system, introduced in 2010 to extend points-paying positions while maintaining emphasis on podium finishes, remained unchanged for the 2014 season across all races except the finale. A notable exception applied to the , the season-ending event, where double points were awarded to all finishing positions for the first and only time in modern history; for example, the winner received 50 points instead of 25. This rule, announced by the FIA in December 2013, aimed to heighten drama in the title fight but faced criticism from teams and was scrapped after one season. In the Drivers' Championship, points accumulated by each driver across all races determined the standings, with ties broken first by the number of wins, then by the number of second-place finishes, third-place finishes, and so on until a difference emerged; if still unresolved, the FIA would declare the champion. For the Constructors' Championship, points were aggregated by summing the scores from both of a team's cars in each race, subject to the same tiebreaker criteria applied to individual results.

Drivers' Championship

The 2014 FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship was decided over 19 Grands Prix, with Mercedes driver emerging as champion after a intense intra-team rivalry with teammate . Hamilton secured his second career title, and first with Mercedes, by amassing 384 points, including 11 victories. Rosberg, who started the year strongly with a win in the opening race and took an early championship lead, finished runner-up with 317 points and five wins, but Hamilton's mid-to-late season dominance—highlighted by five consecutive victories from the to the —shifted the points lead decisively in his favor. The championship went down to the wire, with Hamilton clinching the title in the season finale at the on November 23, 2014, where he won the race and finished 67 points ahead of Rosberg. Red Bull's delivered a standout performance in his debut full season with the senior team, finishing third overall with 238 points and three race wins (Canada, Hungary, and Belgium)—the only non-Mercedes victories of the year. This result underscored Ricciardo's adaptability to the new 1.6-liter V6 turbo-hybrid engine regulations, outperforming teammate , who ended fifth with 167 points. Further down the order, Williams' achieved fourth place with 186 points, capitalizing on consistent podium finishes, while Ferrari's scored 161 points for sixth despite no wins. The season featured 22 drivers across 11 teams, with 17 managing to score at least one point; the remaining five, including Marussia's and Caterham's , ended with zero points due to reliability issues and lack of competitiveness in the midfield and backmarker squads. Hamilton's championship success earned him the International Racing Driver of the Year award at the end of , recognizing his consistency and recovery from early setbacks like mechanical retirements in and . Ricciardo, as the most prominent newcomer, was widely regarded as the season's top , though no official FIA Rookie of the Year award existed at the time; his podium-heavy campaign and three wins highlighted his potential, earning him accolades such as Crash.net's Driver of the Year.
PositionDriverTeamPointsWins
1Mercedes38411
2Mercedes3175
32383
4Williams1860
51670
6Ferrari1610
7Williams1340
81260
9960
10550
11Ferrari550
12470
13Jean-Éric VergneToro Rosso220
14Lotus80
15Daniil KvjatToro Rosso80
16Lotus20
17Marussia20
18Sauber00
19Sauber00
20Marussia00
2100
2200
The standings above reflect the final points allocation under the 2014 scoring system, where the top ten finishers earned points (25 for first, down to 1 for tenth), with no changes from penalties post-season.

Constructors' Championship

The 2014 Constructors' Championship marked the beginning of Mercedes' era of dominance in , driven by the introduction of 1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid power units that favored their superior engine development. Mercedes amassed 701 points across the 19-race season, securing 16 victories and 18 pole positions with their W05 Hybrid chassis, outpacing rivals by leveraging efficient energy recovery systems and overall package integration. Their drivers, and , consistently delivered one-two finishes, contributing to a points haul that was 296 more than second-placed . Mercedes took an early lead after the , where both cars finished first and second, establishing a significant advantage over McLaren-Mercedes. This gap widened progressively; by the midway point after the , they held over 200 points, as and Ferrari struggled with reliability and adaptation to the new regulations. Key races like the and Spanish Grands Prix saw Mercedes sweep the podiums, underscoring their aerodynamic and power advantages, while incidents such as Rosberg's retirement in slightly tempered their momentum but did not threaten the lead. The title was mathematically clinched at the inaugural in , where Hamilton's victory and Rosberg's second place ensured no rival could overtake them with five races remaining. Post-clinch, Mercedes continued their form, winning in the United States, , and , though internal team tensions occasionally affected strategy. Behind them, relied on Daniel Ricciardo's three wins to claim second, while Williams mounted a strong resurgence with consistent podiums to secure third ahead of a disappointing Ferrari. The final standings reflected Mercedes' unchallenged supremacy:
PositionConstructorPoints
1Mercedes701
2Red Bull-Renault405
3Williams-Mercedes320
4Ferrari216
5Force India-Mercedes155
6McLaren-Mercedes142
7Toro Rosso-Renault30
8Lotus-Renault10
9Sauber-Ferrari0
10Marussia-Ferrari0
110

References

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