1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Mercedes-AMG

 

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix

Team Grade: A

Driver’s Grade:

Lewis Hamilton: A+

Valtteri Bottas: B+

Summary of First Nine Races:

Despite the delay in the 2020 season, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team appeared in Austria ready to dominant in the same fashion as previous years  maintaining its edge over the competition. A top driver lineup consisting of six-time and reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton paired with Finland’s Valtteri Bottas, the superiorly-engineered Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance race car as well as a strong support crew at the race track and at headquarters has proven to be the combination cementing an ongoing dynasty. In the first nine races of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Mercedes-AMG group has won seven grand prix events and has taken pole after every qualifying session. Lewis Hamilton has won six races already in 2020 and left the Tuscan Grand Prix with a commanding 45-point lead over teammate Bottas. The only major change within the team compared to previous years is the primarily black colour scheme adopted to support social equality. 

Innovating to stay ahead, this year’s car caught the ire of competitors by deploying a Dual Axis Steering (DAS) system that allows Mercedes drivers to adjust the front toe of the vehicle. DAS was permitted to operate on this year’s Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance car but will be banned for 2021. Competitors also attempted to negate Mercedes’ perceived edge in qualifying by eliminating a special engine setting. So-called ‘Party Mode’, the Mercedes-Benz power unit could run at an especially high performance level for a brief time. During the Italian Grand Prix round, a single engine mode was mandated for qualifying and the race. The notion that the special engine setting with the Mercedes-Benz power units was a key advantage over the competition appears to be little more than a red herring.

The reason for the ‘A’ grade rather an ‘A+’ was due to two instances. This year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, while ultimately a victorious outing for the Mercedes-AMG team, was also a minor embarrassment as both vehicles suffered late-race tire failures. Though many teams were left concerned with their tires throughout the race, the Mercedes-AMG cars endured the most dramatic instances of wear perhaps contributed to their reliably quick pace. Lewis Hamilton crossing the line on only three inflated tires could be one of the team’s chaotic wins. The second mishap for the Mercedes-AMG team was at Monza where Hamilton’s car came to pit road when they were closed costing the Brit the Italian Grand Prix victory. In the week following the unusual event in Italy, the team has explained and acknowledged the mistake learning how to avoid it in the future. 

 

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Heading into Russia with a 152-point lead in the Formula 1 Constructors Championship, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team on the path to easily ride to a seventh-consecutive team title. Lewis Hamilton is also in prime position to clinch his seventh Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship currently leading in the season-long standings by 55 points over teammate Valtteri Bottas. For Bottas, Mercedes-AMG has been impressed enough with his performance this season to lock him into a contract for 2021. 

The addition of new race tracks to the 2020 Formula 1 schedule may serve as a wild card to the German factory team. However, the Mercedes-AMG F1 team’s ability to spoil Ferrari’s party at Mugello only goes to show the organization’s adaptiveness as another one of the squad’s high-ranking qualities.

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Red Bull Racing

Photo Credit Bryn Lennon/Getty Images through Red Bull Content Pool

 

Team Grade: B

Driver’s Grade:

Max Verstappen: A

Alexander Albon: B-

Summary of First Nine Races:

Since the Formula 1 series adopted the current turbo/hybrid power unit layout in 2014, Red Bull Racing has been fighting to regain its dominance that made the team an imposing threat to win everything during the early 2010s. With the super-talented Max Verstappen and dependable power from Honda, Red Bull Racing reached the point last year where it could easily threatened for podium as well as the odd race win against the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. That being said, the Austrian-based race team has been missing key elements in recent years to mount a full charge against the Silver Arrows (or Black Arrows in 2020).

Competing with Mercedes once again in 2020, Red Bull Racing also faced a new threat from Racing Point through much of the grand prix this season. With a driver lineup consisting of Max Verstappen and Thailand’s Alexander Albon, Verstappen has been the leading source of performance with the squad. The highlight in the first nine races for the 2020 season was winning the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix held on the Silverstone Circuit. Taking advantage of the Mercedes-AMG F1 team’s tire wear issues at the Silverstone race course, Red Bull and Max Verstappen may have arguably had an opportunity to win the British Grand Prix under similar circumstances. At one point second in the drivers’ championship, Verstappen’s more recent races have resulted in him being overtaken by Valtteri Bottas. 

Installed in the second Red Bull Racing car last year at the Belgian Grand Prix, Alexander Albon has been under great pressure to perform in 2020 especially after Max Verstappen’s win at Silverstone. Albon has almost scored a podium finish on two occasions in his career with one of the closest and most crushing failed attempts being the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. Running second with two laps remaining, Alexander Albon was knocked out of a podium position due to an aggressive, mistimed pass attempt by Lewis Hamilton. 

With a fourth place finish at the Styrian Grand Prix and two additional fifth place results over the course of eight races in the 2020 Formula 1 season, Alexander Albon scored his first podium finish at the Tuscan Grand Prix behind the two Mercedes-AMG team cars. The third place result for Albon appears to have provided some relief to the Thai driver. Prior to the podium, parallels could have been drawn between Albon’s 2020 performance with Red Bull Racing and Pierre Gasly’s 2019 efforts ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. 

Considered the best non-Mercedes powered race car for 2020, Red Bull Racing’s RB 16 has been a consistent performer in qualifying and race scenarios. In five races, Max Verstappen qualified third behind the Mercedes machines of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Along with the Red Bull Racing team’s victory at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, the RB16's engineering also contributed to AlphaTauri’s AT01 that won the Italian Grand Prix. Only three vehicle-related retirements can be linked to the RB16 with electronic issue leading to both cars retiring at the Austrian Grand Prix and a power unit failure for Verstappen at Monza.

 

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Competing against the Mercedes-AMG F1 team that has demonstrated outright superiority in the series since 2014, Red Bull Racing has proven itself capable of breathing on the neck of the German squad on occasions this season. A well-built race car with decent Honda power and a competent driver lineup may be able to steal a few more race victories from the Mercedes when given a chance. 

Red Bull Racing will have to overcome some recent bad lack heading into the second half of the 2020 Formula 1 season. Prior to the podium at Mugello, Alexander Albon finished 15th sustaining damage after an early race collision. Max Verstappen is arriving in Russia with two consecutive retirements causing him to lose ground to the Mercedes drivers in the season standings.

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: McLaren Racing

 

Photo Credit: Andy Hone LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: A-

Driver’s Grade:

Carlos Sainz Jr.: B+

Lando Norris: A-

Summary of First Nine Races:

During the 1980s and a portion of the 1990s, McLaren and Williams were among two of the top teams in Formula 1. In the modern auto racing world championship, both constructors have been striding for more modest goals in recent years. Because of the massive global pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Williams as well as McLaren reportedly faced great battles off the track. Prior to the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix due to the surging spread of COVID-19, McLaren had withdrawn from the weekend when a member of their crew tested positive for the virus. Later, as the financial burden of a delayed Formula 1 season weighed on McLaren, a partial sale of the Formula 1 team was considered to raise extra capital. A combination of a bank loan and new sponsorship partners including Gulf oil lubricants has given the organization a lifeline. 

The McLaren Racing team’s survival of a potential financial crunch was quickly rewarded. In the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, the driver of the #4 McLaren Lando Norris posted a podium result of third place as well as the fastest lap of the race. After nine races, Norris scored points in all events except the Hungarian Grand Prix with his consistency placing him currently in fourth among drivers in the 2020 Drivers’ Championship. 

McLaren Racing’s Carlos Sainz Jr. has endured more of a roller coaster year than his teammate but has also been involved in some big moments. Although Sainz has qualified third on two occasions and posted the fastest lap at the Styrian Grand Prix, finishes have been less consistent for the Spaniard. In 2020, Sainz also delivered his career-best race performance at the Italian Grand Prix with a runner-up finish and narrowly missed scoring McLaren its first victory since 2012. 

Competing with the MCL35 chassis with Renault power units, McLaren Racing is regularly running alongside or in front of the factory Renault F1 Team. Only one retirement due to a mechanical issue has been recorded by the 2020 car caused at the Belgian Grand Prix where an exhaust problem prevented Carlos Sainz Jr.’s vehicle from starting ahead of Sunday’s race.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

This year’s McLaren Racing team has been a regular contender for the top five in the running order. Under the right racing conditions (specifically with some faltering of Mercedes and Red Bull Racing team cars), Lando Norris and/or Carlos Sainz Jr. may likely be a podium challenger within at least one of the remaining events.

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Racing Point

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: A-

Driver’s Grade:

Lance Stroll: B+ 

Sergio Perez: B-

Summary of First Nine Races:

Following a mediocre first full season last year, Racing Point has picked up the pace drastically for 2020. With Mercedes-Benz power, a driving lineup consisting of the young Canadian Lance Stroll and dependable Mexican driver Sergio Perez, the team has been a regular mainstay in the top-10 of the running order. The 2020 Italian Grand Prix marked the Racing Point organization’s first podium. However, the on-track success for Racing Point has also been accompanied with a sense of mockery.

At the start of this year, many observers quickly took note of Racing Point’s RP20 race car design attempting to draw comparisons to the Mercedes-AMG team’s 2019 machine (the Mercedes AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+). The similarities between the two cars have even resulted to the Racing Point entry being deemed a ‘Pink Mercedes’. While speculation on the appearance of the RP20 in pre-season testing was largely dealt with as comical, Renault’s protest of the cars’ rear brake ducts after the Styrian Grand Prix was no laughing matter. Racing Point was docked 15 constructors’ points and received a monetary fine of 400,000 euros from Formula 1's sanctioning body the FIA. The team sits in fourth place in the 2020 Formula 1 Constructors Championship following nine races.     

The 2020 success of Racing Point has started to mute the outspoken critics of Lance Stroll. Although the 21-year-old Canadian has won championships in Italian F4, the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand and the FIA European F3 series, his career in Formula 1 has involved a sizable amount of social media detraction. Since Lawrence Stroll (Lance Stroll’s father) is part of the current ownership group behind Racing Point, some insist his place in the sport is due to nepotism and not merit. A competent racer on Sunday, Lance Stroll’s Achilles’ heel has been qualifying on Saturday. This year, his performance in qualifying is vastly improved missing out on Q3 only once in the first nine races.

With ten seasons in Formula 1, Sergio Perez has been effectively in the same ride since 2014 when Racing Point operated as Sahara Force India. Perez has performed an impressive feat of finishing in the points for every race he has started in 2020 season. Contracting COVID-19 ahead of the British Grand Prix, the Mexican missed both races at Silverstone. Nico Hulkenberg was called in to substitute for the British Grand Prix and the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix scoring a seventh place result in the latter event.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Racing Point has gained many of the important ingredients to become not only a regular top-10 runner but ideally a podium contender. In fact, it is a surprise or the team’s infancy that they have only captured one podium this season. A race victory for Racing Point may not be completely out of the question but is somewhat a long-odd gamble. Announced to be leaving Racing Point, Sergio Perez could be a very popular race winner if presented with an opportunity similar to that granted to Pierre Gasly at Monza. The Mexican’s attention-grabbing second-place finish in the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix for Sauber remains his best Formula 1 outing.   

Undergoing a massive transition over the course of two years, Racing Point is preparing for more changes coming in 2021. Along with renaming the team Aston Martin, the squad’s driver lineup will pair Sebastian Vettel with Lance Stroll next season. 

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Renault F1 Team

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: B

Driver’s Grade: 

Daniel Ricciardo: B

Esteban Ocon: C+

Summary of First Nine Races:

Since reacquiring their team from Lotus GP in 2016, the Renault factory Formula 1 team has been mired deep in the middle of the racing pack leading up to the 2020 season. Aspiring to be among at least the top-five in the open wheel racing tour and potentially a podium-contending make this season, the Renault F1 Team appears to have made several steps in the right direction. 

For 2020, the Renault F1 Team welcomed Frenchman Esteban Ocon as a teammate to Australian Daniel Ricciardo. The more experienced Ricciardo has been the leader for the squad posting three fourth place finishes as well as the fastest lap of the race in the Belgian Grand Prix. His recent run at the Tuscan Grand Prix almost netted the organization its first podium result since Renault’s returning stint as a Formula 1 constructor. Renault’s R.S. 20 race car has shown itself to be a formidable competitor on the grid for 2020. The vehicle apparently excels on tracks with higher overall speeds showing up strong at Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps as well as Monza. 

One of only two driver changes to occur throughout the Formula 1 grid over the off-season, Esteban Ocon’s move to join Renault in this unusual season may be hampering the progress of the Frenchman. Being a reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG F1 team last year, Ocon’s 2020 campaign started with the competitor making up for a one-year absence from grand prix action. Esteban Ocon has finished in the two-10 for five of the nine races so-far on this year’s calendar posting a career-tying fifth place at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

The Renault F1 Team remains in striking distance of third place in the constructors championship after nine events in 2020 sitting 23 points away from the spot currently held by McLaren Racing. At least one podium result for the Renault F1 Team is very possible in the remaining races of the 2020 season. Daniel Ricciardo, set to leave the Renault squad for a seat at McLaren for 2021, appears very committed to departing his current team on a high note.

The remainder of the 2020 Formula 1 calendar will serve as the late opportunity to see the Renault brand’s greatness in the sport. In early September, Groupe Renault announced the organization will be rebranded as the Alpine F1 Team. Additional planning ahead for the 2021 season also has two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso reuniting his association with the team. 

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Scuderia AlphaTauri

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

 Team Grade: A-

Driver’s Grade: 

Pierre Gasly: A

Daniil Kvyat: C+ 

Summary of First Nine Races:

Dropping the Toro Rosso branding for the 2020 Formula 1 season and assuming a new team name associated with a fashion/clothing line linked to energy drink company Red Bull, Scuderia AlphaTauri’s fresh image has been well-profiled during its initial outing. In fact, thanks to one well-played and fortunate Italian Grand Prix, the new name in the series stood high within the entire motorsport world.

The new black and white coloured AT01 race cars remains tightly associated by Red Rull Racing (who now sees Scuderia AlphaTauri as a sister team rather than a feeder), the Italian-based group uses suspension and transmission technology from its partner team as well as Honda engines. The 2020 season’s driver lineup featured two former Red Bull Racing pilots. Russia’s Daniil Kvyat and France’s Pierre Gasly both entered the year with a lot to prove. 

Out of the nine events, AlphaTauri left with at least one manufacturers’ point in eight. The Italian Grand Prix was the first and only race for the team so far where both cars finished in the top-10. Performing fairly as a mid-marker in Formula 1 throughout much of the tour, Scuderia AlphaTauri’s season highlight for 2020 is Pierre Gasly’s incredible victory in Italy. Aided by several factors including a well-placed pit stop, a strong standing restart after a red flag and a penalty issued to Lewis Hamilton, Gasly nonetheless drove the race of his career with the AT01 vehicle. Prior to the win on the Monza circuit, the Frenchman’s best finishes were a pair of seventh place results. 

Overshadowed by his teammate’s emotional Italian Grand Prix victory, Daniil Kvyat crossed the line in the top-10 four times during the first nine races of 2020. The Tuscan Grand Prix was the Russian best result of the season crossing the line at Mugello in seventh place.  

Becoming a race winning vehicle, Scuderia AlphaTauri’s AT01 chassis has spent most of the season as a stable, reliable car. In addition to point-scoring finishes in 2020, the AlphaTauri has made several appearance in the Q3 qualifying session. The best starting position for the team was seventh place obtained by Pierre Gasly at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Scuderia AlphaTauri has already exceeded expectations for the 2020 season. Excluding the Italian Grand Prix, the team has shown itself to be a consistent top-10 cracking organization. Currently seventh in the constructors’ championship, AlphaTauri is 13 points behind the struggling Ferrari factory team after the Tuscan Grand Prix. 

With the drivers’ rating, the score for Gasly wasn’t only reflective of his surprise victory at Monza but rather a fairly decent season as a whole for the Frenchman. 

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Alfa Romeo Racing

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: C-

Driver’s Grade:

Kimi Raikkonen: C

Antonio Giovinazzi: C

Summary of First Nine Races:

The second year of competition for the organization formerly known as the Sauber F1 Team has been a less than fruitful venture. Alfa Romeo Racing debuted in 2019 as a consistent mid-field Formula 1 team equating to a reasonable level of success. 

In the first nine races last year, Alfa Romeo Racing’s two drivers scored a total of seven point finishes. Returning with Kimi Raikkonen (competing in his 20th full season in Formula 1) and 2016 GP2 championship runner-up Antonio Giovinazzi, the race team’s 2020 season was not initially viewed as a regression. The combined performance of the seasoned Finnish driver and younger Italian pilot has netted just four points so far in 2020 with the Alfa Romeo team. Both Alfa Romeo Racing drivers have posted a season-best finish of ninth place.

A large part of the speculation of Alfa Romeo Racing’s weaker performance in 2020 ties to the struggling Ferrari Formula 1 team. Alfa Romeo Racing receives engines, gearboxes and several other components from the major Italian sports car builder that serves to propel this year’s C39 race car. The Alfa Romeo C39 has not been a particularly fast machine reflected by season-long struggles in qualifying. During the first nine grand prix events, the team was only able to escape the initial Q1 qualifying session three times. 

Although both Alfa Romeo Racing drivers have posted an equal of points for the 2020 season, Kimi Raikkonen has been a stronger performer through most events. The Finnish competitor was responsible for all three Q2 appearances in qualifying and has finished ahead of his teammate Antonio Giovinazzi in seven of the nine Formula 1 rounds. Two of the past three grand prix events have ended in crash-related retirements for Giovinazzi including a dramatic accident in the Belgian Grand Prix.  

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

The Alfa Romeo Racing team has spent most of the 2020 Formula 1 season battling amongst the bottom three organizations. With a massive point gap between Alfa Romeo and Scuderia AlphaTauri, it’s unlikely that the team will climb any higher than eighth place in the constructors’ championship. However, recent races at Monza and Mugello have shown better performance signifying the potential for more top-10 finishes during the remaining eight races of 2020.

Both Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are on the hot seat with the team for the remainder of the 2020 races. Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg and current F2 driver Mick Schumacher have been rumoured as possible pilots for the 2021 Alfa Romeo Racing team. 

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Haas F1 Team

 

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: D+

Driver’s Grade:

Romain Grosjean: C

Kevin Magnussen: C

Summary of First Nine Races:

Scoring championship points in their first-ever Formula 1 race in 2016, Haas F1 Team’s ability to find a fast-track into one of the valuable top-10 finishing positions of a grand prix was seen as a massive triumph. The American-based, Ferrari-affiliated Formula 1 team experienced a strong 2017 and 2018 season cementing the group as a solid mid-field competitor knocking on the door of podium contenders. Last year was somewhat of a regression for the Haas F1 Team as points-paying positions were harder to come by. The team’s tumultuous relationship with title sponsor Rich Energy compounded a 2019 season Haas F1 Team would have wanted to move forward from. 

Unfortunately for the squad and its returning driver lineup of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, the start of the 2020 season could be experiencing one of its worst in the team’s young history. After nine races, the team has only collected a single championship point when Magnussen crossed the finish line of the Hungarian Grand Prix in 10th place. Although scoring the Haas F1 Team’s only top-10 for 2020, the Danish driver has more often been found in the garage at the end of grand prix events. Kevin Magnussen has failed to complete five races with mechanical problems being the culprit in all-but two occasions. The 2020 Formula 1 season for Romain Grosjean has so far not resulted in a point-scoring position at the end of a grand prix with best efforts being a pair of 12th place finishes. Grosjean has been luckier when it comes to completing races compared to his teammate in the Haas VF-20 race car. The Frenchman’s only retirement this year occurred at the Austrian Grand Prix caused as a result of brake problems.

Perhaps Haas F1 Team’s best showing this season, the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix involved a risky yet effective strategy to place Grosjean and Magnussen on slick tires at the beginning of the race while other entrants started on intermediate tires. Starting the race from pit road, the Haas F1 Team cars were at the rear of the field for the first lap but climbed the running order as other competitors pitted. After 6 laps at the Hungaroring, Kevin Magnussen was in third place with Romain Grosjean behind him in fourth. Losing this position over the course of the race, the strategy allowed the team to overcome the deficits of this year’s car. 

Using power units and other components from Ferrari, the VF-20 appears to be struggling for performance along with the entry from competitor Alfa Romeo Racing. Besides the pace on the track, Haas F1 Team’s VF-20 race car is experiencing higher than average reliability problems than other entrants on the 2020 Formula 1 grid.

  

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Since its inception, the Haas F1 Team has proven itself to be able to achieve a lot with a lower budget. The American team’s ability to over-achieve in grand prix events have generally been supported by acquiring components from a stronger Ferrari team. Using Hungary as an example, the Haas F1 Team will need to utilize more gambles to position their cars up into the top-10 for the remaining races. It’s reasonable to predict a least one or two more showings in point-paying spots for the Haas drivers.

Into the final eight races for the 2020 Formula 1 season, Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean are also under pressure to earn a place in the series for next season. Haas F1 Team is rumoured to be considering options to breaking up the four-year driver pairing selecting to replace one or both drivers. 

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Williams Racing

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: C

Driver’s Grade 

George Russell: B-

Nicholas Latifi: C

Summary of First Nine Races:

An organization who has won nine Formula 1 Constructors Championship titles and crossed the line first in 114 grand prix races since 1977, Williams Racing Formula 1 team’s performance in recent years has been far detached from its glorious history. The once-dominant team has been regularly spotted at the rear of the running order for grand prix events in 2019 due to many factors including a lower operating budget compared to teams at the front of the grid as well as bumbled development of the FW42 race car. As the on-track product suffered, the delay of the 2020 season caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic magnified off-track woes for Williams Racing. In addition to splitting from team title sponsor ROKiT, the organization posted a large financial loss in May of this year. To was at that point mention of partnership or even total sale of the Williams Racing team was first floated.

Despite operational challenges, Williams Racing arrived for the season opening Formula 1 race in Austria with British pilot George Russell and rookie Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi. Although Williams Racing had scored a point in the constructors’ championship by this time last year, the 2020 on-track performance for the team has been mildly better. Russell’s pace in qualifying for several early events in the season showed the Mercedes-Benz powered FW43 was able to potentially enter the Q2 session. The Styrian Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix were season-best qualifying outings for George Russell after nine races starting 12th on both occasions. 

Nicholas Latifi’s first season in Formula 1 has involved a great deal of time in the back of the field. The Canadian has been outpaced by his more experienced teammate in all nine qualifying events this season. Finishing 11th on two occasions (largely due to running in events with high attrition), Latifi had been recorded as finishing all races this season until his first retirement being caught up in the multi-car wreck at the Tuscan Grand Prix.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Taking to the grid for the 2020 Formula 1 season was a challenge itself for the Williams Racing team. A sale to US-based Dorilton Capital announced in late August allowed the organization to obtain its most important goal; the team’s survival. 

While the new owners are committed to retaining the team’s name and other heritage features including the ‘FW’ designation in their chassis, the race group is moving on without team founder Sir Frank Williams or its Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams. With the Tuscan Grand Prix being the start of establishing a new era for a new Williams Racing, it’s difficult to imagine any major improvements will be made throughout the remainder of 2020 to left the team up the grid. Running powerful Mercedes-Benz power is not a guarantee for success for the team as it is for the factory Mercedes AMG or even Racing Point. Williams Racing’s best chance at a championship point for the 2020 season may come in events where a high level of race retirements will occur.

Mercedes Masters Mugello: Hamilton Starts On Pole For Tuscan Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

Qualifying for the 2020 Formula 1 continues to be a time that the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team has embraced as a personal playground. For all but two grand prix events, Lewis Hamilton has been the dominant driver in the dominant organization claiming  pole position at the end of the traditional Saturday time trial session. Adding to impressive career statistics at well-known, historic Formula 1 tracks such as Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone in 2020, Hamilton faced a unique challenge as the tour arrived at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello for the first-ever Tuscan Grand Prix.

Despite the 5.245-kilometer Ferrari-owned circuit being a personal testing course for the Prancing Horse, the Mercedes AMG team held ownership of the three practice sessions ahead of Saturday’s qualifying with Valtteri Bottas leading in all three prep periods. However, Lewis Hamilton emerged supreme at the end of qualifying for the Tuscan Grand Prix taking pole with a top Q3 time of 1-minute, 15.144 seconds. The 95th career pole position for the British driver is the fastest competitive lap set on the Mugello track. 

Lewis Hamilton narrowly beat teammate Valtteri Bottas for the top spot in the inaugural Tuscan Grand Prix by a margin of just 0.059 seconds. Fastest in practice sessions, Bottas missed out on a last minute opportunity to outdo Hamilton’s when the Renault of Esteban Ocon spun on track causing a local yellow. 

Directly behind the Mercedes AMG team that occupies the front row for the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix is the two cars of Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen has shown promising pace against the Mercedes throughout the race weekend and mustered a third-fastest time in Q3 a little more than 0.3 seconds slower than Bottas. Verstappen expresses optimism in ahead of the Tuscan Grand Prix in a post-qualifying press release stating, “A Mercedes is never easy to overtake but we will give it all we have and I love this track so I'm really looking forward to the race." Recording the fourth-quickest effort for Sunday’s main event, Alexander Albon posted his most impressive qualifying results in his young Formula 1 career. 

The Tucsan Grand Prix holds a great deal of importance to the Ferrari team. Not only a race being held on their own testing track, the Mugello Circuit’s 2020 race serves as the 1,000th Formula 1 appearance for the Italian auto brand. Wearing special commemorative colours for the occasion, Charles Leclerc gave Scuderia Ferrari it’s best showing in Saturday qualifying with a fifth-fastest lap time. Leclerc will be the only Ferrari-powered entrant among the top 12 cars on the grid. Kimi Raikkonen driving a Ferrari-propelled Alfa Romeo grabbed 13th one spot ahead of the second Scuderia Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. 

Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

With an uncertain Formula 1 career for 2021 after Racing Point (set to become Aston Martin next year) selecting Sebastian Vettel to pair with Lance Stroll next season, Mexican driver Sergio Perez was sixth-fastest in qualifying beating his teammate by 0.045 seconds. Perez and Stroll will effectively switch grid positions due to a one-grid place penalty assessed after an incident in the second Friday practice session. Race stewards ruled Perez was at-fault for contact with Kimi Raikkonen during the second practice when the Racing Point joined the race circuit from pit road. 

From 8th through 11th place starters for the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix are Renault-powered race cars. Daniel Ricciardo’s Renault F1 Team entry will start alongside Sergio Perez. The fifth grid row will have the McLaren driven by last week’s runner-up finisher at Monza Carlos Sainz Jr on the same row as Esteban Ocon. Lando Norris in the second McLaren is starting Sunday’s race in 11th place.

The Tuscan Grand Prix is the first race in the 2020 Formula 1 season that will run with fans in attendance.

2020 Formula 1
Tuscan Grand Prix
Starting Grid

Mercedes Motors at Monza: Hamilton Takes Italian Grand Prix Pole

Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

Considered one of the fastest circuits on the current Formula 1 calender, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is a track that benefits low downforce and massive engine power. With what is known of the 2020 season as well as other prior years in the open wheel racing series, qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on the high-speed race course was understandably seen as another playground for the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team. However, a rule change targeting the German-based squad had the potential to shake up Saturday’s time trials.  

The Italian Grand Prix is the first event where the Formula 1 sanctioning enacted rules against the Mercedes AMG team’s use of a special engine mode for qualifying. The so-called “party mode” setting was incorporated to allow a driver to have access to a brief performance boost from the power unit meant to gain extra pace in qualifying. Although the Mercedes AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance vehicles were cited for using the engine setting exploit, other Formula 1 teams have acknowledged having the capacity of utilizing an effect similar to party mode. Starting with the Italian Grand Prix weekend, teams will be required to operate through a single engine mode in qualifying and race conditions.   

Despite the new engine mode rule, the Mercedes AMG cars rolled to secure an easy front row for Sunday’s main race at Monza. Collecting his 94th career Formula 1 pole, Lewis Hamilton came out on top in qualifying with a 1-minute,18.887-second lap time. The performance by Hamilton eked-out his teammate Valtteri Bottas for pole by just 0.069 seconds. Both Mercedes AMG drivers able to record lap times under 1-minute, 19 seconds and eclipsed the previous lap time record around the 5.793-kilometer circuit. Bottas’ top Q3 lap was more than 6/10ths of a second faster than the third-place runner.

Photo Credit: LAT Images/Mercedes AMG

Missing out on starting the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend due to an exhaust issue, Carlos Sainz Jr. is in a prime position for glorious recovery in the grand prix at Monza. The Spaniard will start third in his Renault-powered McLaren alongside the Racing Point of Sergio Perez. The third row of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix’s starting grid is shared by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the second McLaren race car driven by Lando Norris. Outpaced by their engine customer McLaren, the Renault F1 Team piloted by Daniel Ricciardo will launch from seventh place on Sunday. Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top-10 in the final round of qualifying.

Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

In recent years, qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit has become a chaotic affair. The final round of qualifying for the 2019 event concluded with a farcical outcome where a majority of cars moved so slowly in the final moment of Q3 that time expired by the time they reached the starting line. Attempting to gain the valuable slip-stream equating to extra speed on the track’s long stretches, drivers want to follow rather than lead to get an ideal time. Smaller instances of slip-streaming gone wrong appeared to cost several drivers including Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen from posting their best lap times. The Q1 session also had a number of lap times disallowed due to exceeding course limits around the sweeping turn 11. Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon and Charles Leclerc all had lap times deleted in qualifying after their right wheels drifted above white line.

Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A.

One of three Italian-based races part of the 2020 Formula 1 schedule, the Italian Grand Prix is a homecoming experience for the Scuderia Ferrari team. After a difficult outing in Spa, the Ferrari race cars are continuing to struggle with an addition sting of competing at a home country event. Charles Leclerc was only able to muster a 13th place result in qualifying while Sebastian Vettel is starting 17th after failing to break out of the initial Q1 session. 

The start of the 53-lap Italian Grand Prix is set for 3:10 p.m. local time or 9:10 a.m. Eastern time.

2020 Formula 1
Italian Grand Prix
Starting Grid