Verstappen Scores Win While Mercedes Slips Up in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/LAT Image/Pirelli

The second race of the 2021 Formula 1 season was a wet and wild affair thanks to some April showers on the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari prior to the start of the 63-lap event. A soaked race track presented to the field of 20 drivers and cars at the beginning of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix provided an antagonist as they adjust to the young season. As the water and slickness of the Imola circuit would claim almost every driver off-guard at some point in the Sunday event with varying consequences, a charging Red Bull driven by Dutch driver Max Verstappen weathered the on-track storm best.

The #33 Honda-powered Red Bull Racing machine of Verstappen capitalized on a well-timed launch at the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to aggressively take the lead from polesitter Lewis Hamilton. The Red Bull race car had roared from third place on the grid to edge out the Mercedes AMG machine into the second corner. Hamilton battled Verstappen through the opening set of turns but would fall back to second after clipping the track curbing causing minor damage to his car.

Photo Credit: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

While rain subsided for the actual race, the conditions on the wet Imola track proved treacherous as many drivers started on intermediate compound Pirelli tires. On the formation lap, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc spun on cold tires through the driver from Monaco quickly returned to the track and hold on to his fourth place grid position. The first retirement of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix came on the opening lap when Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi crashed in the second sector of the track. The Canadian lost control of his vehicle entering a corner when he locked up his rear wheels under braking. When he rejoined the track, he made contact with the Haas F1 Team driver Nikita Mazepin. This incident would be one of two occasions a safety car period was called.

The second safety car of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix came after a roughly one-lap period in the middle part of the race where both Mercedes AMG cars appearing in the gravel traps in separate incidents with one retiring. On lap 31, second-place runner Lewis Hamilton slid off track at turn 7 as he was lapping the Williams Racing car of George Russell. Although Hamilton’s #44 car was stationary for several seconds he was able to rejoin the race in seventh place. The reason for the safety car occurred on lap 32 as the #63 car of Russell and the #77 Mercedes AMG entry in the hands of Valtteri Bottas crashed. Battling for ninth place ahead of the entry to turn two, the drivers collided on the narrow track causing both to retire.

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

As Max Versteppen maintained a steady lead through the closing laps at Imola, Lewis Hamilton masterfully salvaged his race. On lap 55, the #44 Mercedes AMG car was able to overtake Leclerc’s Ferrari for third place and would stalk the McLaren-Mercedes race car driven by Lando Norris for the runner-up position. With the aid of DRS, Hamilton sailed by the McLaren just after the start of lap 60 to take the second place spot. Thanks to setting the fastest lap time of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on lap 60, Lewis Hamilton set maintains the drivers’ championship point lead arriving at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen’s 11^th career Formula 1 victory, the Dutch driver’s win at the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix gives a lot of hope for a season-long rivalry with the seven-time and reigning Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton.

Crossing the line in third place, Lando Norris’ second career series podium is redemption for the Brit after losing third place in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Saturday due to exceeding track limits in the run.

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/LAT Images/Pirelli

In fourth and fifth place after 63 laps at Imola, Scuderia Ferrari had a quietly successful team effort. Charles Leclerc led his new-for-2021 teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. across the finish line. Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10 for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

The next Formula 1 event will take place on May 2^nd as teams return to the Algarve International Circuit for the Portuguese Grand Prix.

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2021 Formula 1 Season
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Race Results
Pos #	Car #	Driver	Team	Engine
1	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	Honda
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	Mercedes-Benz
3	4	Lando Norris	McLaren F1 Team	Mercedes-Benz
4	16	Charles Leclerc	Scuderia Misson Winnow Ferrari	Ferrari
5	55	Carlos Sainz Jr	Scuderia Misson Winnow Ferrari	Ferrari
6	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren F1 Team	Mercedes-Benz
7	10	Pierre Gasly	Scuderia AlphaTauri	Honda
8	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team	Mercedes-Benz
9	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine F1 Team	Renault
10	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine F1 Team	Renault
11	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	Honda
12	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Scuderia AlphaTauri	Honda
13	7	Kimi Raikkonen	Alfa Romeo Racing	Ferrari
14	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	Ferrari
15	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team	Mercedes-Benz
16	47	Mick Schumacher	Uralkali Haas F1 Team	Ferrari
17	9	Nikita Mazepin	Uralkali Haas F1 Team	Ferrari
18	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	Mercedes-Benz
19	63	George Russell	Williams Racing	Mercedes-Benz
20	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams Racing	Mercedes-Benz

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1 Racing Mind’s Formula 1 Season Ending Team Report Card: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

Photo Credit: Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Team Grade: A

Overall: 

In a narrative that has grown impressive and tiresome at the same time depending on fan allegiances, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team captured the 2020 Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship handily as drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas combined to net victories in 13 of 17 grand prix events. Throughout the 2020 season, the organization’s drivers, staff and leadership were seen as a dynasty in the sport where they have won seven consecutive team titles. The Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance race car demonstrated itself to be the latest in some finely-tuned and engineered Formula 1 challengers from the squad. Only one retirement was recorded for this year’s Mercedes-AMG racer with a power unit failure on Valtteri Bottas’ car during the Eifel Grand Prix.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

It’s hard to pinpoint a specific moment in the entire season that stands off beyond the others for showing the greatness for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Winning 13 races in 2020, the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team finished first and second a total of five times with Lewis Hamilton taking the top spot on every occasion. In the Tuscan, Portuguese and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the team also scored the pole and fastest lap of the event either with Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Although Mercedes-AMG rolled to what could easily be assessed as another dominant title defence in 2020, this season was not flawless. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas both suffered from massive tire degradation at the end of the British Grand Prix though Hamilton still crossed the finish line first at Silverstone on only three inflated Pirelli tires. However, tires were also the source of what could be the biggest team blunder of the season at the Sakhir Grand Prix. During a safety car period, the Mercedes-AMG team decided to pit both cars (the #77 of Valtteri Bottas and the #63 being raced by George Russell in a one-off appearance) for tires but mistakenly mixed up the set installed on Russell’s car. With some of Bottas’ tires going on Russell’s vehicle, the #63 needed to return to pit road to correct the matter while the #77 finished the race on used tires.   

Team's Drivers:

#44 Lewis Hamilton: A

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Overall Season:

 Although Lewis Hamilton has been the face of Formula 1 almost every year since 2014, the 2020 season gave the British driver a reason to be seen as a true motorsport legend. 

Despite the schedule shortened to just 17 races, Hamilton tied a personal record for wins in a single season with 11 victories. Competing since 2007, Lewis Hamilton passed and/or prepared to set records in the series including a quest for Michael Schumacher’s 91 career all-time victory tally. Hamilton tied the mark in at the Eifel Grand Prix held on German’s Nurburgring (receiving a Michael Schumacher race helmet from the past legend’s son Mick) and took sole ownership as the winningest Formula 1 driver at the Portuguese Grand Prix. With his last race of the 2020 coming at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton currently holds 95 career grand prix victories. In the year that the driver claimed his seventh world championship, he was also recognized outside of the cockpit of his Mercedes-AMG race car for social activism throughout the season. Lewis Hamilton’s successful 2020 campaign was accomplished in just 16 races due to sitting out the penultimate round due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

With Lewis Hamilton finishing first in 11 races in 2020, there could be at least 11 occasions to cite as the best single grand prix performance for the year. Winning the British Grand Prix while running the final lap on a flat tire is certainly going down as one of the most bizarre Formula 1 victories in his career (in addition, most of Formula 1 history). Hamilton also had three percent races (win, pole and fastest laps) in the Hungarian, Tuscan and Portuguese Grand Prix.

The Turkish Grand Prix might be one of the most impressive race efforts of the season starting sixth and eventually mastering the wet Intercity Istanbul Park circuit. Despite an early struggle, Hamilton recovered and emerged with his dominating style with wet tires changed to intermediate tires. At the end of 58 laps, the #44 Mercedes-AMG race car crossed the line 31.6 seconds ahead of second place Sergio Perez.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

In the 16 races he ran in 2020, Lewis Hamilton finished no lower than seventh place. That result came at the Italian Grand Prix after a penalty when he and his Mercedes-AMG pitted when the pit road was closed during a safety car period. Arguably losing the race due to the miscue in Italy, Hamilton’s next race in Russia also contained another rare mistake with the #44 Mercedes-AMG car. Practice starts conducted by Lewis Hamilton at the beginning of the Russian Grand Prix led race stewards to levy a pair of 5-second penalties. Hamilton also lost second place due to a penalty in the opening event in Austria after being found at-fault for making contact with Red Bull Racing driver Alexander Albon.

#77 Valtteri Bottas: B

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Overall Season: 

Entering Formula 1 in 2013 with Williams Racing, Valtteri Bottas joined the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in 2017 chosen to fill the driver's seat vacated by Nico Rosberg who retired as the 2016 drivers' champion. Participating with the Mercedes-AMG team for the fourth consecutive season, Bottas is a frequent front-runner. 

During the 17-race 2020 Formula 1 tour, the driver of the #77 Mercedes-AMG race car stood at the top spot on the podium after two grand prix events. In addition to the two wins, Bottas finished in the top-three on 11 occasions.  

However, with Hamilton being Bottas’ teammate at Mercedes-AMG, his entire Formula 1 season campaign since 2017 has been measured against an awe-inspiring benchmark. Achieving some great performance in 2020, Bottas has also been less consistent than his teammate.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

For the second consecutive year, Finland’s Valtteri Bottas secured the place of placing “Best of the Rest” in Formula 1 behind Lewis Hamilton.

Two of Bottas' 11 podium results included victories at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix and the Russian Grand Prix. For the Austrian Grand Prix held on the Red Bull Ring circuit, the Finnish driver piloted his #77 car to the pole position on Saturday and commanded Sunday's 71-lap main every leading from start to finish. His victory on the Sochi Autodrom came in a race where pole-sitting teammate Lewis Hamilton made a costly error before the start of the event. Bottas' win at the Russian Grand Prix also consisted of him scoring the extra championship point for scoring the fastest lap.

Valtteri Bottas’ second place finish in the drivers’ points standings were locked up on at the season finale in Abu Dhabi maintaining a 9-point advantage over Max Verstappen. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Although Valtteri Bottas has been able to maintain his position as being the second-best driver on the Formula 1 grid supported by the 2020 drivers' standings. However, one of the downsides is that the points differential between the first and second place drivers in the Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship this past season was 124 points. Certainly racing against the greatest driver of a generation is daunting but the gap between Mercedes-AMG pilots does spawn questions.  

Valtteri Bottas’ Achilles Heel throughout the 2020 Formula 1 season has come at the start of races on Sunday. On more than one occasion, the Finnish driver would lose multiple positions within the first lap of a grand prix. One of the first instances of a poor start by Bottas occurred at the Hungarian Grand Prix where the pilot of the #77 Mercedes-AMG race car mentioned reacting to the wrong light in his cockpit disturbing his race start. 

#63 George Russell (Round 16): A

Photo Credit: Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Overall Season: 

The #63 rode only once on a Mercedes-AMG race car this Formula 1 season but made a massive impact on the tour. Williams Racing regular driver George Russell was called over to the German factory squad when Lewis Hamilton was sidelined due to a positive COVID-19 test. While Russell’s major triumphs for most of the 2020 season has been cracking Q2 in his Williams race car, the Sakhir Grand Prix presented the Brit the opportunity to take pole position coming short by just 0.026 seconds from the top time set by Valtteri Bottas. Qualifying and the race showcased the driver’s ability to be a formidable competitor.  

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The Sakhir Grand Prix was a remarkable performance for George Russell as a driver. Not only did Russell maintain a steady pace throughout his weekend substituting for Lewis Hamilton but was in position to capture a surprise victory running strong as the race reached two-thirds distance. The chance to win in one of the greatest drives in the Brit’s career was foiled by an uncharacteristic mistake made by the Mercedes-AMG crew. Also overcoming a tire puncture late in the Sakhir Grand Prix, George Russell achieved a career-best Formula 1 finish of ninth place while also gaining credit (as well as the extra race point) for setting the fastest lap of the event.  

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

George Russell’s outing with Mercedes-AMG has been both a massive achievement and disappointment as a stellar driving performance fell victim to misfortune. 

 

1 Racing Mind’s Formula 1 Season Ending Team Report Card: Williams Racing

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

 

Team Grade: C-

Overall Season: 

With the year of 2020 has been tough time for almost everyone, the Williams Racing team and its personnel were almost a financial casualty what ended up being a more than three-month delay in the Formula 1 season. With a sale of the team in August securing at least the short-term future of the organization, founder Sir Frank Williams as well as his daughter and deputy team principal Claire Williams left the team ahead of the middle of the season. The new Dorilton Capital ownership will continue to use the Williams team name as well as the FW designation for race cars. 

As off-track issues for the team were in the process of being resolved, the team arrived at the season opener in Austria with sophomore Formula 1 driver George Russell paired Canadian Nicholas Latifi who finished runner-up in the Formula 2 championship in 2019. For the first time since the team’s opening season in 1977, Williams Racing finished a Formula 1 season without a constructors’ championship point. Despite the fact Williams Racing finished 2019 with a point, this year’s on-track performance appeared more improved.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Although Williams Racing failed to score championship points during the 2020 calendar, the team did come close to a coveted top-10 finish. The organization’s drivers finished in 11th place in four grand prix events (three times by Latifi and once by Russell). A major shining moment for Williams Racing and their FW43 race car was George Russell in qualifying. In 9 of 17 grand prix events, Russell escaped the initial Q1 session in qualifying often outrunning Alfa Romeo Racing and Haas F1 Team vehicles for the short, timed outings on Saturday.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Although the 2020 performance by the team showed improvements on-track compared to the 2019 season, Williams Racing’s best efforts were still well off the pace of the team’s efforts five years ago. The main reason for the team’s finishes of 11th place were race retirements of fellow competitors. With close not being close enough to gain constructors’ points this year as neither George Russell or Nicholas Latifi were given a chance to mount a true fight against on-track competition.

Team's Drivers

#63 George Russell: B+

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season:

 In his second full year of competition in the top open wheel racing series, 2018 Formula 2 champion George Russell spent much of the 2020 season in the latter half of the race field. Despite not being within the top 10 for the majority of the year, Russell garnered a great deal of attention for his ability behind the wheel of a lower tier race car. His expertise has been on full display during qualifying for several grand prix events successfully mustering runs in the FW43 race car that allowed him to escape the Q1 session. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The best qualifying placement for George Russell for 2020 came at the Hungarian Grand Prix where he and his Williams Racing team claimed 12th place. The Brit’s best finish of the year came at the one-off Tuscan Grand Prix at the 5.245-kilometer Mugello circuit where he was behind the 10th place Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel late but lost ground as the 59-lap race concluded. George Russell’s season performance with Williams Racing has been overshadowed by his effort with the Mercedes-AMG team.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Though George Russell displayed a remarkable amount of competence in his sophomore year, his 2020 campaign with Williams was not without a few follies. The most unfortunate mishap for Russell came at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix held on Italy’s Imola circuit. During a safety car period in the latter stage of the event caused by a tire failure on Max Verstappen’s Honda-powered Red Bull race car, Russell was running in 10th place. As Russell was waiving his vehicle in order to warm his tires, the British driver spun and crashed into the track barrier. Potentially the best chance for a Williams point finish in 2020, the effort ended in an embarrassing retirement. 

#6 Nicholas Latifi: C+

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Representing one of two driver changes for the 2020 Formula 1 season, Canada’s Nicholas Latifi was the only rookie competitor to take the grid for the 17-race schedule. Combining factors such as his rookie status in general, the complications of COVID-19 in starting this year’s race season and the instability of Williams Racing earlier this year, it could be argued Latifi faced a more difficult than normal freshman start in Formula 1 competition. Although the 2019 runner-up in Formula 2 appeared to struggle to match pace in qualifying with teammate George Russell, race results were respectable considering the situation. Latifi finished 11th on three occasions and failed to finish in only three races.  

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The only rookie involved in the 2020 Formula 1 tour, Nicholas Latifi had a rough initial outing as a new pilot installed in a struggling team during an uncertain year. Latifi’s first season in the series involved starting around the back of the grid for almost every event but also contained some steady race performances. Incredibly, three of the four 11th place finishes by Williams Racing were achieved by the Canadian. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Latifi’s overall performance in qualifying lagged behind his teammate George Russell in every event in the season. The Turkish Grand Prix was one of the more miserable outings for Nicholas Latifi. After a Saturday qualifying that started with a wet and slippery Q1 session where many drivers struggled, Latifi was unable to record a clean timed lap. Allowed by the race stewards to start the 58-lap main feature from pit lane, the Canadian was finished Sunday's event in 19th place retiring due to crash damage.

#89 Jack Aitken (Round 16): C+ 

Overall Season: 

A 25-year-old British-Korean driver with career accolades including the 2015 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 championship and a second-place overall result in the 2017 GP3 Series, Jack Aitken has spent the past three years as a Formula 1 reserve driver. After two years as a back-up and test driver with Renault, Aitken joined the Williams Racing team in 2020 and would be granted his first Formula 1 series start at the Sakhir Grand Prix as George Russell was called over to the Mercedes-AMG race team. Jack Aitken’s debut outing went as expected with a lower-tier team but also contained an unexpected element. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

In his first Formula 1 start, Jack Aitken ran admirably for a driver called up from the Williams Racing reserve role to race with less than a week’s notice at a largely unfamiliar track 3.543-kilometer ‘Outer Circuit’ at the Bahrain International Circuit. In qualifying for the Sakhir Grand Prix, Aitken was less than a tenth of a second slower than Nicholas Latifi. Completing all 87 laps of the race in Bahrain, the driver piloting the #89 car crossed the finish line in 16th place. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Although Jack Aitken’s first start ended with the a finish, his debut with Williams Racing did ultimately have an unperceived impact one of the race team’s regular drivers. On lap 61 of the Sakhir Grand Prix, Aitken spun his Williams on the circuit’s 11th turn and lost his front wing colliding with a barrier. Though Aitken continued to the pit for a new front component, the debris of the incident drew a virtual safety car that would later become a full safety car. Williams Racing’s season-long driver George Russell was leading the event in a Mercedes-AMG race car at the moment of the changing race condition. While by no means intended and certainly also not to blame for the Mercedes-AMG’s pit stop disaster that happened two laps later, the aftermath of Jack Aitken’s spin created circumstances contributing to Russell missing out on a Formula 1 victory.

Chequered Flag for Checo: Perez Wins Sakhir Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Zak Mauger/LAT Images/Pirelli

Since entering the sport in 2011 with Sauber, Mexican driver Sergio Perez has been recognized as a skillful, talented Formula 1 competitor. With the underfunded race team, Perez almost pulled off an upset victory at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix but instead finished a strong second to Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari. Despite his promise (and even strong rumours of a seat at Scuderia Ferrari), the driver affectionately nicknamed “Checo” had spent much of his career in the sport with mid-field teams. Perez moved to a regressing McLaren team in 2013 but spent only a season in the ride until joining Force India. Between 2014 and 2018, the Mexican scored five podiums with the squad. Sergio Perez stayed with Force India after it was purchased by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll hopeful of the direction for the renamed Racing Point team. His prediction was correct as Racing Point has now become a solid top-five effort in Formula 1. However, Perez’s loyalty was seemingly betrayed after news of the soon-to-be named Aston Martin team signing four-time world driving champion Sebastian Vettel to pair with Canadian Lance Stroll for next season. 

In a 2020 Formula 1 season derailed early by being the first driver to miss grand prix races due to a positive COVID-19 test (Nico Hulkenberg filled his Racing Point ride for the British and 70th Anniversary Grand Prix), Sergio Perez actually boasted a remarkable feat. Until last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Perez had finished in the points in every Formula 1 race he entered. Running second last Sunday, a failure with his Mercedes-Benz power unit was a heartbreaking outcome as the 30-year-old seeks to finish strong with Racing Point while his place in the 2021 tour is in doubt. In the race after the disappointing retirement that cost him a podium, Sergio Perez would have the moment he had been waiting for over his 10-year career.

Arranged on the Bahrain International Circuit’s 3.543-kilometer Outer Circuit layout, the Sakhir Grand Prix was immediately viewed as an unusual race. A short race course showcased by Valtteri Bottas’ 53.377-second pole time in his Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance race car, the penultimate race during the 2020 Formula 1 season also lacked two regular drivers. Reigning and 2020 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton had to step away from his team after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Surviving what was one of the scariest Formula 1 crashes in years one the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean suffered burns to his hands and was unable to race for the Haas F1 Team. George Russell was called over from the Williams Racing team to fill in Hamilton’s big shoes with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team (ironically needing to wear smaller racing shoes to fit into the championship-winning race car’s cockpit) while Pietro Fittipaldi was tapped to replace Grosjean in the second Haas VF-20 machine.     

Photo Credit: Andy Hone for Daimler AG

With two Mercedes-AMG cars at the front of the grid, the 87-lap Sakhir Grand Prix was sent underway but an opening lap incident would prevent the completion of the second race in the Bahrain International Circuit complex. Thankfully not as severe in impact as Grosjean’s fiery race car last week, the Sakhir Grand Prix’s first-lap accident had major ramifications for the final results. For Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, their race ended on the exit of the fourth turn. The #16 Ferrari dived to the right of the Racing Point of Sergio Perez for what was the inside line heading into the corner. As Perez turned right, Leclerc remained alongside resulting in the left front wheel impacting Perez’s car. The Racing Point spun while the Ferrari with a damaged front suspension coasted slowly to a stop. Attempting to avoid the nearby collision, the Red Bull Racing car of Max Verstappen arched wide into turn four but lost traction on the gravel in the runnoff area. Verstappen’s car nosed into the track wall close to Leclerc’s derelict Ferrari. Though Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen was out of the race, Sergio Perez remained in the race but dropped deep down to 18th place after making a pit stop for new medium compound Pirelli tires. 

Just before the safety car had been called to allow track crews to clean up the lap one crash, the Mercedes-AMG team drivers duelled for the early lead with substitute driver George Russell gaining an advantage over Bottas. On the short Outer Circuit track, laps clicked off quickly during the Sakhir Grand Prix. While there were 87 laps to the event, the majority of the field completed the race on no more than two pit stops. George Russell maintained a small yet steady lead on Valtteri Bottas until he pitted on lap 45. Although he encountered a brief sensor issue on his #63 Mercedes, Russell soon cycled back to the lead as Bottas came to his pit crew on lap 49. 

Photo Credit: Wolfgang Wilhelm for Daimler AG

Behind the two Mercedes-AMG team cars, many competitors between third and seventh place remained close with the total reach among the vehicles being roughly three seconds. Deeper in the field early in the race, Sergio Perez performed an ambitious charge back to the front-running cars. By lap 20, the Mexican had returned to the top 10 and continued to make his way up the running order as other drivers made pit stops. After making a stop for new tires on lap 47, Perez returned to the track behind his Racing Point teammate Lance Stroll. By this point in the race, Stroll had been following the Renault of Esteban Ocon but was unable to pass the yellow and black car. Sergio Perez approached the pair and would pass his teammate on lap 56. The following lap, Perez passed Ocon into turn four gaining the third place spot behind the Mercedes-AMG cars. 

On lap 61, seemingly minor on-track incident involving the Williams driven by Jack Aitken reshaped the entire 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. Running wide at the track’s eleventh and final turn, Aitken spun and lost his car’s front wing when he clipped the wall. Though the Williams was able to continue to the pit for a replacement front end piece, the debris resulted in a safety car period. Looking to capitalize on their significant lead over the rest of the field, the two Mercedes-AMG drivers were summoned to pit lane for new tires. The winner of seven consecutive Formula 1 Constructor Championship, the Mercedes-AMG team is often seen for its brilliance as it achieves race win after race win. However, on this occasion with the strategy call, the group made an uncharacteristically colossal mistake. Pitting George Russell first during what was a hastily planned move, the wrong tires were placed on the #63 car. When Russell left, the problem was compounded when the pit crew was unable to mount new tires to the #77 car of Valtteri Bottas. Within the confusion that involved an attempted tire change on Bottas’ car, the Mercedes-AMG team needed to remount the previously used tires to the Finnish driver’s machine. Russell was brought back to the pits dropping him to fifth place. 

With the faltering of the Mercedes-AMG race team, Sergio Perez inherited the lead until the safety car followed by Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll. The pace car returned to pit road at the end of lap 68 setting up a late-race fight among competitors. Losing the lead, George Russell began to chart a path to Perez. Russell climbed to third place by lap 72 and snatched the runner-up spot from Ocon on the following lap. The #63 Mercedes-AMG race car slowly reeled in the Racing Point closing to 2.2 seconds with nine laps remaining. Sadly, any chance of a late race battle for the lead was defeated by a tire puncture on Russel’s car. 

Photo Credit XPB / James Moy Photography Ltd for Groupe Renault

Crossing the finish line with a comfortable 10.518-second lead, Sergio Perez piloted himself and the Racing Point team to a first-ever victory. In addition to being the first victory for the driver and team, the triumph in the Sakhir Grand for Sergio Perez and Racing Point established several other notable achievements. Perez becomes the first Mexican national to win in Formula 1 since Pedro Rodriguez captured the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. The Mexican’s first Formula 1 win came on his 190th start in the series setting a new record for most driver starts before achieving victory. The record was previous held by Australian Mark Webber when he won the 2009 German Grand Prix driving for Red Bull Racing on his 130th start. The latest Formula 1 victor commented on his great career moment in a statement on Racing Point’s website saying.  “It’s still sinking in that I’ve won the race; I’m almost afraid to get too excited in case I’m dreaming!”

With the victory for Racing Point, four constructors have currently won races in the 2020 season. The last time more than three teams posted wins in a single season was in 2013 before the initialization of the current turbo/hybrid power unit era. The second Racing Point piloted by Lance Stroll finishing in third-place provided an extra reason to celebration. Though Stroll was disappointed by the result reflecting on several matters that could have potentially granted him victory, the 22-year-old was pleased with the effort of the entire team and the victorious Perez. “It’s one of those things, but the important thing is the team result. I’m delighted for the team and so happy for Checo. He’s been a part of this team for a long time. He’s been running up at the front so many times in his career and he totally deserves a victory.” said Stroll. Since his third-place result at Monza in early September, the Canadian had battled a string of unfortunate incidents on race day that involved just one point-paying finish in the previous seven grand prix events. Collecting a total of 40 points between Perez and Stroll, Racing Point has reacquired the third place in the constructors’ championship with one race remaining. 

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/LAT Images/Pirelli

Between the two Racing Point competitors on the Sakhir Grand Prix podium, France’s Esteban Ocon grabbed his first career top-three in Formula 1. Ocon’s Renault DP World F1 Team pitted him only once in the race on lap 41 mounting hard compound tires on his #31 machine. The result serves as a major bode of confidence for the Renault driver as he prepares to partner with Fernando Alonso next season. Driving for Force India/Racing Point in 2017 and 2018 as a teammate for Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon’s first podium coming on this particular occasion is fitting. 

Close behind Lance Stroll across the finish line, Carlos Sainz Jr. takes fourth for McLaren in his second-to-last race for the team ahead of a 2021 relocation to Scuderia Ferrari. Finishing in fifth is Sainz’s replacement at McLaren for next season. Daniel Ricciardo took the chequered flag a little more than half a second before sixth-place Alexander Albon driving the last remaining entry for the race for Red Bull Racing. Russian Daniil Kvyat scored the only points for Scuderia AlphaTauri concluding an impressive qualifying performance with a seventh-place finish after 87 laps in Bahrain. 

After appearing poised to take their 14th grand prix in the 2020 Formula 1, the Mercedes-AMG team’s rare stumbling near the end of the Sakhir Grand Prix resulted in their entries finishing in eighth and ninth place. Valtteri Bottas uncomfortably drove the last laps of the event on a well-used set of Pirelli tires but finished ahead of his teammate for the weekend. Bottas’ quest to end the season in the second-place spot in the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship was bolstered by his points-paying result in Bahrain and Max Verstappen’s early retirement from the event. The margin between Bottas and Verstappen is 16 points heading to Abu Dhabi.

Driving the race of his relatively young Formula 1 career, George Russell’s interim ride allowed the Brit to convince many observers of his prowess. Following up on topping both Friday practice sessions and narrowly missing pole on Saturday during the Sakhir Grand Prix weekend, Russell led a large portion of Sunday’s main event and posted the fastest lap in the race. With victory appearing to be in his grasp, the 22-year-old Brit stated through Mercedes-AMG’s website, “I’ve had races before where I had a victory taken away from me, but it felt like that happened twice today, I still can’t quite believe it.”. George Russell does earn his first career Formula 1 points with a ninth place finish and the single-point obtaining the fastest lap time. Russell finished ahead of fellow British driver Lando Norris.  

Set to wrap up the 2020 Formula 1 season as the 17th round on the schedule, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will run on December 13th. 

2020 Formula 1
Sakhir Grand Prix
Race Results

Bottas Edges Russell for Sakhir Grand Prix Pole

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

The third and final time the 2020 Formula 1 season which two races will be held back-to-back at a single venue, the Bahrain International Circuit is the only setting where two different track configurations will be used as teams set to run the first Sakhir Grand Prix. 

At 3.543 kilometers in length, the 11-turn Outer Circuit layout within the motorsport complex is considerably shorter than the 5.412-kilometer Grand Prix Circuit used for last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix. In Formula 1's 70-year history, the track for the Sakhir Grand Prix is the fifth-shortest ever competed upon.

Due to several events that have transpired in the past week, the driver lineup for the Sakhir Grand Prix has been noticeably shuffled. Following news of Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton’s positive test for COVID-19, Williams Racing driver George Russell will belt into the car of the seven-time world driving champion. With Russell’s acting role with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, Brit Jack Aitken will make his debut in the series driving for Williams. The 25-year-old Aitken boasts four wins in the Formula 2 championship over three years and has claimed championships in the two Formula Renault 2.0 series in 2015. Jack Aitken has operated as a test driver for Williams Racing throughout 2020. 

Another driver making set to make has first Formula 1 grand prix start in his career will be Pietro Fittipaldi filling in for the injured Romain Grosjean at the Haas F1 Team. The grandson of two-time Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, the 24-year-old American-born Brazilian already boasts a diverse, respectable driving background that includes the 2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 championship as well as the track championship at Hickory Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.  

Photo Credit: Zak Mauger/LAT Images/Pirelli

At the controls of a Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance, George Russell demonstrated an apparent affinity for the race car fielded by the championship-winning team. Fastest in both Friday practices, there were some high hopes for the British driver heading into Saturday. In the final practice session before Saturday qualifying, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas were at the top of the time sheet showing the advantage of drivers handling their familiar vehicles around the Bahrain International Circuit’s outer track. 

Qualifying for the Sakhir Grand Prix would be highlighted by some of the shortest lap times in Formula 1 history as competitors ran on the short and high-speed race course. After qualifying was completed, all 20 drivers had set a track time well under a minute. Eliminated in Q1 with the slowest time, Haas F1 Team’s Pietro Fittipaldi lapped the Outer Circuit in a time of 55.426 seconds. 

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

Clocked with setting a 53.377-second lap in Q3, Mercedes-AMG regular driver Valtteri Bottas found a slight notch of speed that spoiled interim teammate George Russell’s best-ever opportunity at a pole in his career. Not entirely pleased with his pole-winning run, Bottas said, “It was fairly close in the end, so I’m pleased it was enough for pole position” following qualifying in a Mercedes-AMG team news release. Valterri Bottas’ fifth pole for the 2020 season comes as the Finnish driver is fending off Red Bull Racing pilot Max Verstappen in the runner-up spot in the drivers’ championship. Heading into the Sakhir Grand Prix, the margin between second and third place in the standings is 12 points. 

Falling just short of his first Formula 1 pole by 0.026 seconds, George Russell in the #63 Mercedes pulled off his most successful qualifying effort during a nearly two-year career in the series. Russell’s second-place starting spot also secured an all-Mercedes front row for the 12th time in 2020. 

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

Max Verstappen placed his Honda-powered Red Bull race car into third following Q3 starting alongside Charles Leclerc who mounted a magnificent lap in his Ferrari. Sharing the third row of the Sakhir Grand Prix is Racing Point’s Sergio Perez and the Daniil Kvyat driving for Scuderia AlphaTauri. This qualifying performance for Kvyat is only the third time this season he outpaced his teammate Pierre Gasly in the time trials for setting a race grid. Australian Daniel Ricciardo will start in seventh place for Sunday’s race positioned beside Carlos Sainz Jr.’s McLaren race machine. Occupying the fifth row of the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix is Pierre Gasly and the second Racing Point of Lance Stroll. Between Bottas and Stroll in Q3, a gap of 0.823 seconds separates the 10-car group. 

Making their debuts at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, Jack Aitken will start from the 18th place spot in the #89 Williams/Mercedes-Benz race car while Pietro Fittipaldi is placed at the tail-end of the field in the #51 Haas F1 Team VF-20. 

Start time for the 87-lap Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain is scheduled Sunday at 8:10 P.M. local time (12:10 P.M. eastern time). 

2020 Formula 1
Sakhir Grand Prix
Starting Lineup

Positive COVID-19 Test Parks Lewis Hamilton Ahead of Sakhir Grand Prix

Phoro Credit: Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

For much of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Lewis Hamilton has gone largely unchallenged during many grand prix races. The three-wheeled finish at the British Grand Prix, the valiant and victorious charge from sixth to first in the Turkish Grand Prix and the most recent triumph in last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix are one of several occasions where the recently-declared seven-time Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion, with the backing of his high-tier Mercedes-AMG team, demonstrated the ability to meet challenges and prevail. In a year where the entire world recognizes the battle against COVID-19 as a core challenge, Hamilton was among one out of billions in the fight. As the season reaches its penultimate round, the foe known as COVID-19 would be the only adversary keeping the all-time winningest Formula 1 driver from the possibilities of on-track success. 

On Tuesday, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19 and would be unable to race in the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix. Hamilton woke up to mild symptoms on Monday and would later receive confirmation of contracting the virus with two positive tests. In a team statement made by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, it was reported that the driver was tested on the Sunday afternoon of the Bahrain Grand Prix that returned negative. 

Currently in isolation for 10 days, Lewis Hamilton issued a statement on his Twitter account expressing his situation and shared his disappointment for not being able to compete in the upcoming Formula 1 race. Part of the message states, “I’m gutted not to be able to race this weekend but my priority is to follow the protocols and advice to protect others.” 

Having started in 265 grand prix events, the 95-time race winner’s absence at Formula 1's Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain will miss his first race since his debut in the 2007 Australian Grand Prix. On Wednesday, his Mercedes-AMG team announced that Williams Racing driver George Russell will run their race entry in substitution for Lewis Hamilton for the second event being held on the Bahrain International Circuit for the 2020 season. 

Lewis Hamilton is the third Formula 1 driver to miss a race due to COVID-19. Racing Point driver Sergio Perez missed both Silverstone events after infection in August while Lance Stroll (also with Racing Point) withdrew from October’s Eifel Grand Prix weekend due to feeling unhurt and later received a positive test.

Bottas Outpaces Hamilton for Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Pole

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

 

Leaving Portugal after completing the country’s first Formula 1 grand prix since 1996, the premier open wheel racing group has landed back in Italy for its third race in the nation in the 2020 season. The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (commonly referred to by the name of the nearby town of Imola) is the venue for the first-ever Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Last hosting a Formula 1 event in 2006 (one year prior to the debut of both Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel competing on the tour), the Imola race track has previously played host to the 1980 Italian Grand Prix and the San Marino Grand Prix from 1981 to 2006. 

The 4.909-kilometer Italian race track presents relatively new pavement (presenting a similar challenge to drivers when competing at the Algarve International Circuit for the Portuguese Grand Prix) resulting in a smooth yet bumpy surface. The Imola circuit is also noteworthy for being particularly narrow presenting the likelihood for a tight racing line and difficulties in passing.

The first race at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari for Formula 1 in the Turbo-Hybrid era, piloting the massively powerful machines around the circuit also involved the nuance of the event operating on a modified two-day routine. Only a single 90-minute practice session would occur ahead of the grid-setting qualifying show for Sunday’s 63-lap race. The combination of unique circumstances presented some difficulty to competitors throughout Saturday. Time deletions caused by drivers exceeding track limits plagued a number of drivers during practice for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with 60 lap times taken off the time sheet. After drivers disputed the situation with the FIA sanctioning body, the rules were amended ahead of qualifying. 

Once again, the Mercedes-AMG race car drivers led the way through all three sessions of the Saturday qualifying. Resulting in the defence of their undefeated streak of pole positions for the 2020 Formula 1 season, drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton battled each other for which one would stand at the top of the time chart in Q3 at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Cranking out a 1-minute, 13.609-second lap time, the #77 of Bottas was able to out-hustle teammate Hamilton by almost one-tenth of a second. The Finnish driver’s fourth pole position this season, Bottas has so far won just a single race from the spot in 2020 (the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix). Finishing second after Q3, Lewis Hamilton cautioned in an interview that Sunday’s race may be a boring affair due to the narrow Imola circuit. 

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Max Verstappen’s third-fastest time in the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying was a hard-fought team effort. The Dutch driver experienced a loss of power in the early part of Q2 but his garage crew was able to repair the issue allowing the #33 Red Bull Racing car to set a time in order to advance late in the session. Verstappen will start alongside the vehicle from Red Bull Racing’s affiliate team Scuderia AlphaTauri. Churning out an impressive time with his #10 car, Frenchman Pierre Gasly recorded one of his best qualifying performances for a season where he and his team have exceeded expectations. 

Daniel Ricciardo will start in fifth place with his Renault machine on the third row with the second Honda-powered Red Bull Racing car fielded for Alexander Albon. Continuing to make a familiar appearance as the highest-qualifying Ferrari-powered race car for the 2020 Formula 1 grand prix season, Charles Leclerc is positioned seventh for the start of the race at Imola. Teammate Sebastian Vettel was only able to obtain a fourteenth place position for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix’s grid. Russian Daniil Kvyat placed a strong personal effort with AlphaTauri resulting in an eighth-fastest time in Q1 just 0.080 seconds slower than Leclerc’s Ferrari. The McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. Round out the top-10 starters for the 2020 race at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Every vehicle qualifying in the top-10 for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will start the race on soft compound Pirelli tires. 

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Beyond the top-10, a superb qualifying effort was recorded by the Williams Racing team and George Russell. Breaking out of Q1 once again in 2020 with his Mercedes-Benz powered #63 machine, Russell threatened to be a contender for Q3 at Imola. The Brit ultimately fell short of posting a top-10 time concluding Q2 in 13th place. George Russell’s qualifying performance comes on the week that where Williams Racing announced his services as driver for the team is retained for 2021.

The only driver on the current Formula 1 tour who had driven in the San Marino Grand Prix held at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in 2006, Kimi Raikkonen’s experience was unfortunately not enough to lift his Alfa Romeo Racing team beyond Q1. Raikkonen was one of several drivers that had a time disallowed for exceeding track limits in qualifying. This week, the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen organization confirmed both Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are returning as drivers for the team next season.

The 63-lap Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is set for a 1:10 P.M. local start time (7:10 A.M. Eastern time). 

2020 Formula 1
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Starting Grid

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.