Key Drivers and Sports Cards For the 2024 Formula 1 Season
With the 2024 Formula 1 season slated to start on March 2 at the Bahrain International Circuit, there’s no better time to analyze the current position of the F1 sports card market and some of the top drivers. The 2023 season was heavily dominated by Red Bull drivers, with every win except for one coming from Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, and the 2024 season offers Red Bull another chance to control the standings.
The F1 card market as a whole has seen a substantial falloff in terms of card pricing over the last year, according to the Market Movers Formula 1 Index. Over the last 365 days, the F1 market is down 28% with the last 30 days adding a 12% falloff that has now made popular cards more affordable.
Let’s hop into specific card markets from top performers while covering several sleeper picks that have remained popular in the racing card market despite a lack of wins or even podium finishes.
Max Verstappen
It would be wrong not to start with Red Bull star Max Verstappen. The 26-year-old put together an absolutely historic 2023 campaign that featured 19 wins and 21 total podium appearances. The season also saw Verstappen set the record for most consecutive Grand Prix wins (10) while he more than doubled the next closest driver — teammate Sergio Perez — in total points.
Verstappen’s market has held up well relative to the F1 Index, with his graded card market falling just 7% over the last 365 days. It’s no surprise that he was tied with Lewis Hamilton for the most total card transactions on the secondary market over that time period with around 1,300.
Here’s a glance at some of his key cards over the last 365 days:
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Sapphire Edition Base BGS 9.5: Down 71%
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 70th Anniversary Gold PSA 10: Down 44%
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Sapphire Edition Base PSA 10: Down 6%
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Base PSA 9: Down 7%
Sergio Perez
Despite sitting in Verstappen’s shadow for nearly all of the 2023 season, Perez put together a stellar year himself, particularly when compared to the rest of the field. Perez finished the season second in total points behind two wins and nine total podium finishes. Perez’s card market ultimately holds much less demand relative to Verstappen, and his graded cards have dropped 24% over the last 365 days.
Looking at key cards, Perez’s 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Refractor PSA 10 is down 55% over the last 365 days and is now trending below $50. This card traded at or above $100 a handful of times throughout the 2023 season.
Lewis Hamilton
Despite a winless 2023 campaign, Hamilton still managed to finish third in the driver standings, totaling 234 points with six podium finishes. Let’s be clear: Hamilton isn’t hurting for wins. Since making his F1 debut in 2007, he’s posted 103 wins and 183 podium finishes — his secondary card market has followed those performances appropriately. Even without a race win, Hamilton’s secondary market remained the most active in terms of both unique cards sold and total volume. His graded cards did take a hit and are down 20% collectively over the last 365 days.
Collectors can find a variety of Hamilton’s key cards currently trading at a discount over the last year. His 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Base PSA 10 is down 38% and is now trending below $100. Hamilton’s 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Sapphire Edition PSA 10 is also down 3% and is trending around $400.
Hamilton renewed his contract with Mercedes-Benz until the 2025 season, so he has plenty of chances at additional wins before he retires.
Oscar Piastri
Just 22 years old, Piastri finished the 2023 campaign ninth in the driver standings after posting two podium finishes. The Australian climbed the ranks of F4, F3, and F2 at an impressive rate before landing as a reserve driver for Alpine’s F1 team during the 2022 season. Despite some contract issues, Piastri signed with McLaren and has quickly emerged as one of the most exciting young drivers.
Piastri’s market has seen little change since this time last year, falling a mere 2% across both graded and raw cards. His 2021 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Sapphire Edition PSA 10 has dropped 29% over the last year despite being one of his most liquid cards. Piastri’s track record in F1 isn’t extensive, but his dominance in F3 and F2 could suggest there’s some room for growth.
Other Drivers
While the previous four were among the most popular hobby targets in the sport last season, there are other drivers that also posted strong seasons and have seen demand over the last year.
Ferrari star Charles Leclerc finished fifth in the 2023 standings with six podium finishes and over 200 points. Leclerc is a fan-favorite in the hobby, sitting third behind Hamilton and Verstappen for total transactions in 2023. His graded card market is down severely at nearly 40% over the last 365 days. While Red Bull is dominating the scene, Leclerc has still posted five wins in his relatively-young career and could be slated for a strong 2024 campaign.
Lando Norris is another driver worth watching. Norris finished sixth in the standings, missing out on 5th place by just one point after posting seven podium finishes. Norris’ graded card market hasn’t taken a significant hit, falling just 5% over the last 365 days. His 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Sapphire Edition PSA 10 and his 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Base PSA 10 were among the most popular F1 rookie cards last season.
