For The Hundredth Time For Hamilton: Mercedes Driver Grabs Milestone Pole In Spain

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

Lewis Hamilton’s performance in qualifying is one attribute that will establish the knighted British driver as true legend in Formula 1. A tally beginning at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Hamilton’s career count for pole positions eclipsed the previous series record set by Michael Schmacher of 68 in 2017 on the weekend of the Italian Grand Prix. Since the latter part of the 2017 Formula 1 season, the driver of the #44 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team car has gone on a tear in qualifying collecting 11 of 21 possible race poles in 2018 and the top spot in 10 of 16 races last year. Entered in his 270^th Formula 1 event this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosting the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has set a new mark of greatness.

Lewis Hamilton muscled his Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance race car around a 16-turn, 4.675-kilometer track in a time of 1 minute, 16.741 seconds in Q3 to take his 100^th career pole position. Battling Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen throughout all three qualifying sessions, the Brit’s #44 car edged out the Dutch driver’s Honda-powered machine by 0.036 seconds. In three of the four races this year, the front row has been shared by a Mercedes AMG team car and a Red Bull Racing vehicle.

While Verstappen mounted a challenge against the Mercedes machines in Q3, Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez finished qualifying lacking the pace of his teammate. A spin out by Perez in turn 13 during a Q3 lap hindered the performance of the #11 Red Bull Racing vehicle. The Mexican driver will start the Spanish Grand Prix in 8^th place.

Less than a tenth of a second slower than Max Verstappen, the second Mercedes race car driven by Valtteri Bottas will start third for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. Bottas was quicker than Hamilton during the opening two stages of qualifying but settled comfortably into the second row in the conclusion of Q3.

The Scuderia Ferrari team had a very acceptable showing in Spain at the end of Saturday’s qualifying. Gaining pace throughout the three practice sessions, Charles LeClerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. will both start Sunday’s grand prix in the top 10. Leclerc posted a strong 1-minute, 17.510-second lap time in Q3 to place himself in the second row beside Valtteri Bottas. Qualifying sixth and sharing the third row with the Alpine of Esteban Ocon, Sainz recorded a time just 0.002 quicker than the McLaren Mercedes driven by Daniel Ricciardo. The teammates of Ocon and Ricciardo (Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris) also found their way into the top 10 for the 66-lap race.

 

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/LAT Images/Pirelli

Teams not appearing in the top 10 in a 2021 starting grid for the first time will be Scuderia AlphaTauri and Aston Martin Racing. Lance Stroll finished Q2 just 0.008 seconds short of tenth place driver Fernando Alonso in the session. Pierre Gasly’s Honda-powered AlphaTauri was 0.008 seconds off the mark set by 11^th place Stroll.

Entering the triple digits in his career pole tally, Lewis Hamilton’s pursuit towards pushing his victory towards the century mark will face a statistical challenge. After the first three races of the 2021 season, the driver starting on pole failed winning on Sunday.

The 2021 Spanish Grand Prix is will start at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. Eastern Time).

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

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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. 

 

Hamilton Wins Bahrain Grand Prix Marred by Major Opening Lap Crash

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

The 2020 Formula 1 season is drawing closer to an end as three races remain in the 17-race schedule hastily compiled as a result to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Bahrain International Circuit is hosting two of the final three events for the year with the first being the annual Bahrain Grand Prix on a 15, turn 5.412-kilometer course. 

Recently locking up enough points in the season-long drivers’ title, Lewis Hamilton arrived in Sakhir as only the second seven-time Formula 1 World Champion. A three-time winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton continuing offensive for victories running to the conclusion of the 2020 calendar has him attempting to score a win in the 57-lap night race from the pole.

The start of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix would be routine through the first corners of the first lap as the field diced for positions early but would quickly involve a most frightening scene. During a Formula 1 season that involved a number of red flag incidents, the start of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix featured one of the most alarming moments on track this year.

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

Out of turn three, the #8 car of Romain Grosjean maneuvered right in reaction to the calamity ahead of him but was seemingly unaware of the placement of the AlphaTauri race car driven by Daniil Kvyat. Crossing ahead of Kvyat, Grosjean’s right rear tire brushed the front left tire of the AlphaTauri. The contact caused the Haas racing machine to veer right into a violent, fiery crash with the track wall. The impact with the steel barrier caused the #8 Haas VF-20 race car to split in half with the safety cell portion protecting the driver separated from the rear portion containing the power unit. As the rear of the car coasted several meters away before coming to a rest, the front of the vehicle containing the French driver had become tangled into the track’s steel barrier. With the safety cell of his race car in flames, the FIA safety team and nearby track workers rushed to the driver. Fortunately, Romain Grosjean was alert and able to escape quickly from the burning remains of his race car with the aid of members of the safety crew. Grosjean would be treated in a hospital for burns suffered to both hands and remained in the medical care overnight as a precaution.  

A red flag period lasting more nearly an hour and a half was needed to recover the components of the crashed Haas Formula 1 car and for track workers to replace the section of track barrier. When the race restarted from a standing start for lap three with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen leading the field, the quest for a full green lap in the Bahrain Grand Prix would have to wait as a result of a turn eight accident. 

Battling from a 13th place starting spot, Canadian driver Lance Stroll would have his race literally turned upside down. Entering the eighth corner in 12th place, Stroll was under attack from the AlphaTauri of Daniil Kvyat. Kvyat made a late move on the #18 Racing Point into lower portion of the turn. The sudden, poorly-timed passing attempt surprised Stroll as the AlphaTauri race car’s left front tire brushed the Racing Point RP20's right rear launching him into a half roll. Upside down, Stroll was able to promptly climb from his vehicle unhurt as a safety car would be called so track marshals could retrieve race car. Daniil Kvyat would receive a 10-second penalty after being judged at-fault for the incident and would finish the Bahrain Grand Prix in 11th place. Kevin Magnussen would also incur minor damage catching debris from the flipped Racing Point car but would continue. 

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/ LAT Images/Pirelli

During the safety car period, the Mercedes-AMG race car of Valtteri Bottas pitted after suffering a tire puncture. Starting the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix alongside teammate Lewis Hamilton, Bottas, had a disastrous launch from his grid position falling to as low as sixth place in the first several corners before the red flag. The Finnish driver resumed the race in the fourth spot for lap three but the unscheduled tire stop on lap four dropped him deep into the running order. After fighting his way into the points, Valtteri Bottas completed the 57-lap race in 8th place. 

When the safety car returned to the pit lane, Lewis Hamilton charged away to a comfortable yet not massive lead. Through much of the event, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing vehicle was several seconds behind the #44 Mercedes-AMG race car but managed a very strong pace throughout the event. Verstappen was roughly five seconds behind Hamilton on lap 46 just before the Red Bull driver pitted for medium compound Pirelli tires in order to post the fastest lap of the race. 

Photo Credit: Andy Hone/LAT Images/Pirelli

Heading into the final four laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the top three runners appeared to have established a steady gap and pace to carry them through to the finish. Running approximately 18 seconds behind the Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance race car of Lewis Hamilton in the running order was Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing RB16 who maintaining a sizable interval over Sergio Perez. The sole Racing Point runner through much of the race, Perez was on the verge of celebrating his second consecutive Formula 1 podium. Though the Mexican drove a fantastic grand prix, his Racing Point’s Mercedes-Benz power unit picked the most inopportune time to fail this season. Puffs of smoke from the back of the pink #11 race car would intensify and was soon accompanied by flames. The Racing Point came to a full stop on track with three laps remaining ending Perez’s strong outing and the pursuit for valuable constructors’ points as the team is locked in a tight battle for third in the season’s standings. After the race, Racing Point revealed the cost of the podium finish was specifically attributed to an MKU-K issue.

With the final laps taking place behind the safety car, Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team took the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. Claiming his 95th Formula 1 victory, Hamilton described the victory as a hand-fought affair despite leading from flag-to-flag. “Max pushed me all the way and he had a lot of speed today. I was struggling a little bit with the car sliding around, but I just had enough to be able to respond to Max’s quick laps when it mattered.” said Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes-AMG team’s post-race press release. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion was also thoughtful of the incident at the start of the grand prix grateful that Romain Grosjean left the serious crash without serious or life-threatening injuries crediting the FIA medical team as well as the Halo bar installed on all Formula 1 cars since 2018. 

Photo Credit: Andy Hone/LAT Images/Pirelli

While Sergio Perez and Racing Point lost their place on the podium with the late retirement at the Bahrain International Circuit, the Red Bull Racing celebrated the accomplishment of their first double podium finish since the 2017 Japanese Grand Prix. Finishing second, Max Verstappen successfully scored the point for setting the fastest lap in the grand prix with a 1-minute, 32.014-second lap time. Finishing third, Alexander Albon ran a consistent race en route to his second Formula 1 podium result. 

After team benefiting from the Racing Point’s scoreless outing was the McLaren Racing squad. Both McLaren drivers enjoyed a productive 57 laps at the Bahrain International Circuit improving from their grid positions to register just outside of the podium. Starting ninth, Lando Norris crossed the finish line in fourth place while Carlos Sainz Jr. climbed from a 15th grid position to finish fifth. The effort for the McLaren team resulted in 22 points towards the constructors’ championship giving themselves a 17-point lead for third-place in the team standings. 

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Image/Pirelli

Finishing sixth in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly would last pit on lap 25 and made his AlphaTauri’s medium compound tires last through the final 32 laps. Behind Gasly, the Renault team cars sandwiched Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes-AMG race machine. Daniel Ricciardo crossed the line in seventh place while his French teammate Esteban Ocon finished ninth. The final point-paying spot in the Bahrain Grand Prix was captured by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. 

The penultimate round of the 2020 Formula 1 season will feature a second race in Bahrain taking place in the same motorsport complex on a 3.543-kilometer layout called the Outer Circuit. The Sakhir Grand Prix will set for December 6th.

2020 Formula 1
Bahrain Grand Prix
Race Results

Portuguese Grand Prix Hosts Record-Breaking Win For Lewis Hamilton

Photo Credit: Sam Bloxham/LAT Imagesé Pirelli

At the last round of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Lewis Hamilton performed a magnificent feat with his victory at the Eifel Grand Prix. On the historic Nurburgring race track, the British driver equalled the impressive all-time win record of legendary German driver Michael Schumacher with 91 grand prix victories. With no signs of losing momentum behind the wheel of the well-tuned machine out of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team stables, it has been assumed Hamilton would soon capture the career statistic for himself. This season’s 12th round at the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal presented the first occasion for Hamilton to set a new milestone.

Located in town of Portimao, a 4.653-kilometer race course invited Formula 1 back to the republic where the Portuguese Grand Prix had not run since 1996. The 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix assembled on a relatively new competition course with a series of features found in classic grand prix circuits. Capturing the pole on a time set on medium compound tires, Lewis Hamilton was in ideal striking position for his record-breaking 92nd Formula 1 victory ahead of the 66-lap Sunday feature race. 

In a Formula 1 season that has been marked by some incredibly surreal starts, the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix is perhaps one of the most bizarre. The opening lap at the Algarve International Circuit occurred just as the track was dampened by a light rain causing some uneasiness among the top grid starters including the Mercedes-AMG race cars. Though the two Mercedes drivers led through the first several corners, both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas struggling to gain grip during the early stint of the grand prix. 

Despite there not being a major crash on the opening lap, there was contact between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez exiting turn four resulting in the #11 Racing Point being sent into a spin. Perez fell to the back of the running order but continued after returning to the pits for new soft compound tires. In fact, the Mexican Racing Point driver would ultimately recover to have a great finish in Portugal.

The before-mentioned grip issues for the Mercedes-AMG contenders appeared at the middle of the first lap. Out of turn 7, Valtteri Bottas was able to sweep passed Lewis Hamilton’s #44 car but was himself challenged by the unlikely might of Carlos Sainz Jr. driving his Renault-powered McLaren at the start of the second lap. Both the McLarens of Sainz and Lando Norris had fantastic starts on soft compound tires positioned in second and fourth respectively on lap two. However, on the fifth corner, Sainz’s #55 car achieved a unique pleasure of passing a Mercedes-AMG W11 EQ Performance race car under a competitive, on-track move. Carlos Sainz Jr.’s lead in the Portuguese Grand Prix lasted until the sixth lap when Bottas retook the top spot as the medium tires came to an optimum temperature.

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Images/Pirelli

On Lap 18, a turn one altercation occurred as the #18 Racing Point RP20 race car of Lance Stroll and Lando Norris’s #4 McLaren made contact. The collision occurred after several laps as Stroll attempted to pass Norris with the Canadian rapidly faster on Portimao Circuit’s front stretch. Fighting in seventh and eighth place spots, the Racing Point had rapidly closed up on the McLaren into the first corner. Travelling faster in a straight line thanks to DRS, Stroll shot to the right of Norris but was not completely clear of the McLaren as he turned in crowding his competitor resulting in a side impact where both vehicles suffered damage and needed to pit at the end of the lap. With the collision under investigation, Formula 1 stewards were led to the conclusion that Stroll was at fault for the incident assessing the driver a five-second penalty. Lando Norris finished in 13th place while Lance Stroll would ultimately retire on lap 51 due to more extensive damage to his Racing Point being the only driver not to finish the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix. 

For what would be the winning move for the race in Portugal, the two Mercedes-AMG vehicles battled on lap 19. Losing the lead on the first lap, Lewis Hamilton had maintained within a second of Valtteri Bottas. As the teammates crossed the start/finish line for lap 20, Hamilton had used DRS to ultimately pass Bottas. Pitting once on lap 40, Hamilton pulled out a significant lead as the laps ticked away. 

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/LAT Images/Pirelli

Finishing 25.592 seconds ahead of runner-up Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton’s recovery greatly from an uneasy start on the Algarve International Circuit winning the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix. With his 92nd victory secured, Hamilton is now established as the winningest driver in Formula 1 history achieving the accomplishment after 262 races. Crediting his current Mercedes-AMG team for their constant push to give him the best cars since he joined the organization in 2013. Additionally, Lewis Hamilton commented in a post-race news release on the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team’s website saying, “No one is sitting back on the success, everyone is pushing and pushing and pushing. That’s the most incredible thing to be surrounded by: it inspires you, that collaboration, and there’s nothing quite like it.” 

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

Valtteri Bottas settled into a quiet second-place finish in Portugal crossing the line more than 8.9 seconds over the Red Bull Racing car of Max Verstappen. After a refreshing moment of strength in qualifying where Scuderia Ferrari enjoyed a fourth place start obtained by Charles Leclerc, the driver from Monaco scored fourth at the end of the Portuguese Grand Prix. The second Scuderia Ferrari ran deeper in the field throughout the race but was able to salvage a 10th place finish after 66 laps.

Starting in ninth place, Pierre Gasly fought his way to another fine effort with his Honda-powered AlphaTauri taking fifth at the end of the race in Portugal. After a brief time in the lead of the Portuguese Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz Jr. crossed the Algarve International Circuit’s finish line in sixth place. Hotly competing to gain third place in the constructors’ championship, Sainz’s team McLaren is still trailing Racing Point by two points. Sergio Perez driving for Racing Point finished seventh capturing a valuable six points after what was a hard-fought race. 

Photo Credit: Sam Bloxham/LAT Images/Pirelli

Eighth and ninth place at the end of the Portuguese Grand Prix saw both of the Renault F1 Team cars gaining points. Esteban Ocon scored the higher position compared to teammate Daniel Ricciardo being the third time the Frenchman finished ahead of the Australian.

Leaving Portugal after a memorable grand prix, Formula 1 teams were now destined for a return to Italy competing on the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari generally referred to as Imola. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will be staged under an experimental two-day schedule with the main race being staged on November 1st. 

2020 Formula 1
Portuguese Grand Prix
Race Results

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.

Hamilton Scorches Spa-Francorchamps For Race Pole

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

In recent years, the Belgian Grand Prix has been recognized as the start of the second half of the Formula 1 season after the series’ summer break. With a revised 2020 schedule, the popular Formula 1 competition at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps appears as the seventh event on the recently finalized 17-race seasonal calender. 

The 20-car qualifying session for the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix concluded with the familiar sight of Lewis Hamilton’s #44 Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team race car prevailing after time expired in Q3. Achieving a new track record on the 7.004-kilometer Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Hamilton’s 1-minute, 41.252-second lap time was roughly 1.3 seconds faster than the pole qualifying time last year. The pole for Sunday’s 44-lap race in Belgium is Lewis Hamilton’s 93rd career Formula 1 pole position and was dedicated to the memory of recently departed actor Chadwick Boseman who lost a battle with colon cancer on Friday.

With a time of 1-minute, 41.763 seconds in Q3, Valtteri Bottas secured a lock of the front row for Sunday’s main event. The second place qualifying position is the Finnish driver’s highest grid spot at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Slotted into the second row of the grid order for the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix is Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Reaffirming a position as a top runner in this Formula 1 season when excluding the dominant performances of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing RB16 vehicle was just 0.015 seconds slower than the second Mercedes AMG runner. With a course set to Renault following the 2020 season, Daniel Ricciardo is nonetheless eager to prove that himself and his current pairing with the Renault F1 team are capable of moments of greatness. Ricciardo’s Renault will be the highest starter in the Belgian Grand Prix wearing Pirelli soft compound tires. The top three starters (Hamilton, Bottas and Verstappen) are the only participants on Sunday beginning the race on medium compound rubber. 

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

Alexander Albon and Esteban Ocon will start on the third row for the grand prix in Belgium. With Carlos Sainz Jr. positioned in seventh and Lando Norris qualifying in tenth, the McLaren duo sandwiched the two Racing Point entries as Sergio Perez starts one spot higher than Lance Stroll. 

Belgian Grand Prix qualifying is another painful outing for the Scuderia Ferrari team. The winning team of the previous two grand prixs on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Ferrari failed to have either of their two vehicles break into Q3. Last year’s Belgian Grand Prix victor Charles Leclerc could only obtain a 13th place starting spot while Sebastian Vettel grabbed 14th. Vettel’s top lap time in qualifying was more than two seconds slower than the pole-winning effort of Lewis Hamilton.  

The 44-lap Belgian Grand Prix will start Sunday at 3:10 pm local time or 9:10 am eastern time.

2020 Formula 1
Belgian Grand Prix
Starting Grid