At first blush, Sunday’s British Grand Prix looks like a massive win for McLaren. Lando Norris captured his seventh Grand Prix podium of the season with a third-place finish. Oscar Piastri finished behind him in fourth place, giving the team a 27-point haul that topped all teams at Silverstone. That chunk of points saw McLaren not only gain on Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship but pull to within just seven points of Ferrari for P2 in the standings.
And yet, Sunday could have been so much more for McLaren.
A series of strategy decisions in changing conditions saw McLaren turn a potential one-two finish into the eventual P3 and P4 for Norris and Piastri, leaving the team to wonder just what could have been on Sunday at Silverstone.
In the early stages, it seemed as if McLaren had gotten it right. While Max Verstappen powered into P3 behind the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, Norris and Piastri waited to strike sitting in fourth and fifth, respectively. As the first batch of rain came through, that is when the papaya boys pounced, and within a few laps, they were running up in first and second, with Norris ahead of his teammate.
Eventually, the teams faced the critical decision regarding when to switch from slick tires to a set of intermediates, as conditions on the track began to worsen. Finally, McLaren brought Norris in, but given the pit lane layout at Silverstone — with each team having just the one pit stall — they faced a critical decision: Do they bring both drivers in and double-stack the cars, or do they leave one of them out for a lap on the slick tires in worsening conditions?
They brought Norris in and left Piastri out.
While that worked for Norris, and he came back out as the race leader with a three-second advantage over Hamilton, it cost Piastri dearly. He wound his way around Silverstone while struggling to find enough grip, and after he finally completed his pit stop he emerged with a set of intermediates on his MCL38, and back in sixth place behind Carlos Sainz Jr.
Up in the F1TV commentary box, Jolyon Palmer was rather dismayed at the decision to leave Piastri out for one more lap. “His race has been butchered by staying out another lap,” stated the former F1 driver, and there was evidence available to bolster his position. Mercedes faced the same decision as Hamilton and Russell but executed a solid double-stack stop and both drivers came out ahead of Piastri.
However, McLaren then caught a break, as Russell’s W15 suffered a suspected water system failure, and his retirement promoted Piastri up to P5. He then took fourth, overtaking Sainz for the position.
Then came the next critical decision. With the laps ticking down and the track drying out, teams faced the question of when to switch from the green-walled intermediate tires — which were starting to show significant signs of wear — to a set of slicks. With 15 laps to go Hamilton and Verstappen both came in for a fresh set of tires, while McLaren left Norris out for one more lap.
Similar to the decision with Piastri, Norris lost significant time on his next lap on the worn intermediates, and his situation was compounded further by a slower-than-usual pit stop, set in motion when Norris pulled slightly too far forward in his pit box. As he lumbered out of his stall on a set of softs and tried desperately to fire them up, all he could do was watch Hamilton rocket by him to take the race lead.
Shortly thereafter, Norris’ hopes of a victory turned into a fight to hold on for P2. Red Bull decided to bolt on a set of hard tires on Verstappen’s RB20, and that looked like the right decision as Verstappen slowly gained on both Hamilton and Norris, with both British drivers working around Silverstone on soft tires. Eventually, Verstappen caught Norris and took second away from him, shuffling Norris down to third where he eventually finished.
Dreams of a McLaren one-two finish had fallen away, with the Woking-based outfit forced to settle for a P3-P4 afternoon.
“And yeah, as a team, I don’t think we did quite the job we should have done or good enough, but still lovely to be on the podium here in Silverstone,” admitted Norris trackside to Jenson Button following the race.
The McLaren driver then shouldered the bulk of the blame.
“You know, at the same time I blame myself today for not making some of the right decisions. But, I hate it. I hate ending in this position and ever having excuses for not doing a good enough job,” said Norris, before turning a bit more optimistic. “But I’m so happy, I’m still gonna enjoy it. I think we still did so many things right. So many positives.”
Speaking with Sky Sports Italy, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella conceded that there were things they could have done differently, noting the decision not to double-stack with Piastri earlier in the race, as well as not putting a set of mediums on Norris’ MCL38 during the final pit stop.
Norris completed his trackside interview with Button on an even more optimistic note. I’m going to come back stronger next year,” said Norris, “and try again.”
Once more, as far as points go this was still a strong result for McLaren, as they cut into Red Bull’s lead atop the Constructors’ Championship standings, and pulled within single digits of Ferrari for P2.
But it could have been more for them.
So much more.
And there might be a few restless nights in Woking before the grid roars back to life in Hungary.
The 2024 Formula 1 season made history for the sport when the first race began. When the lights went out to start the Bahrain Grand Prix, it was the first time in F1 history that the drivers who ended the previous season were the same exact drivers — in the same exact spots — when the next year began.
However, the season also began with changes looming on the horizon. Not only was over half of the grid beginning the year on an expiring contract, the shocking news that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of 2024 kicked the F1 “silly season” into overdrive.
Slowly, next year’s lineup is rounding into shape. The news that Red Bull reached a new two-year deal means that over half of the grid is now set for 2025.
So how does the 2025 F1 driver lineup look? Here is how it stands at the moment, with nine spots still officially up for grabs.
This piece will be updated as new contracts are announced.
Alpine
Alpine entered the 2024 F1 season with two drivers on the final year of their contracts, in Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. With Ocon and Alpine announcing ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix that they will “part ways” at the end of the 2024 season, one seat is officially vacant for 2025. Rumors persist about Gasly’s future with the team, but with the Ocon announcement the team might look to retain him for 2025, to keep some level of continuity within the organization.
Earlier this week we took a look at potential options for Alpine for at least Ocon’s current seat.
Update: Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix Alpine announced that Gasly will be back for 2025 on a new “multi-year” deal.
Pierre Gasly – “Multi-year” contract
TBD
Aston Martin
Aston Martin is one of the few teams currently with a lineup set for 2025. Fernando Alonso entered the year on the final season of his current contract, but the parties recently announced a new “multi-year contract.” As for Lance Stroll, his contract status is something of a mystery, but it is understood that he is on a rolling contract, one that has been described in the media as “indefinite.”
Update: Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix Aston Martin confirmed that Stroll will be back for 2025 on a new “multi-year” deal.
Fernando Alonso — “Multi-year” contract through at least 2026
Lance Stroll — “Multi-year” contract
Haas
Similar to Alpine, Haas is another team that entered the year with a pair of drivers on the final year of their deals, and now knows for certain that one spot is open for 2025. Nico Hülkenberg announced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix that he was moving to Sauber for 2025 and beyond, ahead of that team becoming the Audi works outfit in 2026. Kevin Magnussen is in the final year of his deal, and it remains unclear if he will be retained for 2025.
A name that has been often linked with at least one spot at Haas for 2025? Ferrari academy driver and super-sub Oliver Bearman.
Ferrari
Ferrari kicked off the F1 silly season in the winter, when the stunning announcement came that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari at the conclusion of the 2024 season. With the team having already announced a new deal for Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s lineup is set for 2025 … and beyond.
Charles Leclerc — “Multi-year” contract
Lewis Hamilton — “Multi-year” contract
McLaren
Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Last October I sat down with McLaren CEO Zak Brown for an exclusive interview, and at that time the team boss told me in no uncertain terms that in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri the team has the best driver duo on the grid.
So it should come as no surprise that the team worked over the past few months to extend Norris, ensuring both drivers are with the team into the new era of F1 regulations.
Lando Norris — “Multi-year” contract
Oscar Piastri — Contract through 2026
Mercedes
Near the end of last season it seemed Mercedes would enjoy a period of stability, or at least through the 2025 season. With George Russell signed until the end of the 2025 campaign, and Lewis Hamilton adding two more years to a deal that was set to expire at the end of 2024, the Silver Arrows looked set.
That changed with the Hamilton news. Now the team is contemplation options for the seat next to Russell, and likely looking to extend Russell beyond his current deal.
A number of options have been linked with this second seat at Mercedes, with many signs pointing to phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
George Russell — Contract through 2025
TBD
Red Bull
While the shocking Hamilton announcement officially kicked off the 2025 F1 silly season speculation, in truth it began well before that. Sergio Pérez’s mid-season struggles during 2023, particularly in qualifying, led to rampant speculation regarding his future with Red Bull. While he began the season on a deal set to expire at the end of 2024, there were certain corners of the F1 world that wondered if he would even see the start of 2024 with the team, or if he would be potentially sacked mid-season due to poor form.
Red Bull ended that speculation ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, announcing a new two-year deal with Pérez that will keep him with the team through 2026.
As for the other Red Bull driver, absent a seismic move that seat is locked up for a long time.
Max Verstappen — Contract through 2028
Sergio Pérez — Contract through 2026
Sauber
Sauber entered 2024 with a driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, two drivers on expiring deals.
Now one of their seats is set for 2025 and beyond, as the team announced back in April that Nico Hülkenberg would be joining the team for next season. With Sauber set to become the Audi works operation in 2026, pairing a German driver with a German manufacturer makes a deal of sense.
However, who his teammate will be next year is a matter of debate.
Nico Hülkenberg — “Multi-year” contract through 2026
TBD
Visa Cash App RB F1 Team
Three drivers, two seats.
That is how the year began for VCARB, as Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson all presented viable options for the team. Ultimately, the team went with Ricciardo and Tsunoda, both of whom are on expiring contracts. Will VCARB bring both back for 2025, or make changes?
Update: Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix VCARB announced that Tsunoda will be back for 2025.
Yuki Tsunoda — Contract through 2025
TBD
Williams
A surprising seventh-place finish in the 2023 Constructors’ Championship saw Williams run it back this year with both Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant. Like last year, however, the start has been slow for the team. During 2023 Williams notched a single point in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, and did not score again until the Canadian Grand Prix, when Albon finished seventh.
This season Williams finally broke through with points in the Monaco Grand Prix with Albon’s ninth-place finish.
The team announced a contract extension for Albon earlier this season, but who his teammate will be in 2025 is a matter yet to be decided.
Alexander Albon — “Multi-year” contract through at least 2026
And it will look a little different than in year’s past.
The 2024 Tour de France, the 111th in history, begins on Saturday June 29. However, the starting point for this year’s Tour de France, as well as the finish line, will mark a series of firsts for the event.
To mark 100 years since Ottavio Bottecchia became the first Italian rider to win the Tour de France, this year’s race will begin in Italy, with riders setting off in Florence. The first three stages of this year’s Tour de France will keep riders in Italy, before the Tour’s fourth stage sees riders make the journey from Pinerolo in Italy, to Valloire in France.
In addition, this year’s Tour de France schedule coincides with the 2024 Paris Summer Games, which begin in Paris at the end of July. As such the Tour de France will conclude in Nice, with the final stage of the 2024 Tour de France bringing riders from Monaco to Nice.
This year’s Tour de France also concludes with an individual time trial, the first time the event has concluded with an ITT since 1989. That year saw the legendary duel on the final day between Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon.
This year’s event has no shortage of storylines, starting with the battle between Dane Jonas Vingegaard, riding for Visma—Lease a Bike, and Slovenian Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates.
Vingegaard is the reigning Tour de France champion, winning in both 2022 and 2023 ahead of his rival Pogačar. But his status for this year’s Tour de France is a huge question mark, as Vingegaard endured a horrific crash at the Tour of Basque Country in April. The Danish cyclist suffered a broken collarbone, several broken ribs, a pulmonary contusion and a pneumothorax as a result of the crash, and spent 12 days in the hospital.
Vingegaard’s questionable form has opened the door for Pogačar to perhaps claim another title. The Slovenian took home the prestigious yellow jersey, the maillot jaune, in both 2020 and 2021; his victory in 2020 at the age of 21 made him the second-youngest winner in race history.
The two are the odds-on favorites to compete for the top spot on the podium again in 2024, but Vingegaard’s recent crash has made his rival the favorite.
Beyond the two favorites, there are some other riders in the field who could challenge for the yellow jersey. Primož Roglič from Slovenia, riding for Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, is one of the older riders in the field but might have some unfinished business after losing out to fellow Slovenian Pogačar in 2020. Roglič failed to finish in both 2021 and 2022, but won the Critérium du Dauphiné at the start of the month, fending off a late challenge from Matteo Jorgenson from Visma—Lease a Bike.
Remco Evenepoel from Soudal Quick-Step is another rider to watch. The Belgian cyclist suffered a crash of his own at Basque Country, but seemed back in form during the Critérium du Dauphiné when he was part of the chasing pack that put Roglič under pressure in the final stage. Considered one of the sport’s premier time trialists, the schedule sets up well for him with the 2024 Tour de France containing a pair of time trials, including the one on the final day previously mentioned.
For American fans Jorgenson represents your best hope for Tour de France glory. However, his role this year might best be described as “undetermined,” given Vingegaard’s questionable form. Should Vingegaard be healthy Jorgenson may serve as an auxiliary leader for Visma, and one of the sport’s premier domestiques. But if Vingegaard struggles with his health as a result of his recent crash, the 24-year-old could be thrust into a major role. And given his recent performance — including finishing just eight seconds behind Roglič at Dauphiné — he is certainly worth keeping an eye on.
For more on the favorites in the 2024 Tour de France field Bernd Buchmasser has you covered here.
Here is how to watch, a look at each stage, and more.
How to watch the 2024 Tour de France
NBC Sports is your home for every stage of the 110th Tour de France, with the bulk of the coverage airing live each day on Peacock. NBC and USA Network will also air live coverage during of three stages of the 2024 Tour de France: Stage 8, Stage 14, and Stage 20.
All NBC and USA Network coverage also streams on NBCSports.com/live, as well as the NBC Sports app.
Here is the full broadcast schedule:
2023 Tour de France Broadcast Information
Date
Time (ET)
Stage
Route
Platform
Date
Time (ET)
Stage
Route
Platform
June 29
6:30 a.m.
1
Florence to Rimini
Peacock
June 30
6:05 a.m.
2
Cesenatico to Bologna
Peacock
July 1
6:50 a.m.
3
Piacenza – Turin
Peacock
July 2
7:00 a.m.
4
Pinerolo to Vallorie
Peacock
July 3
6:55 a.m.
5
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas
Peacock
July 4
7:00 a.m.
6
Mâcon to Dijon
Peacock
July 5
7:10 a.m.
7
Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin
Peacock
July 6
6:00 a.m.
8
Semur-en-Auxois to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Peacock
July 6
8:00 a.m.
8
Semur-en-Auxois to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
NBC
July 7
7:05 a.m.
9
Troys to Troys
Peacock
July 9
6:55 a.m.
10
Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond
Peacock
July 10
6:55 a.m.
11
Evaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran
Peacock
July 11
6:55 a.m.
12
Aurillac to Villeneuve-sur-Lot
Peacock
July 12
7:30 a.m.
13
Agen – Pau
Peacock
July 13
6:30 a.m.
14
Pau – Pla d’Adet
Peacock
July 13
8:00 a.m.
14
Pau – Pla d’Adet
NBC
July 14
6:55 a.m.
15
Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille
Peacock
July 16
6:50 a.m.
16
Gruissan to Nîmes
Peacock
July 17
6:05 a.m.
17
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaus to Superdévoluy
Peacock
July 18
6:55 a.m.
18
Gap to Barcelonnette
Peacock
July 19
7:05 a.m.
19
Embrun to Isola 2000
Peacock
July 20
7:35 a.m.
20
Nice to Col de la Couillole
Peacock
July 20
4:00 p.m.
20
Nice to Col de la Couillole
NBC (replay)
July 21
10:10 a.m.
21
Monaco to Nice
Peacock
What teams are competing in the 2024 Tour de France
22 teams are competing in the 2024 Tour de France: That includes all 18 UCI WorldTeams, and 4 UCI ProTeams.
18 UCI WorldTeams
Alpecin-Deceuninck Arkéa-B&B Hotels Astana Qazaqstan Team Cofidis Decathalon-AG2R La Mondiale EF Education-EasyPost Groupama-FDJ Ineos Grenadiers Intermarché-Wanty Lidl-Trek Movistar Team Red Bull—Bora—Hansgrohe Soudal—Quick-Step Team Bahrain Victorious Team dsm—firmenich PostNL Team Jayco-AlUla Visma—Lease a Bike UAE Team Emirates
UCI ProTeams
Israel—Premier Tech Lotto—Dstny Team TotalEnergies Uno-X Pro Mobility
The 2024 Tour de France map
Here is the official map of the 2024 Tour de France:
You can also view the map on the official Tour de France website.
Stages, dates, and distances for the 2024 Tour de France
Here are the stages for the 2024 Tour de France. According to the official website there are eight stages classified as flat, four stages classified as hilly, seven mountain stages (including four summit finishes: Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet in Stage 14, Plateau de Beille in Stage 15, Isola 2000 in Stage 19, and Col de la Couillole in Stage 20). There are also two individual time trials, along with a pair of rest days.
2024 Tour de France Stages
Stage
Date
Distance (Miles)
Route
Stage Type
Stage
Date
Distance (Miles)
Route
Stage Type
1
June 29
128
Florence to Rimini
Hilly
2
June 30
123.8
Cesenatico to Bologna
Hilly
3
July 1
143.4
Piacenza – Turin
Flat
4
July 2
86.7
Pinerolo to Vallorie
Mountain
5
July 3
110.2
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas
Flat
6
July 4
101.6
Mâcon to Dijon
Flat
7
July 5
15.7
Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin
ITT
8
July 6
114
Semur-en-Auxois to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Flat
9
July 7
124
Troys to Troys
Hilly
July 8
Rest Day
10
July 9
116.4
Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond
Flat
11
July 10
131
Evaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran
Mountain
12
July 11
126.5
Aurillac to Villeneuve-sur-Lot
Flat
13
July 12
102.7
Agen – Pau
Flat
14
July 13
94.4
Pau – Pla d’Adet
Mountain
15
July 14
122.8
Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille
Mountain
July 15
Rest Day
16
July 16
117.2
Gruissan to Nîmes
Flat
17
July 17
110.5
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaus to Superdévoluy
Mountain
18
July 18
111.5
Gap to Barcelonnette
Hilly
19
July 19
89.9
Embrun to Isola 2000
Mountain
20
July 20
82.5
Nice to Col de la Couillole
Mountain
21
July 21
20.9
Monaco to Nice
ITT
Overall, the 2024 Tour e France route covers 3,498 kilometers (2,174 miles) and contains 52,230 meters (171,358 feet) of total vertical climb.
If riders were hoping to ease into the 2024 Tour de France, they have another thing coming. The opening stage of this year’s Tour not only marks the first time the race has started in Italy, but it might be the toughest opening stage in history, featuring 3,600 meters (11,811 feet) of climbing. The final climb into San Marino, featuring over seven kilometers (4.35 miles) of climb at nearly five degrees.
The two toughest stretches are likely Stages 14 and 15, as well as Stages 19 and 20. Not only are all four stages mountain stages — meaning riders will have to conquer the mountains on back-to-back days — but all four stages contain a summit finish: Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet in Stage 14, Plateau de Beille in Stage 15, Isola 2000 in Stage 19, and Col de la Couillole in Stage 20.
Stage 9 is a very intriguing stage. While it is classified as “hilly” Stage 9, which sees riders start and finish in Troyes, it also contains 14 “white road” sectors. White roads on the Tour de France are dusty, gravel roads that have been a feature of this event.
In addition, the 2024 Tour de France concludes with an Individual Time Trial, the second ITT of this year’s race and the first time the Tour de France will finish in such fashion since the legendary LeMond-Fignon duel in 1989.
2024 Tour de France results
Stage 1: Florence to Rimini
Stage Winner: Romain Bardet, Team dsm-firmenich PostNL Overall Leader: Romain Bardet, Team dsm-firmenich PostNL
Romain Bardet, aided in large part by his Team dsm-firmenich PostNL teammate Frank Van den Broek, captured the difficult first stage of the 2024 Tour de France on Saturday. For Bardet, who is competing in his final Tour de France after announcing his upcoming retirement following next year’s Critérium du Dauphiné before a switch to gravel. This stage win was his first in seven years, and he’s the first Frenchman to don the famous yellow jersey since Julian Alaphilippe in the 2021 race.
The Buffalo Bills will roll into 2024 without their starting wide receiver tandem and team captains from last season, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. As head coach Sean McDermott put it on the Centered on Buffalo Podcast, the Buffalo Bills’ WR room will have a “different vibe for sure”. With superstar QB Josh Allen manning the helm, some new faces are bound to emerge as Buffalo’s top-receiving threats. As training camp approaches, fans and analysts alike are eager to see who will rise to the occasion and become key contributors in their revamped receiving corps.
Let’s set the table with where the receiver corps stands now and how it’s changed since the end of the 2023 season.
Key Departures
Stefon Diggs Buffalo’s former bona fide number-one receiver leaves behind a massive hole after averaging 111.25 receptions, 1343 receiving yards, and 9.25 TDs during his four seasons in Buffalo. He was traded to the Houston Texans.
Gabe Davis A former fourth-round draft pick developed into the number-two option in the Bills’ offense but never eclipsed the 1000-yard mark in any season. “Big Game Gabe” was known for his propensity to show up when it mattered most, but now he’s with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Key Additions
Curtis Samuel The seven-year veteran was signed to a three-year contract via free agency by the Buffalo Bills this offseason. Samuel has electric speed and some big play juice that Buffalo’s offense has been searching for.
Keon Coleman Coleman was Buffalo’s top selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. The rookie gives the Bills a new flavor in their WR room and gives Allen a big target to “play above the rim”.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Buffalo swiped a WR away from their nemesis by signing MVS to a one-year contract via free agency. The speedster figures to add depth and a big play threat for Allen to heave the ball to.
Key Returners
Kahlil Shakir Shakir is the incumbent starting slot WR for the Bills, however, I would expect to see him used on the outside, as well. From Week 8 to the end of the 2023 season, Shakir outpaced Stefon Diggs in receiving yards, and he did it with half of the targets Diggs had. Shakir enters 2024 as one of Allen’s favorite options.
What’s the Bills’ game plan at receiver?
With two big names out and an influx of new faces, the Bills offense will face a significant transition this offseason as they look for solutions to revamp their passing offense. Bills general manager Brandon Beane has certainly brought in a variety of options to find the right fit, but will it be enough? Let’s explore the potential game plans for the Bills’ new-look passing offense in 2024.
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It may be concerning to some that Josh Allen doesn’t have a proven number-one WR to throw the ball to, but Beane doesn’t necessarily feel that way. In a recent interview with Go Long, he said, “Don’t get too caught up in, ‘You don’t have a No. 1 wide receiver.’ Let’s look at it as a whole, and remember that different guys bring different skill sets.”
The downside of not having a true “number one” wide receiver is that Allen won’t have a reliable security blanket to fall back on. However, the upside is equally valuable: Allen will have the freedom to go through his progressions and find the open receiver without worrying about forcing targets for Stefon Diggs.
I’m convinced that the Bills are building a receiving corps with diverse skill sets to exploit mismatches across the field. They’ve acquired special talents at wide receiver, and their pass-catching options at running back and tight end are formidable as well. Here is what some of the specialty skill sets look like when you put it all together:
Kahlil Shakir: Rising talent, do-it-all all guy, can be used anywhere on the field
Keon Coleman: Jump ball monster, big target, red zone threat
Curtis Samuel: Gadget guy for jet sweeps and screens, big-play threat, run after catch
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: Deep threat, quality depth, played in big games
Dalton Kincaid: Big slot, gets open over the middle, mismatch nightmare
Dawson Knox: Good blocker, tough to bring down, great rapport with Allen
James Cook: Athletic receiving asset out of the backfield, mismatch against linebackers
Tight ends need love too
“I read the rules, it’s legal to throw it to a tight end”, Beane told Go Long. The Bills boast one of the best tight end duos in the league with veteran Dawson Knox and former first-round pick Dalton Kincaid. With the wide receiver room only featuring one player who has caught a pass from Josh Allen in Shakir, the Bills will rely on their tight end duo for production due to their established chemistry with Allen. Last season, Kincaid was third in receiving yards on the team and had the second-most targets. Head coach Sean McDermott said on the Centered on Buffalo Podcast that Kincaid is, “going to be primed for a great season and that rapport with Josh is going to be critical for us”.
New top dog
With Diggs gone, someone will need to step up and take over the “top dog” wide receiver spot. While that remains to be seen, the Bills’ top draft pick, Keon Coleman, seems like a strong contender. Brandon Beane highlighted Coleman’s potential with Go Long, saying, “He’s got play speed. I saw him live at LSU. He caught a skinny post, made a guy miss, split the safeties, and took it in. And you saw his athletic ability returning punts. You don’t see 6’3, 6’4 guys that are able to track, bend, and adjust.”
The rookie receiver faces an uphill battle to become a prominent force in the Bills’ offense, but the recent success of rookie WRs in the NFL gives the Bills hope that he can contribute sooner rather than later.
While Coleman is a solid candidate to become the Bills’ number one WR, he might not be the most likely. Shakir flourished in the second half of 2023 and is a sneaky candidate for a classic third-year breakout. Plays like his playoff TD against the Steelers should be an exciting sign of things to come. Don’t overlook him when drafting your fantasy team this year, as there’s little holding him back from exploding onto the scene next season.
Wild cards
As previously mentioned, the Bills have brought in a variety of options at wide receiver through free agency and the NFL Draft, but they also have some deep sleeper options to consider. The Bills took a chance on two former second-round receivers, K.J. Hamler and Chase Claypool. Both have shown flashes of brilliance, though their careers have fizzled out.
Additionally, Justin Shorter is still lurking in the weeds. After being drafted by the Bills in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Shorter had to sit out the entire season on IR. The former 5-star recruit looks like a WR built in a lab, but his potential has yet to translate to the football field.
These three wild cards will have their opportunity to earn a spot on the Bills’ roster, though their chances are slim. Yet, if one of these reclamation projects succeeds and contributes, the Bills’ WR room could unexpectedly surpass its 2023 performance.
The mix of seasoned veterans, a promising rookie, and potential reclamation projects will make for an exciting and unpredictable offensive dynamic. The stage is set for a reconstructed receiving corps that is poised to redefine the Bills’ passing game, ushering in a new era of success.
Sean Stellato the larger-than-life agent for Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito was at The Vatican today to meet with Pope Francis. Why did he get an audience with the pope? Honestly, nobody really knows — but there’s photographic evidence to prove these two met.
What these two men have to discuss is beyond comprehension, but we did our best to come up with some ideas.
Let’s caption this …
“You represent DeVito? I love him in the Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
“I loved you in Jury Duty, Mr. Pauly Shore”
“They say ‘Your Holiness, someone from the NFL is here to see you,’ and I think ‘Ooh, it’s Travis Kelce. I love that guy,’ or ‘maybe it’s Tom Brady?’ But no, Tommy DeVito’s agent is much better. This is good. This is fine.”
“So if I’m hearing right Tommy got beat out by a gawky doofus who went to a methodist university?”
“No. No. Is not ‘cutlets,’ it’s ‘pollo alla parmigiana’ you peasant.”
“It’s nice of you to see me, my son. But Jamie Taco: You shouldn’t steal people’s lines.”
“I remember you! You sold me used Fiat in Buenos Aires in 1977. Good to see you again!”
“Tommy needs to get a better job of working to his third read. And there are times his footwork does not synch up with the route concepts so it throws the timing off.” — Yes there is a world in my head where Pope Francis is a huge Xs and Os guru and has taken note of where Tommy DeVito needs to improve his game.
“No I cannot do anything about a Daniel Jones trade.”
“Explain to me, my son. If you call it ‘football’ then why no kicking?”
“I’m actually a Saints fan. HAHAHAHA just kidding. I would never support those losers”
“Sorry, but we’ll need a little more than 1,101 passing yards and eight touchdowns to consider Tommy for sainthood.”
“I watched Tommy making cutlets and I was disappointed to see that he does not double bread his cutlets. You need to tell him to double bread the cutlets. He’s a nice young man but I need to see some double breading.”
Now in the twilight of his career, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. joins the Miami Dolphins, a franchise desperate to win their first playoff game since 2000. Is Beckham the missing piece for Miami’s offense? Probably not, but he can still be very good for them.
Beckham is no longer an offense’s North Star, one to shoulder the load of an offense. He hasn’t been for some time now. That’s not to say he won’t help a Dolphins offense brimming with talent, that finished second in the NFL in points in 2023. His skillset fits their high-flying attack, and he proved last season with the Baltimore Ravens he can contribute.
The ability to create separation is still Beckham’s hallmark. His agility remains a staple of his game, complementing his route running. He brings dynamic cuts in his breaks that still shake defenders and find him in the open field. His one-step slant continues to gash cornerbacks and the speed to take it the distance.
Beckham finished 2023 with 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He also drew repeated defensive pass interference flags due to outmaneuvering defensive backs, forcing them to clutch his jersey and impede him with the ball in the air. He remains an artisan in route-running.
Beckham won’t be the figurehead of the Dolphins’ offense. That goes to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is shattering defenses in ways no other can. But as a complementary piece beside Hill and Jaylen Waddle, he’ll bust single-coverage cornerbacks.
In space or in the red zone, Beckham’s lethal in single coverage. Against the Seahawks in November, Beckham carved up Tariq Woolen with ease and gifted Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley an easy floater to the back corner.
Defenses will struggle to contain the trio of Hill, Waddle and Beckham. And that’s not including tight end Durham Smythe, or the Dolphins’ one-two punch running back tandem Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane.
And, as always, Beckham brings pizazz. He brings arguably the widest catch radius in the NFL. He brings highlights and wizardry.
Beckham has playmaking left in the tank. His “drop off” — if you want to call it that — still has him as a viable receiving threat. In an offense where Beckham is given easier matchups due to the outstanding playmakers surrounding him, there’s a high likelihood he’ll flourish.
The third receiver for Miami last season was Braxton Berrios, who went for 27 receptions, 238 yards, and a single touchdown. It’s not hard to imagine OBJ eclipsing those numbers in 2024, even with Berrios still on Miami’s roster in 2024.
You could feel the pain and disappointment with every answer, every gesture, and every word.
Lando Norris believes his second Formula 1 victory was there for the taking Sunday in Barcelona, but he let it slip through his grasp.
Norris began Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix in P1, thanks to a masterful final lap during Saturday’s qualifying session that was just fast enough to snatch pole position from his friend and rival Max Verstappen. It was a lap that Norris himself described as both “perfect,” and “balls out.”
But in a flash Sunday, that slim lead over Verstappen evaporated. The Red Bull driver got off to a quicker start off the line and Norris was shuffled back to P2 almost immediately. He lost another spot soon thereafter, as George Russell pulled off a masterful double overtake to pass both Norris and Verstappen, sliding Norris back to third.
The McLaren driver was forced into comeback mode and nearly pulled it off, closing an eight-second gap to Verstappen in P1 down to just under two seconds as the checkered flag flew. But as he told the story Sunday afternoon in Barcelona, it was a tale of a driver who believes he let his team down.
“The race, not good enough, simply because we should have won today,” began Norris in the post-race FIA Press Conference.
“I think we had the quickest car. But I just lost it at the start, you know, and then I couldn’t get past George for the first stint. I think we were quite easily best car out there today,” continued Norris. “I just didn’t do a good enough job off the line. And then that one thing cost me everything. So from Turn 2 onwards, 10 out of 10, I don’t think I could have done much more. And I think as a team, we did the perfect strategy. And I was very happy with what we did. But yeah, the one part at the start, the 1% elsewhere wasn’t good enough.”
Norris faced one of the toughest challenges the F1 calendar offers, as the run from the start/finish line to Turn 1 in Barcelona is the longest the drivers face all year. That meant Verstappen was positioned to get a big run off the line into Turn 1, and Norris was tasked with fending the champion off.
As Norris described the start, his initial launch was good, but the “second phase” of the race was where it went wrong.
“No, I mean, my initial launch, I think, was better than Max. The second phase, the drive out, was not as good. I don’t know. I don’t know anything more than that, apart from Max got alongside me,” described Norris. “And let’s say, if George wasn’t there, I think I still could have kept on to first around Turn 1.
“But George had a run on both of us, so even if my start was one or two [meters] better, which I think was all I probably could have done, just the long run down to Turn 1, the slipstream from the Mercedes, on both Max and myself, was more than anything that I could have done. I almost think George would have led no matter what, even if my start was two [meters] better.
“In some ways, that’s what happens in Barcelona. George got a good start and I couldn’t do anything about that. I settled in. I had to take third in Turn 2 because if I break two metres later, I think I would have taken everyone out with me. I made the correct decision of backing out and letting George have it. I don’t know. I need to sit down with my engineers and talk.”
Norris’ anguish mirrored comments he made in Montreal when he also finished second behind Verstappen. Only this time, according to the driver, he truly had the fastest car.
But not the corresponding win to show for it.
“We were definitely not the quickest car in Montreal. Mercedes was easily the quickest car. But today, we were the quickest. We had the best car. I had the best car out there,” said Norris. “And I didn’t [maximize] it. The start’s down to me. doing what I get told and executing that. And without that, or with a good start, we easily should have won.”
Despite Norris’ anguish at the result and his self-perceived failure at winning Sunday, he began to look ahead to Austria, a track that has been good to him in the past.
“I mean, I’m confident. every weekend we go into now, the car’s performing extremely well. We’re always there or thereabouts within a couple of tenths of pole, and that’s all we can ask for,” concluded Norris. “I think we need to bring something a little bit more just to make our life a bit easier. It’s close, and now we have, what, four teams who I think can easily fight for pole positions and fight for wins, potentially. So it’s a very different layout again. High speed, I think we have a bit to work on, comparing to Red Bull. Red Bull seem definitely a bit higher, better in high speed corners than we are. Potentially we’re lacking a touch in that area but the rest of it is strong.
“It’s been one of my best tracks in terms of my own competitiveness and my most successful tracks so excited to see all the papaya and the grandstands and have a good weekend.”
Norris may be feeling despair at the moment, lamenting a win that got away from him. But his second-place finish saw him move to second in the Drivers’ Championship, passing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in the standings.
It might not be enough to ease the pain he felt Sunday, but it is certainly another step forward for Norris.
And the driver’s anguish perhaps illustrates the bigger story of the 2024 Formula 1 season. A year ago finishing within two seconds of Verstappen was cause for celebration. Consider some of what Norris said following the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when he finished second to Verstappen, almost 20 seconds off the Red Bull driver’s pace.
“No, I was I was expecting him to probably lap us two or three times! And he didn’t, so… I mean, I was expecting probably a bigger gap. I think we all were, as a team. And I think it would have been a lot closer, I lost eight or 10 seconds behind Pérez under the [Virtual Safety Car],” said Norris at the FIA Press Conference in Suzuka a season ago.
“I don’t know how hard Max was really pushing. I’m sure he could have gone a bit quicker if he wanted to,” added Norris last year in Japan. “But to be only 19 seconds behind, he didn’t get a free pit-stop, which was lovely. And, yeah, I think it’s just signs of our progress.”
That big gap from a year ago is now down to seconds. Instead of wanting another car to challenge Verstappen, as Will Buxton eloquently stated a few weeks ago, now drivers just want another lap or two. The field has tightened behind Verstappen.
And Norris, his personal anguish aside, is now at the front of that chasing pack.
Two weeks ago the Formula 1 grid arrived in Montreal with visions of a true title fight on the minds of fans and drivers alike. “I don’t think either championship is over by any means,” Oscar Piastri declared to me when I sat down with the McLaren driver for an exclusive interview following his second-place finish in the Monaco Grand Prix.
“The Constructors’ [Championship] I would say is still open. We’re still a third of the way through the year. So it’s definitely still all to play for. I would say, of course, we’re at a bit of a disadvantage being as far back as we are, but it’s certainly not impossible,” continued Piastri “And yeah, I think even in the Drivers’ Championship, it’s not done and dusted yet.”
However, Max Verstappen had something to say about that latter point in Montreal.
Verstappen’s win in the Canadian Grand Prix, coupled with a DNF for Charles Leclerc, his closest challenger in the Drivers’ Championship, meant the Red Bull driver pulled 25 points further head of his nearest threat. Even with Lando Norris’ P2 in Montreal, Verstappen’s first-place finish saw him gain a few more points on the McLaren driver.
Now, the Constructors’ Championship was another matter. Sergio Pérez suffered a DNF of his own, so while Verstappen added 25 points to Red Bull’s account with his win, Norris’ P2 and Piastri’s P4 saw McLaren bank 28 points in the Canadian Grand Prix. Those two results, coupled with the Ferrari double DNF, meant the field on the Constructors’ side of things tightened up even more in Montreal.
As Piastri said, neither championship is “done and dusted” just yet. And things have only tightened more in the Constructors’ Championship these past few weeks.
Will things tighten even more in Barcelona? That is surely the biggest storyline to watch this week as the F1 grid heads to the Spanish Grand Prix.
But it is not the only one.
What awaits on the driver market front?
Will the fluid driver transfer market deliver more news this week?
With the F1 world descending upon Barcelona, the focus likely shifts to Carlos Sainz, Jr. The Spanish driver has yet to confirm his plans for the 2025 season, when Lewis Hamilton slides into the seat Sainz currently occupies at Ferrari.
Rumors have surrounded Sainz ever since that announcement, with teams such as Mercedes, Sauber — soon to become the Audi works team — and most recently Williams linked with the accomplished driver.
Late last week reports surfaced that despite expectations that Sainz would move to Sauber, ahead of the transition to Audi, that Williams was in the driver’s seat to land the driver. According to these reports, Williams has offered Sainz a four-year deal, giving the driver a potential out after two seasons if he believes the team has not made sufficient progress in his mind.
Of course, nothing is official until ink is put to paper, and Sainz himself has brushed aside various reporting already this season.
“The only thing I can tell you is there is nothing locked in. I’ve seen reports, I don’t know if it’s in Spain, people saying I’ve signed. I look at those things and it makes me laugh because I remember seeing reports three months ago that I had signed for Mercedes, reports that I had signed for Red Bull. Now obviously those places are not going to happen,” said Sainz earlier this month.
“So it’s funny now seeing people say I’ve signed for Williams. It makes me laugh that this goes a bit unpunished for some media person. It concerns me that people can get away with that kind of stuff,” added Sainz. “When I have something to announce, you guys will be the first to know and I will be here openly talking about my future.”
Now Sainz is just one of the drivers yet to announce his future plans. Other drivers we are waiting to hear from include Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, and more. But with the grid in Sainz’s home country, it is fair to turn our thoughts to an announcement from him first.
The future of F1 in Barcelona
As the grid arrives in Barcelona for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, the future of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the F1 grid is in severe doubt. At the start of this calendar year it was announced that the Spanish Grand Prix will move to a new street circuit in Madrid beginning in 2026, on a track that will city’s exhibition center.
The new location will extremely accessible for fans, as the new circuit will be just five minutes away from Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez airport, and near local Metro and train stations. According to the announcement, “ … it is estimated that 90% of fans will be able to travel to the paddock via public transport, while those staying in local accommodation will be a short walk away from the venue.”
While that might be great news for fans, it calls into question the future of an event in Barcelona.
Will Spain soon host two races, or will the new circuit in Madrid remain the sole race on Spanish soil going forward? Or perhaps Barcelona will again host F1 pre-season testing, as it did until 2023, when the site of pre-season testing was moved to Bahrain.
The next step in the never-ending development wars
We are truly in the thick of the 2024 F1 season, and when you add in the layer of a true title fight shaping up — at least when it comes to the Constructors’ Championship — every upgrade matters.
And as you might expect, teams are bringing a host of upgrades to Barcelona ahead of the upcoming tripleheader (more on that in a second).
Andrea Stella, the McLaren Team Principal, teased some upcoming upgrades for the Woking-based outfit recently. “For the coming races, we will have some upgrades, but they won’t be a single kind of big upgrade like we have seen over the last 12 months,” said Stella. “This is more some individual components where we found a little bit of performance and rather than waiting to deploy everything together once ready we take it track side.
“So I won’t say what but we will see some new stuff coming over the few coming races.”
McLaren, thanks to a P2 from Lando Norris and a P4 from Oscar Piastri last time out, actually gained three points in their chase of Red Bull at the top of the Constructors’ standings. And with Ferrari dealt a double DNF in Canada, McLaren pulled 28 points closer to the Scuderia, and they now trail Ferrari by just 40 points.
While Mercedes is a bit farther back in that fight, the Silver Arrows are coming off their best weekend of the year, with George Russell notching a podium finish in Montreal. That result comes as the team has been rolling out a series of upgrades, starting with the Miami Grand Prix. That package has included a new front wing, with Russell utilized in the Monaco Grand Prix and then Lewis Hamilton utilized in Montreal.
But the Silver Arrows are not done, as a new floor is coming for the W15.
“I think definitely, since Imola, we’ve taken the right steps and put parts on the car that are working, something that we were struggling in the past couple of years,” said Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff recently. “Now directionally we seem to be adding performance every weekend and we have new stuff coming also, new parts coming in Barcelona that should help us. So I would very much hope that we can continue this positive trajectory.”
While the new floor is a big component, and a new front wing is something certainly visible to the naked eye, Wolff outlined that Mercedes has been bringing many new components these past few weeks, some of which might not be visible to the untrained eye.
“Sometimes when you bring a highly-visible part like a bodywork or front wing, this is pretty much the talk of what has changed the performance,” added the Mercedes boss.
“But the truth is we have, over the last three races, brought so many new parts, visible and invisible for the eye, that have contributed milliseconds to more performance. I think this is where those marginal gains then have that positive effect. That was just a huge effort of the factory, so I think the wheel has started to get some real motion on it.”
As for Ferrari, the Scuderia planned on bringing their latest set of upgrades later this season, but reports out of Maranello indicate that they may push those new components out for the Spanish Grand Prix, given the disaster that was the Canadian Grand Prix for the team. According to Formu1a.uno, Ferrari was targeting Silverstone for another aggressive package, but the team may be “ … accelerating production times to introduce the most important innovations already in Barcelona.”
Will that truly be the case? We’ll know more in a few days.
Finally there is Red Bull. Will they have some upgrades of their own in Barcelona?
Team Principal Christian Horner hinted recently that they indeed might have some new components ready for Barcelona. “It’s a possible yes,” said Horner when asked if Red Bull would roll out some upgrades in Barcelona. “We’re closer to the top of the curve, so you get into a law of diminishing returns. But there will be subtle upgrades over the summer months.”
As the F1 schedule hits the summer the action on the track — and in the factories — heats up.
Round 1 of a tripleheader
When the 2024 F1 schedule was announced, many noticed that the calendar called for three different triple headers.
The first is upon us.
This weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix kicks off three straight weeks of racing. Following the Spanish Grand Prix, the grid will head to Red Bull Ring, for the Austrian Grand Prix. That weekend adds even one more layer, as the Austrian Grand Prix is one of six F1 Sprint race weekends.
Following Austria, the grid then heads to historic Silverstone, the site of the British Grand Prix.
Beyond the usual challenges an F1 week presents for teams and drivers, having three straight weeks of racing adds even more hurdles — and potential problems — for the ten teams to endure.
So buckle up friends, as a lot of F1 action is heading your way these next three weeks.
33 soon … ?
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
When the grid arrived in Barcelona a year ago, Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso were in many ways the talk of the F1 world. Aston Martin was still second in the Constructors’ Championship standings, one point ahead of third-place Mercedes. As for Alonso himself, he was in third place, 12 points behind Sergio Pérez. As you might expect from that place in the standings, the veteran driver was in fine form, having five podiums in six starts.
That beginning of the 2023 season led to talk of “33 soon?”, the rallying cry that followed Alonso’s quest for his elusive 33rd grand prix victory. With the grid arriving in Barcelona, there was hope that perhaps Alonso would earn that elusive victory in front of a home crowd.
However, if anything the results in the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix told the story of what was to come for Aston Martin down the stretch a year ago. Alonso finished down in seventh — behind teammate Lance Stroll — and he would see the podium just three more times over the rest of the year.
“I think sixth and seventh positions were the maximum for us. I thought our performance seemed better in qualifying, so I think we need to look at why and aim to bounce back for Canada,” said Alonso after the race. “We still scored some solid points and we had no risk at the end of the race. I want to thank the fans for their passion, energy and support this weekend. It was very emotional and special for me.”
Canada was one of those final three podiums for Alonso in 2023, as he finished P2 behind Max Verstappen. But that elusive 33rd victory has yet to materialize for the veteran driver.
Can he make some magic happen at home this weekend?