The 2024 Formula 1 season reaches its ceremonial conclusion this evening as the FIA Prize Giving gala takes place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen and newly crowned constructors’ champion representative Lando Norris will be present to receive their respective honours in what marks the official close to one of the sport’s most dramatic campaigns. The event, which celebrates champions across all FIA-sanctioned motorsport disciplines, begins at 19:00 Central European Time and will be broadcast free of charge to viewers worldwide.
What to expect from tonight’s ceremony
The annual FIA Prize Giving represents the formal moment when world champions collect their trophies following the conclusion of the racing season. Lando Norris will receive the constructors’ championship trophy on behalf of McLaren, the Woking team having secured their first title since 1998 with a dominant performance in the final races of 2024. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, will accept his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship trophy, cementing his status among the sport’s all-time greats despite a challenging second half to the campaign.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem will host proceedings from the Uzbekistan capital, marking the first time the organisation has held its flagship awards ceremony in Central Asia. The choice of venue reflects the FIA’s ongoing expansion into new territories, with Uzbekistan having expressed interest in potentially hosting a Formula 1 race in the future. Beyond Formula 1, the evening will honour champions from Formula 2, Formula 3, World Endurance Championship, World Rally Championship, and numerous other FIA-sanctioned series.
Streaming details and broadcast information
Fans can watch the complete ceremony without charge through the FIA’s official YouTube channel, which will carry a live stream of the entire event. Coverage begins at 19:00 CET, with the main awards presentation expected to commence approximately 30 minutes after the broadcast starts. The decision to offer free global streaming represents a shift in the FIA’s approach to the gala, which in previous years had been limited to select television broadcasters and online platforms.
The ceremony typically runs for approximately two hours, with various championship presentations interspersed throughout the evening. Formula 1’s world champions traditionally receive their trophies during the latter stages of the programme, ensuring maximum viewership for the sport’s headline category. This year’s format is expected to follow similar conventions, though the FIA has indicated some surprises may be incorporated into the running order.
Verstappen and Norris: a season defined by rivalry
The presence of both Verstappen and Norris at tonight’s event bookends a championship battle that intensified dramatically during the middle portion of the season. While Verstappen ultimately secured his fourth consecutive title with several races to spare, McLaren’s resurgence powered Norris to multiple race victories and positioned the British driver as the primary challenger to Red Bull’s dominance. The rivalry produced some of the season’s most compelling wheel-to-wheel racing, particularly at circuits where the performance gap between the two teams narrowed significantly.
For Verstappen, the evening represents recognition of a campaign that began with utter dominance before evolving into a more measured demonstration of consistency and racecraft. His ability to extract maximum points during races where Red Bull Racing lacked outright pace proved decisive in maintaining his championship advantage. Norris, meanwhile, can reflect on a breakthrough year that saw him establish himself as a regular race winner and McLaren’s undisputed team leader, even as the constructors’ title ultimately came down to decisive moments in Abu Dhabi.
The broader motorsport celebration
While Formula 1 commands the spotlight, the FIA gala serves an important function in recognising excellence across the entire spectrum of international motorsport. World Rally Championship victor Thierry Neuville will collect his first drivers’ title after years of near-misses, whilst the World Endurance Championship honours will go to representatives from Ferrari and Toyota following their respective successes in the manufacturers’ and drivers’ categories. Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, who graduates to Formula 1 with Kick Sauber in 2025, will also be present to mark his achievement.
The junior single-seater categories receive particular attention, with Formula 3 champion Luke Browning joining Bortoleto among the evening’s award recipients. These presentations carry added significance given the direct pathway both drivers have demonstrated from junior formulae to Formula 1’s expanding rookie class in 2025. The FIA has increasingly emphasised the importance of its ladder system, and tonight’s ceremony provides a platform to showcase the talent progression that underpins the sport’s future.
What this means going forward
Tonight’s ceremony draws a definitive line under the 2024 season and shifts attention firmly towards 2025, when Formula 1 returns with one of its most intriguing grids in recent memory. The formal conclusion allows teams and drivers to reset mentally before winter testing begins in Bahrain next month. For Verstappen, the challenge will be adapting to new team-mate Liam Lawson whilst defending his title against strengthened opposition from McLaren, Ferrari, and potentially Mercedes. Norris faces the different pressure of leading McLaren’s championship defence, a role that brings fresh expectations after ending the team’s 26-year constructors’ title drought. The gala provides a moment to celebrate past achievements before the relentless pursuit of future success resumes in earnest.
