Formula 1 sees first-time scenario that will probably never happen again

While the 2024 Formula 1 driver lineup is not the same as the lineup which opened up the 2023 season, it is indeed the exact same as that which wrapped up the 2023 season across all 10 teams.

Since the start of the 2023 season until now, the only driver change was an in-season change at AlphaTauri, where Daniel Ricciardo was called upon to replace the struggling Nyck de Vries alongside Yuki Tsunoda. Ricciardo later missed some races due to a wrist injury he suffered in a crash, with Liam Lawson filling in, but he kept his seat for 2024.

Never before in the 75-year history of Formula 1 has there been an instance in which every single team brings over the exact same driver lineup from one year to the next -- until now.

This inherently means that there are no rookies in the lineup for the upcoming season as well.

2024 Formula 1 driver lineup unchanged from 2023

Here's a look at the lineup which ended the 2023 season -- and which is set to begin the 2024 season.

Red Bull: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr.
McLaren: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Alpine: Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon
Williams: Alexander Albon, Logan Sargeant
RB: Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo
Sauber: Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu
Haas: Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen

While it was fairly obvious that last year's silly season would be rather mundane, given the fact that so many "rumors" were based on made-up nonsense (such as Perez supposedly retiring during Mexico City Grand Prix weekend), it seems fairly unlikely that this lack of turnover will happen again anytime soon.

Even last year, there were indeed some very real possibilities of changes that simply never transpired. So all 10 teams keeping the same two drivers again -- over any offseason -- is a longshot.

More than half of the 2024 grid are without contracts to return to their respective teams in 2025, so this silly season actually looks as though it will be a true silly season following an offseason of ultimate continuity. In fact, it has already started, with Lewis Hamilton having announced his shock move to Ferrari as Carlos Sainz Jr.'s replacement.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to get the 2024 season underway at Bahrain International Circuit on Saturday, March 2, with ESPN set to provide live coverage beginning at 9:55 a.m. ET (watch for free here!). There are 24 races on this year's schedule, breaking the previous single-season record of 22 from each of the last three seasons.