Leclerc Tops Monaco Qualifying But Race Spot in Jeopardy After Crash

Photo Credit: FIA Pool/LAT Images/Pirelli

 

In the conclusion of the Spanish Grand Prix, there was a noteworthy statement made by Scuderia Ferrari’s team driver Charles Leclerc ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. He asserted that the group’s strength in the third section of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the Spanish Grand Prix was an indication that the Italian Formula 1 team would be strong on the Monte Carlo temporary street course.

Following Friday’s on-track action in Monaco, Leclerc's admittance was supported in spectacular fashion. In the second practice session the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. finished first and second fastest. Entering qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, there was a realistic chance the Ferrari team could capture their first pole position since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix. In the hands of the event’s home country favourite, the red car squad prevailed in qualifying although a major setback could remove the Ferrari race car from the top place on Sunday’s grid.

Posting a lap time of 1 minute, 10.346 seconds on the time chart of the Q3 session, Charles Leclerc’s #16 Ferrari clipped the turn 15 barrier in the late seconds of the final qualifying session and would crash. A red flag ended qualifying cementing the Monegasque driver as the fastest and provisional pole sitter for the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc’s starting position is contingent to the extent of the damage to the Ferrari SF21 race car. At the time this qualifying recap has been written, the Ferrari team has stated there was no serious damage spotted to the #16 car’s gearbox but an additional inspection will take place prior to Sunday race. A change to the gearbox could require the incurrence of a five-grid place penalty.

 

Said to have mixed feeling regarding the pole effort, Charles Leclerc ended his post-race Ferrari statement saying “Whatever the outcome, I will give my all tomorrow. It feels great to be at home and to see all the fans around the track. It’s Monaco, it’s very unpredictable, and also challenging for us drivers, especially in the race with so many laps.”

Photo Credit: Foto Colombo Images/Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

If not for the wrecked car at the end of the qualifying session at Monaco, Scuderia Ferrari would have had a lot to celebrate. In addition to Charles Leclerc’s top time, Carlos Sainz Jr. delivered a solid performance on Saturday ultimately resulting in a fourth place starting spot on Sunday’s grid. The struggles of the 2020 Ferrari Formula 1 team are well-documented but the COVID-19 pandemic also changed the historic brand’s intentions to commemorate their 1,000^th grand prix start. Meant to take place at the 2020 Monaco race, the event’s cancellation and the reworked Formula 1 schedule caused for a race on Ferrari’s Mugello circuit to be the thousandth event for the team in the series.

Hampered from mounting a late session charge for the pole, Max Verstappen finished Monaco Grand Prix qualifying in the second place position. Along with Ferrari, Red Bull Racing team has displayed the most consistent front-running pace during this weekend on the 19-turn, 3.337-kilometer track. Verstappen was quickest in Saturday’s practice while teammate Sergio Perez posted the fastest time in the first practice session on Friday. Perez will start the Monaco Grand Prix in ninth place as the Mexican was unable to find the same pace as Verstappen throughout qualifying citing dropping track temperatures and traffic.

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

The often-dominating force of the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 Team showed a more temperate performance on the tight street of Monaco. Valtteri Bottas settled for third on the grid for Sunday’s 78-lap event citing the late red flag as costing him a chance to take pole. The winner from the last Formula 1 race in Spain, Lewis Hamilton has appeared out of regular form during this weekend through practice and qualifying. Though Hamilton progressed into Q3 in qualifying, he experienced a lack of grip in his #44 Mercedes-AMG race car mustering a seventh place starting spot for the race.

Running historic Gulf oil colouring for the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, McLaren Racing had a qualifying outing that netted mixed results. Lando Norris will start Sunday’s main event from the fifth grid position but Daniel Ricciardo, 2018 winner of the Monaco Grand Prix, failed to post a top-10 time in Q2 and settling for 12^th place. The remainder of the top 10 starters is also the lone team entrants that broke into Q3. Scuderia AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly will roll off the grid in 6^th place, 2011 and 2017 Monaco winner Sebastian Vettel will start 8^th for Aston Martin Racing and Antonio Giovinazzi scored an impressive 10^th place starting spot for Alfa Romeo Racing.

Haas F1 Team’s Mick Schumacher crash in the final practice and was unable to post a time in Saturday’s qualifying at Monaco. The Formula 1 rookie will start at the rear for Sunday’s race.

Start time for the 78-lap, 2021 Monaco Grand Prix is set for 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. Eastern time).

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

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Verstappen's Early Red Bull Rush Takes Pole in Bahrain

 

Photo Credit: FIA Pool/LAT Images/Pirelli

An all-new season for Formula 1 has arrived with a slew of pre-season storylines set to be explored as engines turn over for the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix.

A consistent source of astonishment and a fair level of distain of competitors is the dominance of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. A constant fore-runner since the series’ adoption of the current turbo/hybrid power unit format, Mercedes-AMG with Valtteri Bottas as well as seven-time and reigning Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton continued to have winning pace last season. However, the 2020 season gave glimpses that Red Bull Racing could potentially achieve the enviable task of matching the performance of the German factory team. Max Verstappen’s Honda-powered race car frequently had the pace to fill the mirrors of Bottas and Hamilton last year, At the 2020 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen and Red Bull Racing put on an impressive showcase taking pole along with the race win convincingly. Though just one event, Red Bull Racing’s performance on the Yas Marina Circuit gives reason to consider 2021 may present Mercedes-AMG with battle unlike any experienced since their seven consecutive Constructors’ championship-winning seasons.

Ahead of Formula 1's season-opening 57-lap event, the 5.412-kilometer Bahrain International Circuit hosted Saturday qualifying to set the grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Setting fastest time in the Q1 session, Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Racing team became concerned with the underside of his #33 RB16B race car after the Dutch driver rode a track curb. Though he was bettered on pace in Q2, Verstappen valiantly fought to take pole for the Bahrain Grand Prix late in Q3. Shortly after Lewis Hamilton grabbed the top spot with a 1-minute, 29.385-second lap time, the Honda-powered Red Bull flew across the start/finish line setting the pole of 1 minute, 28.997 seconds. Accounting for his top grid position at Formula 1'a last race of 2020, Verstappen has become the first non-Mercedes driver to score back-to-back poles since Charles Leclerc accomplished the feat during the 2019 campaign.

Though Max Verstappen provided Red Bull Racing with a major reason to celebrate after Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying, the second car driven by new team driver Sergio Perez had a less successful outing. Perez will start 11^th after attempting to advance beyond Q2 on medium compound Pirelli tires.

Photo Credit: Sebastian Kawka for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix ltd.

Lewis Hamilton starts second for tomorrow’s Bahrain Grand Prix as the defending winner of the event. Setting a top time in the Q3 session that was 0.589 seconds short of Max Verstappen’s benchmark, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas will launch from third on the second row of the race grid alongside Charles Leclerc. Leclerc and his new teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. gave Scuderia Ferrari and their Tifosi to cheer taking the top two spots in the Q2 session aided by the use of soft compound tires. Sainz will start the Bahrain Grand Prix in eighth place.

Pierre Gasly’s Honda-powered AlphaTauri race car was fifth fastest in Formula 1 qualifying and will start the race beside Daniel Ricciardo who is making his debut with McLaren. McLaren’s return to Mercedes-Benz power showed promise for the squad through Friday practice and contributed to a sixth place after qualifying for Ricciardo and seventh for Lando Norris.

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/LAT Images/Pirelli

Two-time Formula 1 drivers’ champion Fernando Alonso’s return to Formula 1 racing after a two-year hiatus sees the Spaniard in ninth place ahead of Sunday’s main event driving for Renault’s rebranded Alpine F1 Team. Aston Martin Racing, the rebranded entity that was known as Racing Point last year, starts 2021 with a top qualifying effort coming from Canada’s Lance Stroll who will roll off the grid in tenth place. Stroll’s high-profile new teammate Sebastian Vettel will start the Bahrain Grand Prix in 17^th place after being impeded by local yellow flags in his Q1 session run.

The 2021 Formula 1 season opener is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. local time or 11 a.m. Eastern time.

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2021 Formula 1

Bahrain Grand Prix

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

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

Photo Credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office/ Ferrari S.p.A.

Team Grade: C-

Overall Season:

Entering 2020, Scuderia Ferrari and fans of the team had reason to look forward to what the upcoming Formula 1 tour had in store. In 2019, Charles Leclerc’s debut season with the squad started strong and eventually winning two grand prix events. Ferrari’s Formula 1 team heading into 2020 was also set to celebrate running their 1,000th grand prix event. Originally planned for the Monaco Grand Prix but complications caused by the coronavirus had it replaced with an event on the Italian sports car company’s Mugello track. Unfortunately, the 17-race schedule brought a great deal of disappointment and ridicule for the historic organization.

Complications with the SF1000 race car magnified by a power unit that appeared to be among the weakest on the grid have relegated Scuderia Ferrari to the position of a mid-marker team throughout 2020 scoring just three podium finishes during the entire season. In five races, the squad failed to score a single championship point. The Ferrari team also experienced sizable differentials in performance between their two drivers Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel. With the announcement of Vettel not returning to the team in 2021 coming before the first race of the 2020 season, it was unclear how this would affect driver/team chemistry. 

As the year progressed, communications between the Ferrari and their German driver appeared spotty at best. Charles Leclerc’s showing with Scuderia Ferrari was noticeably stronger than Sebastian Vettel benefiting from the Italian team’s increased attention and a contract with spanning to 2024. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Though the Scuderia Ferrari team’s 2020 campaign is regarded largely as an embarrassment, the Italian organization’s season was not without some accolades.

The strongest finish in the 2020 Formula 1 season for the team as a whole came at the Turkish Grand Prix. An event plagued by a soaked race surface, the effects of the power deficit of the Ferrari SF1000 were nullified by the field’s universal struggle for traction. After 58 laps, the Ferrari drivers finished 3rd and 4th with Sebastian Vettel leading his teammate Charles Leclerc to the chequered flag.

Another worthwhile grand prix took place on the Ferrari-owned Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello. The event served as a party commemorating Ferrari’s 1,000th Formula 1 start and was accompanied with the pageantry permitted due to the restrictions caused by COVID-19. Running a special dark burgundy paint scheme for the Tuscan Grand Prix, Leclerc managed to lock his #16 car into fifth place for the start of Sunday’s race. Both Ferrari SF1000 race cars survived the two multi-car wrecks at the beginning of the 59-lap event and finished in the points with Leclerc crossing the line in eighth and Vettel taking tenth place. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

What hasn’t been said about the disappointing performance of Scuderia Ferrari in 2020? Almost every aspect of the team was out of sync during this past season of racing resulting with no wins or just three podium finishes. Two races for the Ferrari team ended with neither vehicles finishing an event with one of the being the Italian Grand Prix. 

Their SF1000 race car appeared to have had handling issues that popped up even before the season started. In preseason testing at Barcelona, Ferrari team was struggling to outdo their 2019 lap times. Attributing it to a deliberate intention to give more downforce to the SF1000, the engineering approach apparently backfired for Ferrari and the team admitted there were flaws in the vehicle’s design heading into the season-opening race in Austria. However, the focus on downforce may be a contributing factor to why the Turkish Grand Prix, a race where grip was at a premium, was the team’s best overall event in the 2020 season.

The Ferrari power unit found in the factory cars as well as customer organizations Haas F1 Team and Alfa Romeo Racing was also cited throughout the season as inferior to the competition. (Possibly a result of having to re-engineer their gasoline engine after an alleged exploit was discovered). 

The sixth place result in the Formula 1 constructors’ standings is the worst year-old finish for Scuderia Ferrari since the 1980 season.

Team's Drivers 

#16 Charles Leclerc: B-

Photo Credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office/ Ferrari S.p.A.

Overall Season: 

After making a big sensation with Scuderia Ferrari in 2019 by scoring 10 podium finishes and two wins, Charles Leclerc’s second season with the ‘Prancing Horse’ was somewhat underwhelming. Collecting just two podiums in the 2020 obtained within the first four events of the Formula 1 season, Leclerc experienced a fairly average season fighting with an SF1000 race car that is admittedly not up to par with the front-running teams this past year.

Charles Leclerc asserted himself as the dominant driver within Scuderia Ferrari. The native of Monaco steadily out-qualified Sebastian Vettel starting an average of four positions higher over the course of the 17-race tour. The season-end drivers’ standings also showed Leclerc was superior to his teammate on race day garnering an eighth-place finish the overall drivers standings. 

The 2019 season proved Leclerc has the ingredients to be a Formula 1 superstar and the current limitation of Scuderia Ferrari’s race car is not deterring optimism for the his future.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

From seventh place on the grid for the 2020 Formula 1 season’s opening round on the Red Bull Ring, Charles Leclerc raced to his best result of the past year. Though he crossed the line in third, a 5-second time penalty issued to Lewis Hamilton promoted Leclerc to second place. Charles Leclerc second and final podium of the 2020 season came after the chaotic ending to the British Grand Prix claiming third after qualifying fourth at Silverstone.

Following the British Grand Prix, the driver of the #16 Ferrari SF1000 race car hovered near the podium spots on multiple occasions. Leclerc qualified and finished fourth on three occasions.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

The 2020 Formula 1 for Charles Leclerc’s best efforts was largely limited to the vehicle he drove. Finishing fourth at the end of the 2019 campaign, Leclerc had to settle for a World Drivers’ Championship finish of eighth in the season that recently concluded. 

Though Charles Leclerc did a fine job for most grand prix events salvaging a point finish, there were also four retirements with two caused following opening lap collisions where the Monaco native admitted fault. During a weekend described by Ferrari’s media relations with a release titled “Weekend to Forget”, the Styrian Grand Prix contained one of the lower moments for Leclerc. On turn 3 of the first lap, the #16 Ferrari embarrassing collided with teammate Sebastian Vettel knocking the rear wing off the #5 Ferrari race car. Vettel retired at the end of the opening lap while Leclerc placed his car in the garage on lap four. “What happened today is clearly my fault, there’s nothing else to say. I take full responsibility. I made a mistake and apologising is not enough. We need to take every opportunity and today we could have had one, because even though we might not have the performance to collect a lot of points at the moment, every single point is important and anything can happen in the race, as we saw last week.” Leclerc stated on the post-race press release from Ferrari.

The second lowlight in Charles Leclerc’s 2020 season was the opening lap DNF at the Sakhir Grand Prix. On the Bahrain International Circuit’s outer layout, Leclerc was duelling with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull race car and Sergio Perez’s Racing Point vehicle for third place from the start and attempted a late braking move heading into turn four. Barely edging Verstappen into the corner, Leclerc surprise Perez with his overly aggressive entrance colliding with the pink Racing Point car. Leclerc and Verstappen ended their race in the turn four retaining barrier.  

Charles Leclerc also missed an opportunity at a third podium finish in the Turkish Grand Prix held at the Intercity Istanbul Park track. Running third and attempting to pass Sergio Perez’s Racing Point RP20 race car for second place on the final lap, Leclerc locked up his brakes heading into the track’s turn 12 and fell to fourth. Following the race, teammate Sebastian Vettel who finished third complimented Leclerc in the team’s press release saying, “I can understand he is very angry about what happened, because in many ways, I see myself in him. But he is so strong that very soon, this day will be completely unimportant in his mind. He drove a great race.”

#5 Sebastian Vettel: C-

Photo Credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office/ Ferrari S.p.A.

Overall Season: 

When four-time Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Sebastian Vettel joined Scuderia Ferrari in 2015, it was strongly implied that the pairing was expected to provide the strongest challenger against the aligned powerhouse of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes-AMG. Though Vettel and Ferrari were able to show signs that they could rival the Silver Arrows team in several seasons leading up to 2020, the group constantly came up short. By the end of the 2019 Formula 1 calendar, it became apparent the German’s time with the Italian team was going to be nearing an end as Vettel’s teammate Charles Leclerc was frequently outperforming him and won Ferrari’s favour. News in May of 2020 that Sebastian Vettel was not returning to Ferrari following the end of the yet-to-be run season came as little shock. 

When the 2020 Formula 1 season got started in Austria, observers wanted to see how the pending split of driver and constructor would impact the performance of the #5 Ferrari SF1000 race car. A case could definitely be made that Sebastian Vettel and Scuderia Ferrari a difficult dynamic during their final season together. In addition to dealing with the troublesome 2020 race car, Vettel had one of his worst full-time campaigns in Formula 1. Scoring top-10 finishes in 7 of the 17 races, four of the final five races of 2020 ended with no points being gained. This drought period would include Vettel’s only podium finish of the past year in Turkey.

Sebastian Vettel has signed to be part of Aston Martin’s Formula 1 race program for the 2021 season. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

A driver considered to be a podium contender, Sebastian Vettel’s 2020 Formula 1 season was light on successes. An incompatibility with a slow SF1000 race car gave Vettel a difficult time throughout much of the past year. 

One major shining moment for Sebastian Vettel was a podium finish scored in a tricky race at the Intercity Istanbul Park track. Positioned in eleventh place on the grid at the start of the Turkish Grand Prix, the 33-year-old German had a breathtaking launch on the wet circuit and masterfully weaving his way up to fourth place on the first lap. Running in fourth spot in the final lap, Vettel’s teammate Charles Leclerc was ahead challenging the #11 Racing Point race car of Sergio Perez for second place. Heading into turn 12, Leclerc made a mistake allowing Vettel to take third place. 

Although the season did not go well for the German driver, Sebastian Vettel left Scuderia Ferrari with kind words. “This race is not one I will remember. But what I will remember are the gestures of all the team members, the mechanics, the engineers, the catering guys and so on. I think the energy has been different today and I felt that, and will carry it with me forever. I will miss Charles. Obviously he gave me a headache here and there, and we are at very different stages of our lives and careers. But he’s certainly a good kid and I think he will go a long way, he will be the man of the future. I hope he gets the car he deserves.” Vettel said in a post-race Ferrari press release following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

The 2020 season is a stretch of racing in Formula 1 that depicted Sebastian Vettel well off his form as a multiple time world drivers’ champion. Finishing the season 13th in the 2020 drivers’ standings, the campaign is seen as one of the worst in the German’s entire full-time career in the series. 

Throughout most of 2020, Vettel was bettered on pace by teammate Charles Leclerc on a race weekend. Starting with qualifying, the average result for Vettel’s #5 Ferrari was 13th among full-time entrant. Sebastian Vettel only broke into the Q3 session of qualifying three times during the season with his best grid position being 5th for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Racing with the SF1000 race car proved challenging as 10 grand prix events saw Vettel leaving without scoring a single point. In the final eight Formula 1 races of 2020, Vettel classified in the top 10 at the end just twice.

Entering the Austrian Grand Prix with confirmation that Sebastian Vettel was leaving Scuderia Ferrari at the end of the year, there was some belief the German wasn’t receiving the same level of support from the team as Leclerc. The on-track results seem to add some credence to this allegation but it’s unlikely the team would want one of their vehicles to underperform. 

Sebastian Vettel leaves Scuderia Ferrari in a similar position as Alain Prost and Fernando Alonso as championship drivers who fell short of winning a championship driving for the Prancing Horse. However, it’s worth noting that the parting during this difficult season appeared to be done on friendly terms by the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with “Grazie Seb” being found throughout the team’s garage.

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

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

 

Team Grade: C-

Overall Season: 

The former Sauber Formula 1 team’s second year operating under the persona of Alfa Romeo Racing has been deep disappointment. Scoring 57 points in the Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship for the 2019 season after 13 top-10 finishes, the squad collected just 8 points 2020 in 5 top-10 results. Although the 2020 schedule contained four fewer events than the previous season’s calendar, Alfa Romeo Racing’s deteriorating performance this past season was also clear on the track. In qualifying, team drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi settled with an average placement of 16.8 before accounting for grid penalties.

Alfa Romeo Racing’s partnership with Ferrari has been alluded to by observers as the reason for the lackluster 2020 campaign. The Ferrari power unit performance deficit in competition was viewed as an anchor to Alfa Romeo Racing as well as Haas F1 Team and specifically Scuderia Ferrari throughout the year. 

The driver lineup for the team consisting of 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen and Italian Antonio Giovinazzi performed decently throughout the 2020 season with the failings of the Ferrari-powered C39 race car. By the end of the year, both the highly-experienced Raikkonen and Giovinazzi who were running in his second full-time Formula 1 campaign gathered four points apiece. 

 

Achievements During 2020 Season:

Gaining points in just 4 of the 17 grand prix events on the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, Alfa Romeo Racing team’s top 10 result at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was a particular high moment in a fairly lowly season. At the end of the 63-lap event on Italy’s Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari commonly recognized as Imola, the cars draped in Alfa Romeo colours flew to a double-point scoring finish. Electing to use a single pit stop plan for both cars, the execution involved contrasting strategies. Finishing ninth, Kimi Raikkonen’s #7 machine started on medium compound tires and waited until lap 48 to take on soft compound Pirelli rubber. The #99 car of Antonio Giovinazzi left the race grid on soft compound Pirelli tires but pitted to receive medium compound tires on lap 10. 

Though the team technically competes under Sauber’s Swiss flag, Alfa Romeo Racing’s most successful run for the 2020 season coming at an Italian race would have provided an extra sense of thrill with the accomplishment. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Lacking engine power and finding no other significant advantage to overcome it, Alfa Romeo Racing faced trouble scoring top 10 finishes throughout 2020. Although the team’s C39 race cars were mechanically reliable with a total of five race retirements between their two entrants, they were non-factors in a number of grand prix events. 

While Alfa Romeo Racing’s pit road strategy call paid off with points at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, their plan at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza was a major miss. For what was a chaotic event, both Alfa Romeo cars were running in the top-five aided by the opportune deployment of a safety car early in the event. Another safety car quickly turning into a red flag period brought forth after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari crashed proved costly for Antonio Giovinazzi when the team pitted the #99 while the pit road was closed. Running second for a brief time when racing resumed after the red flag, Kimi Raikkonen faded as his soft compound tires wore falling to what would be a 13th place finish.  

Team Drivers

#7 Kimi Raikkonen: B-

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Turning 41 years old in October of 2020, Kimi Raikkonen is defying conventions in modern Formula 1 that favours younger pilots. As the 2007 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion, the Finnish competitor first competed in the series in 2001 after barely qualifying for the sport’s Super License due to limited car racing experience. Raikkonen suited up to run his 18th season on the tour competing for a second season with the Alfa Romeo Racing team realizing that the squad may lack race-winning prowess of previous teams such as Ferrari and McLaren but eager to keep fighting for grand prix honours. 

In 2020, Kimi Raikkonen claimed a pair of Formula 1 records related to his endurance in the sport. Raikkonen’s 323rd start in the series the Eifel Grand Prix game him the recognition for being the driver with the most Formula 1 starts. The Finnish driver also gained the top honour for having the most grand prix entries. Secured to race for Alfa Romeo Racing for 2021, Kimi Raikkonen is set to place the mark higher. 

On a competitive front, the Finnish endured a rather difficult 2020 season with an outmatched race car. Raikkonen accomplished scoring points in his #7 Alfa Romeo Racing car twice over the course of 17 races.

Achievements During 2020 Season:

Though the season was limited in success, Kimi Raikkonen was provided with a few opportunities to remind his fellow competitors as well as other race observers that he still has hunger that led to his 2007 Formula 1 championship. 

The veteran Finnish pilot for Alfa Romeo Racing would end two grand prix events in ninth place. The first came as Raikkonen survived the Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello slotting between the Ferraris driven by Charles Leclerc and former teammate Sebastian Vettel. His second point-scoring finish was part of a double-point scoring effort by his race team at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. In the second effort, Raikkonen ran until lap 48 on medium compound tires before making his one and only pit stop in the event.

Raikkonen would crack the top-10 in qualifying once during the 2020 season under tricky driving conditions on the weekend of the Turkish Grand Prix. The #7 car would place 8th on the grid after the Q3 session concluded.

Although he would ultimately finish an unremarkable 13th place, Kimi Raikkonen and his Alfa Romeo Racing team staged an amusing showing during the middle stage of the Italian Grand Prix on the Monza track. Following the second standing start in the race, the Finnish driver and his #7 Alfa Romeo C39 race car ran in second place for several laps before his soft compound Pirelli tires wore out.  

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Though Kimi Raikkonen competed valiantly in 2020, the year on the track was a mostly miserable outing. Scoring just four points in the drivers’ standings after 17 races, Raikkonen’s season-ending tally is the worst in his Formula 1 career (this includes the Finnish driver entered Formula 1 in 2001 when only the top-six finishers in a grand prix received points).

Suffering only one retirement during the season in the opening round in Austria, Kimi Raikkonen spent the large portion of the year finishing well out of the points in a lackluster C39 race car. Qualifying was particularly dreadful for the driver of the #7 Alfa Romeo Racing entry concluding three events as the slowest driver in the initial Q1 session. Though comparing relatively equally to teammate Antonio Giovinazzi’s time trial performances throughout 2020, Raikkonen was out-qualified by the Italian driver of the #99 car 9 times in 17 grand prix events.

#99 Antonio Giovinazzi: C+

Photo Credit: Zak Mauger/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

For Italy’s Antonio Giovinazzi, 2020 was the sophomore driver’s second full-time season of competition with Alfa Romeo Racing. Giovinazzi entered Formula 1 after climbing the motorsport ladder through junior open wheel series and the occasional sports car start. In 2015, he finished runner-up in the drivers’ standings to current IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. The next year, Giovinazzi ran in the GP2 Series and came eight points short of the drivers’ title scored by Pierre Gasly. One of the greatest honours earned by Antonio Giovinazzi was claiming victory at the 2015 Masters of Formula 3 event taking pole and winning ahead of current Williams Racing driver George Russell. 

The Italian’s tenure in Formula 1 has been a mixed affair. Debut for a two-race stint with the Sauber F1 Team in 2017, Giovinazzi’s only full season in the sport prior to the 2020 season concluded with just four top-10 finishes over 21 races last year. A fifth place scored in the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix remains his best result in the series. The 2020 season was a struggle for the 27-year-old Italian as he competed with the Alfa Romeo Racing team’s uncompetitive race car.  

Achievements During 2020 Season:

Finishing in the points in three grand prix events during the 2020 season, Antonio Giovinazzi’s best result was ninth place at the Austrian Grand Prix. 

However, as a driver competing under the Italian flag, Giovinazzi’s tenth place finish at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola likely served as a great moment over the 17-round Formula 1 calendar. “I am really happy for the team’s result and, of course, for scoring points in my home Grand Prix. It has been a very strong race, especially starting from last place, and finishing in the top ten really was the most we could do.” said Giovinazzi in a post-race Alfa Romeo press release following the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. 

Advancing into the Q3 session in qualifying one time at the Turkish Grand Prix, Antonio Giovinazzi’s performance in Saturday time trials often outpaced his more experienced teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

In what is a relatively short Formula 1 career, Antonio Giovinazzi has been involved in some spectacular crashes. In his second-ever time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Giovinazzi crashed twice in qualifying and during the race. The Italian driver fortunately walked away from both accidents on that weekend in China.

At the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix, Antonio Giovinazzi experienced another hard wreck in his career. During the race on the fast Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the driver of the #99 Alfa Romeo Racing C39 race car slipped exiting turn 14 on lap 10 crashing into track retaining wall. A wheel/tire assembly from Giovinazzi’s car flew into the path of Williams Racing entrant George Russell leading to his race retirement. Both drivers were unhurt and walked out of their machines. 

1 Racing Mind’s Formula 1 Season Ending Team Report Card: Haas F1 Team

Photo Credit: Andy Hone/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

 

Team Grade: D+

Overall Season: 

An organization that seemingly avoided the growing pains of building a competitive squad in Formula 1 when they scored points in three of their first four grand prix event in 2016, some could argue the Haas F1 Team’s fortunes acted in reverse following their 2019 and 2020 outings. For the fourth season returning with veteran drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, the American-owned race team struggled throughout the 2020 season with a slow Ferrari-powered VF-20 machine. Along with experiencing the same performance issues from their powertrain as other Ferrari entrants, other flaws with the VF-20 design caused drivers to cite the race car as lacking balance and grip.  

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

To start, a highlight of the Haas F1 Team’s season and underperforming VF-20 race car was not based on its competition. The first lap crash of Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix was visually one of the scariest impacts seen in modern Formula 1. The impact caused the Haas F1 Team’s vehicle to sheer into two and erupt in a fiery explosion. However, even as the cockpit portion of the race car had jammed into the track’s metal retaining barrier, Grosjean was able climbed out with assistance from emergency workers. While the French driver suffered severe burns to his hands and ankles, the injuries were fortunately minor compared to the scope of the crash. The halo structure as well as the safety engineering built into Formula 1 cars including the VF-20 provided an astonishing result equal to a race victory. 

Knowing that their VF-20 race car lacked the pace to competently contend for top 10 finishes, the Haas F1 Team undertook some inventive tactics to gain the three points they received in 2020. During the Hungarian Grand Prix as most of the field started on intermediate tires, both team cars were brought to the pits on the formation lap for slick tires noticing the drying Hungaroring circuit. Although the team was penalized for the manner they performed the tire change, Kevin Magnussen was able to capture a tenth place finish. At the Eifel Grand Prix on German’s Nurburgring race track, the Haas F1 Team kept Romain Grosjean on track as many racers pitted under a safety car and ultimately crossed the finish line in ninth place. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

The season was overall ugly for the Haas F1 Team. Not as embarrassing as last year when a very public sponsorship dilemma served as a distraction, Haas F1 Team’s 2020 campaign resulted in even fewer points. Ending the 2020 season, the Haas F1 Team vehicles recorded the most retirements in Formula 1 with nine (Kevin Magnussen also withdrew from the Turkish Grand Prix after 55 laps but was classified for the event). 

The VF-20 race car as well as its Ferrari powertrain is cited as a leading culprit to the Haas F1 Team’s dismal performance in 2020. Lacking grip and usable power, the pace of the squad’s vehicles was hindered at every track on the tour. During the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, the Haas F1 Team entered Saturday qualifying on an optimistic tone after Friday practice but ended the time trial promptly with 16th and 17th place starting spots. The team’s only double race retirement for the 2020 season came at the opening round in Austria where both cars dropped out of the event due to brake issues. 

Team's Drivers: 

#8 Romain Grosjean: C

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Romain Grosjean joined the Haas F1 Team during the organization’s opening season in the sport in 2016. Competing in his fifth and final year with the American-based team, the French driver has endured the most turbulent run. After a 2019 Formula 1 season where Grosjean struggled to capture eight points with the Haas F1 Team, 2020 was a bitter disappointment. In his 15 races for during this past season, he was only able to finish a single event in the top 10. While the performance deficit with the Haas VF-20 race car was evident, Grosjean would be more open with the issues of the 2020 machine when it became clear he would not be returning to the team for 2021. Grosjean’s career in Formula 1 has come to a less than ceremonious end being forced sit out the final two races after surviving a scary crash in the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Running the 2020 season with a vehicle that has noted issues, Romain Grosjean had few opportunities to make his veteran experience behind the wheel count. Grosjean’s best start in the 2020 Formula 1 season was a 14th place at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix on the Silverstone Circuit being one of three occasions the Frenchman left the Q1 session in the year. The highest finish for Romain Grosjean in 2020 came at the Eifel Grand Prix where he crossed the line in ninth and grabbed two championship points.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

The foreseeable conclusion of a Formula 1 career started in 2009 and involved many podium finishes in 2012 and 2013, Romain Grosjean’s 2020 campaign on the track was less than glorious. Not only did Grosjean miss out on points in 14 of 15 races, he wasn’t even close to competing for a top 10 finish. One of the most difficult races for Grosjean’s 2020 campaign was the Haas F1 Team’s disastrous outing at the Spanish Grand Prix. After finishing the weekend’s first two practice sessions in the top-6, the #8 car qualified 17th and would the main event in finish 19th place.  

#20 Kevin Magnussen: C-

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Making his debut in Formula 1 with McLaren 2014, Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen closed out his career in the series with the conclusion of the 2020. Son of Jan Magnussen who had 24 career starts in Formula 1 wrapped up by a career-best sixth place finish at the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix, 28-year-old Kevin enjoyed 119 starts in the series with his best race result coming in his debut in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix with a runner-up finish. Unfortunately for Magnussen, the second place result in his first Formula 1 event would be his only podium result after six full seasons on the tour. Competing with the Haas F1 Team for the fourth year in 2020 netted Kevin Magnussen one of the worst overall seasonal campaign scoring just one point. In 2021, the Danish driver will follow his father’s career footsteps into sports car racing.   

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Set to be Kevin Magnussen’s final Formula 1 points-paying finish in his career came at the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix. Owed largely due to the Haas F1 Team choosing to pit both of their cars for slick Pirelli tires at the start of the race, Magnussen finished event in ninth place. He was demoted to tenth after receiving a 10-second time penalty resulting for his team aiding their driver on a formation lap breaching sporting regulations for radio communications. 

In three grand prix events, Kevin Magnussen and his Haas F1 Team’s #20 race car were able to escape the first round of qualifying ultimately gaining a 15th place result in qualifying results.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Similar to his teammate Romain Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen had to compete with a less than stellar VF-20 race car that was often found near the back of the Formula 1 grid. During the Belgian Grand Prix and Tuscan Grand Prix weekends, Magnussen’s #20 machine was the slowest vehicle in qualifying. In addition to driving a disappointing competition car, the 2020 season for the Danish driver was also marked by several retirements. Kevin Magnussen failed to be running at the finish of 7 of the 17 races with reasons for retirement consisting of mechanical issues, being caught in a multi-car wreck at the Tuscan Grand Prix and a tire shortage at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. 

#51 Pietro Fittipaldi (Round 16 & 17): C

Photo Credit: Andy Hone/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

With regular driver Romain Grosjean sidelined due to injuries suffered the lap one crash in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Haas F1 Team called up their test driver Pietro Fittipaldi to complete the final two races in the 2020 season in the open seat. The grandson of two-time Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion Emerson Fittipaldi and nephew of racer Max Papis, the 24-year-old driver is American born but competes under the Brazilian flag winning several titles open wheel-style feeder series. With a strong racing pedigree, Pietro Fittipaldi debut in Formula 1 came with the Sakhir Grand Prix finishing in 17th place. Fittipaldi also completed with the team for the 2020 series finale.   

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Though finishes of 17th and 19th place in two grand prix events are not generally worth accolades on the surface, Pietro Fittipaldi performed admirably for the circumstances presented to him. Added to the driving lineup of the Haas F1 Team within a week as a substitute entrant for the Sakhir Grand Prix, Fittipaldi’s expectations were kept modest with finishes in both races proving to be an achievement when looking at the broader picture. Team Principal for the race squad Guenther Steiner expressed satisfaction for “Pietro (Fittipaldi) did a good job in his first race having not driven a Formula 1 car in a year.”

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:

Pietro Fittipaldi’s second race at the 2020 Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi proved slightly more disappointing than the Sakhir Grand Prix due to issues with his #51 machine. Ending qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix one step up from his debut one week earlier Bahrain International Circuit but starting 17th due to other opponents’ grid penalties, Fittipaldi Haas F1 Team VF-20 race car was able to run ahead of teammate Kevin Magnussen during the early part of the race on the Yas Marina Circuit but encountered an overheating problem that required an added pit stop dropping him to finish at the last car running on the race.

Hamilton On Top After Unique F1 Pole Battle In Portugal

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

Hosting Formula 1's first Portuguese Grand Prix since 1996, the Algarve International Circuit (or also known as the Portimao Circuit) was constructed in 2008 and has been the site of MotoGP, several sports car competitions as well as a 2009 A1 Grand Prix event. Formula 1 teams have visited the track for pre-season winter testing in 2009 but a competitive grand prix had never been held until this year receiving a date as part of the modified 2020 race schedule.

A 15-turn, 4.653-kilometer race course, the Portugal’s Portimao Circuit has been described in many accounts for having elements of older tracks with numerous elevation changes and tight turns. In the practices leading up to qualifying, drivers also noted the slipperiness of the track’s recently resurfaced asphalt. The challenges presented in the tricky track have resulted in Pirelli bringing their three hardest compound slick tires. The process of setting the grid for Sunday’s 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix would involve several instances of ingenuity. 

Photo Credit: Zak Mauger/LAT Images/Pirelli

Whether in a long-established grand prix or one of the improvised outings for 2020, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team continues to show supremacy when it comes to pace. Valtteri Bottas ended all three practice sessions at the Portimao Circuit at the top of the time charts. Bottas’ teammate and current drivers’ championship points leader Lewis Hamilton was second-quickest in two of three of the sessions encountering difficulty with high winds and two red flags in the second Friday practice. In Saturday’s qualifying, it was Hamilton’s turn to take the top spot on the time sheet.  

Besting his teammate with a 1-minute, 16.652-second lap time, the pole-winning effort by Lewis Hamilton was accomplished in an unorthodox fashion. Not only was the fastest time set on the weekend’s  medium compound tire, Hamilton’s #44 car undertook multiple hot laps in the final Q3 run. Completing three laps in the successful effort to post the top time, Hamilton clinched his 97th Formula 1 career pole position. Beaten by 0.102 seconds around the 4.653-kilometer Portuguese track, Eifel Grand Prix pole sitter Valtteri Bottas settled for second on the grid securing the Mercedes-AMG team another 1-2 in 2020 Formula 1 qualifying. 

Max Verstappen’s appearance in third place following Portuguese Grand Prix qualifying continues to trend of seeing the Dutch Red Bull Racing driver closest to mirror the dominant Mercedes-AMG entries. Verstappen’s top Q3 time was 0.252 seconds slower than Hamilton’s pole-sitting lap time. Joining the Honda-powered Red Bull on the second row is a pleasantly surprising effort from Scuderia Ferrari with their driver Charles Leclerc. The fourth place starting spot for Leclerc appears to show some progress being made in the development of the SF1000 race car. A new diffuser debuts this weekend on the Ferrari team as the latest of several technical upgrades. While Leclerc will be positioned high on the Portuguese Grand Prix starting grid, teammate Sebastian Vettel is starting deeper in the field in 15th place.  

Photo Credit: Zak Mauger/LAT Images/Pirelli

Racing Point’s Sergio Perez recorded the fifth fastest time in Q3 accompanied by Red Bull Racing driver Alexander Albon on the third row. In seventh and eighth place, the McLaren race cars set almost identical Q3 lap times. Carlos Sainz Jr. narrowly claimed an edge over teammate Lando Norris prevailing by just 0.005 of a second. Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri and the Renault race car of Daniel Ricciardo round out the top-10 of the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix’s starting order. 

Returning to on-track action in Portugal is Lance Stroll. Initially pulling out of the Eifel Grand Prix due to stomach discomfort, Stroll was made aware he had contracted COVID-19. Following a difficult Friday practice session where he and Max Verstappen collided, the Canadian Racing Point driver will start the Portuguese Grand Prix in 12th place.   

Shaping up to be a potentially unpredictable 66-lap race, the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix will run Sunday at 2:10 P.M. local time (9:10 A.M. Eastern Time).

 

2020 Formula 1
Portuguese Grand Prix
Starting Grid

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

Photo Credit: Steven Tee LAT Images/Pirelli

The year of 2020 has been one that has a period where almost everyone on Earth has been forced to make adjustments to accept duty of fending off a dangerous health threat. In battling COVID-19, measures to minimize the spread managed effectively by individuals and groups have given us some abilities to enjoy some a few indulgences. Along with a good part of the sporting world operating under strict health and safety guidelines, Formula 1 was finally able line up for their first event in Austria at the beginning of July. 

Eventually assembling a 17-race calendar consisting mostly of European tracks, the 70th Formula 1 season has completed their first nine races. With eight races occurring without spectators, the open wheel racing tour has put on some very entertaining events. Though the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team has shown the same strong form as seen in previous seasons, the 2020 season already contained some of the most intense and surprising Formula 1 action we haven’t seen for a long time. We’ve been treated some memorable wins that included a wild British Grand Prix finish where Lewis Hamilton limped his Mercedes to victory on only three inflated tires, Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing triumphant in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix as well as the underdog win of Pierre Gasly at the Italian Grand Prix. The 2020 Formula 1 championship season has also consisted of a fierce battle in the top 10 with McLaren, Renault and Racing Point in a tight constructors’ championship fight for third place. 

Celebrating 70 years as a world-leading auto racing spectacle, Formula 1 has faced trouble in honouring the milestone without the usual parties and fanfare they would have obviously wanted to generate. Mugello was the first time spectators were allowed to experience this year’s on-track suspense during the same race where Ferrari commemorated their 1,000th grand prix entry. 

Crossing the halfway for the 2020 season, all 10 Formula 1 teams have been able to clearly establish their performance potential in what is a very strange year overall. As the tour sets course towards some interesting grand prix such as a race in Turkey, Portugal and the Nurburgring not initially part of the 2020 schedule, let’s take a look at the season so-far from the perspective of the teams making up this year’s grid. 

Please click below on the Formula 1 team's name to view their 2020 Mid-Season Report Card: 

Mercedes-AMG

Red Bull Racing

McLaren Racing

Racing Point

Renault F1 Team

Scuderia Ferrari

Scuderia AlphaTauri

Alfa Romeo Racing

Haas F1 Team

Williams Racing 

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

 

Photo Credit: Ferrari S.p.A.

Team Grade: D+

Driver’s Grade:

Charles Leclerc: B+

Sebastian Vettel: C-

Summary of First Nine Races:

After the 2019 Formula 1 season, Scuderia Ferrari had a decent sense of optimism. Asserting itself as a stable podium-contending team and securing the young, talented Charles Leclerc as a teammate to Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari also faced scrutiny as allegations were made that the Italian team found a power unit exploit.  

For Scuderia Ferrari, the ongoing 2020 Formula 1 season has been a combination of disaster and drama. A less-than competitor car, race incidents as well as an emotional team culture that has not gone unnoticed by outsiders have plagued the organization. 

One of the major targets cited for Ferrari’s difficult 2020 season is the SF1000 race car. According to a BBC Sport article by Andrew Benson, the team realized flaws with the SF1000 after February’s pre-season testing and instituted an upgrade to the vehicle following the first race of the season. Said to have been an uneasy car to drive by both Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc at the early part of the season, the Ferrari SF1000's performance lagging has brought last year’s power unit issue into the conversation for their recent competitive problems.

Charles Leclerc securing a runner-up spot at the Austrian Grand Prix but flaws in the team showed up quickly. In the Styrian Grand Prix, running at the same Red Bull Ring as the Austrian Grand Prix one week later, the Ferraris qualified in a timid 10th and 11th place due in part of it being a wet time trial session. On the opening lap of the grand prix, Leclerc and Vettel collided leading to the eventual retirement of both competitors. The second and so-far final podium scored by Ferrari was at what was a bizarre British Grand Prix where Charles Leclerc took third aided by tire degradation issues of Mercedes that caused Valtteri Bottas to give up his second place late in the Silverstone event. 

Before the 2020 Formula 1 season was launched after it extended break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferrari announced that Sebastian Vettel would not be returning to the team after this year. It’s debatable to judge how much of an impact that the planned parting is having in regards to the on-track performance this year. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari’s plan for a single pit stop strategy was accompanied by a radio communication from a frustrated Vettel who was not provided with adequate clarity on their race plans.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

During season where the historic race team was ready to commemorate their 1000th grand prix start, Ferrari has little to celebrate as of September. After nine races, many Formula 1 fans and analysts would come to the conclusion that the 2020 season might go down as the worst for the Ferrari team. Scuderia Ferrari has admitted they’re not foreseeing a return to front-running competitiveness until the 2022 season.  

Proving itself still capable of competing for top-10 finishes in 2020, the Italian motorsport icon may fall into a position to gain another podium result. With Sebastian Vettel set to leave the team for Aston Martin next year, Ferrari is likely to put most greater focus around Charles Leclerc.

Lewis Hamilton Wins Inaugural Tuscan Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Wolfgang Wilhelm/Mercedes AMG 

With the initial 2020 Formula 1 schedule, there was going to be two new race courses added to the tour. A visit to the Hanoi Street Circuit for the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix as well as the series’ return to the Circuit Zandvoort for a new Dutch Grand Prix were ultimately scrubbed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Introducing a modified 2020 calender, Formula 1 has still able to infuse some fresh flavour to race audiences and teams through the addition of several new venues. A visit back to Portugal racing for the first time at the Portimão Circuit and a return to Intercity Istanbul Park for the Turkish Grand Prix are among tracks newly included on this year’s revised schedule. Serving as the first special track appearing for the 2020 Formula 1 season is the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello.  

Hosting the first-ever Tuscan Grand Prix in a famed Italian region, the Ferrari-owned race course functioned as the second Formula 1 event commemorating a milestone for the motorsport series’ 70th year. While the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix (the second race at Silverstone in July) celebrated seven decades of Formula 1, the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello marked the 1,000th grand prix entry for the storied Ferrari marque. In addition to Ferrari running special commemorative colours on their race cars for the Tuscan Grand Prix, the brand’s celebration in Formula 1 at Mugello was marked as the first race in the 2020 Formula 1 season to be run with fans in attendance. 

Though the second Italian race for the 2020 Formula 1 season was billed as a celebration for Ferrari’s milestone event, the continuing dominance of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team spoiled the party for the Prancing Horse. The 20-car field for the inaugural Tuscan Grand Prix started with Lewis Hamilton on pole with teammate Valtteri Bottas locking up the front row. While the Mercedes at the front of the grid at a new Formula 1 track brought concerns of a potential dull outing, Sunday’s 59-lap race on the 5.245-kilometer course was anything but a timid event.

In less than a minute after the start of the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix, a multi-car incident occurred heading into turn two. Jockeying for positions in the first lap, Romain Grosjean, Pierre Gasly and Kimi Raikkonen headed three-wide towards the Luco corner until the wheels of Gasly’s AlphaTauri and Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo touched. As the field slowed down for turn two, the AlphaTauri race car collided with the rear of the Red Bull Racing entry of Max Verstappen. The Honda-powered Red Bull was pushed off track and came to rest in sand trap where the Dutch driver was unable gain traction to rejoin the race. The Tuscan Grand Prix was the second consecutive DNF result for Verstappen who had been second in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship a few races prior to the tour’s trip to Italy. A race after an upset win at Monza, Pierre Gasly and his AlphaTauri car were relegated to early retirement. Kimi Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo and Romain Grosjean’s Haas F1 car were able to continue running. Carlos Sainz Jr. and Sebastian Vettel were also involved in a separate turn two mishap. Though the cars of Sainz and Vettel suffered damage, both competitors were able to be quickly repaired.  

Photo Credit: LAT Images/Mercedes AMG

The opening lap incident immediately drew the safety car that lasted until the end of lap six. An action that escaped attention due to the first lap accident was that Valtteri Bottas successfully beat Lewis Hamilton off the starting grid. Bottas led the field as the safety car returned to pit road taking the field across the start/finish line in a strategically slow manner. The #77 Mercedes AMG driver’s restart caused a bottleneck deeper through the race field resulting in another multi-car collision. The Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi and the Ferrari-powered Haas VF-20 of Kevin Magnussen collided within the accordion effect.  McLaren of Carlos Sainz Jr. as well as Nicholas Latifi’s Williams were also casualties of the front stretch accident having to ultimately retire their vehicles. This time, the major incident required a full race stoppage. For the second consecutive Formula 1 grand prix, a red flag put a stop to race action and brought cars to pit road. 

After a roughly 30-minute delay, the Tuscan Grand Prix was sent back to green with a standing start for lap nine. This second standing start for the event fell into the favour of the #44 Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton rushing past his teammate at the entry of the first corner. Following two multi-vehicle incidents, the race at Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello was finally able to proceed beyond a single lap without interruption. 

Though the Mercedes AMG team cars gained a healthy advantage over the rest of the competitors, there would be a heated battle for third place. Charles Leclerc held the spot until lap 18 as the Racing Point of Lance Stroll was able to pass his Ferrari. Running with new aerodynamic upgrades, Stroll fought from a sixth place starting spot to third place in the early stage of the race at Mugello. Returning to the race track in fourth place following a lap 31 pit stop, the Canadian driver and his #18 Racing Point car began to chase down the Renault of Daniel Ricciardo. Leaving the pits nearly three seconds behind Ricciardo, Stroll closed to within 1.1 seconds by lap 43 just before the day turned bad for the Racing Point driver. Believed to be caused by a sudden tire puncture, the pink Racing Point lost control and flew through the sand trap in Mugello’s turn nine colliding hard with a section of the track’s retaining barrier. The Stroll was able to leave his wrecked Racing Point machine without injury but the incident forced a safety car that evolved into a second red flag for the Tuscan Grand Prix. 

Following the third standing start of the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix, the race concluded with the Mercedes AMG team showing the way in Italy. Crossing the line first was Lewis Hamilton who won his 90th career grand prix by 4.88 seconds over his teammate Valtteri Bottas. In addition to the winning the inaugural Formula 1 event on the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, Hamilton also locked up the fastest lap of Sunday’s Tuscan Grand Prix registered at 1-minute, 18.833 seconds. Finishing in second place, Bottas attempted to find an edge over his teammate by requesting an alternative pit stop strategy from the Mercedes AMG crew. However, since the Finnish driver pitted prior to the leading #44 machine, Lewis Hamilton was able to simply counter by opting for the same tires one lap after what was the one and only competitive tire change during the race.   

Photo Credit: LAT Images/Mercedes AMG

Joining the two Mercedes AMG drivers on the podium was Thailand’s Alexander Albon. The result for Albon is his first career Formula 1 podium a little more than a full year after being called to drive for the Red Bull Racing team. 

Once again this season, Daniel Ricciardo showed some promising pace with the Renault F1 Team climbing from an eighth place qualifying position in a quest for the pairing’s first podium. Ricciardo finished just short of the hotly-contested third place spot at the Tuscan Grand Prix taking fourth. Finishing fifth, Sergio Perez salvaged Racing Point’s race after his teammate dropped out in spectacular fashion. Perez was also racing in Mugello with the public knowledge that the Mexican will not be returning to the ride he raced with since 2014. Overshadowed by their teammates’ performance in Monza, Lando Norris and Daniil Kvyat posted solid point-paying positions at Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello finishing sixth place and seventh place respectively. 

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

Although this season continues to be a struggle for Scuderia Ferrari, the combination of their 1,000th race and running on their home turf may have presented a moment of minor fortune for the team. For only the third place in 2020, both Ferrari race drivers finished in the top-10 of a grand prix’s running order. Starting strong in fifth place, Charles Leclerc rose to third place in the early stage of the Tuscan Grand Prix. However, tire degradation on the #16 Ferrari ultimately led to Leclerc settling for an eighth place result after 59 laps. Sebastian Vettel recovered from minor damage suffered early in the grand prix to take tenth. Between the two Ferrari cars, former long-time driver for the Italian team Kimi Raikkonen finished ninth place. The event on the Ferrari-owned race track was the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion’s first points during what has been a difficult 2020 season with Alfa Romeo Racing.

Photo Credit: Ferrari S.p.A.

George Russell came just short of a scoring a championship point with Williams Racing operating through its first event under new team management. The #63 Mercedes-Benz powered Williams finished in 11th place roughly 2.4 seconds behind Sebastian Vettel. 

Two multi-car accidents and several additional retirements in the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix concluded with just 12 cars crossing the finish line. Romain Grosjean’s Haas F1 Team car being the last to take the chequered flag. Ferrari and Mercedes AMG were the only teams to have both cars survive 59 laps at Mugello on Sunday.

The next race for the 2020 Formula 1 tour is the Russian Grand Prix set for September 27th. 

2020 Formula 1
Tuscan Grand Prix
Race Results