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

Photo Credit: Andy Hone/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Team Grade: B+

Overall Season: 

Although Red Bull Racing has lost its dominant position in the Formula 1 tour in 2014 with the arrival of the turbo/hybrid powerplant format, the colourful race cars fielded by the Austrian energy drink company has maintained a place as a top-three team. For the 2020 season, Red Bull Racing entered its second year using Honda-supplied power unit installed in their RB16 chassis. While the team drivers mentioned handling complications with the vehicle at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the race car performed well overall.

In the hands of Max Verstappen, the #33 RB16 race car was a formidable entrant seen as being one of the few competitors capable of nearly matching the pace of the Mercedes-AMG race cars evident by three fastest race laps, two grand prix wins and a pole. Red Bull Racing’s second driver Alexander Albon encountered a less consistent outing in the #23 machine as he navigated his first full season with the team. Albon did manage to stage some noteworthy runs in 2020 including his first career Formula 1 podium. Deservingly, Red Bull Racing finished second in the Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship after the year wrapped.

Achievements During 2020 Season:

With two race wins in the 2020 Formula 1 campaign, Red Bull Racing’s top triumphs in the season were actually more impressive that just claiming the top podium positions. Max Verstappen’s victories at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix were the direct result of Red Bull Racing outfoxing the German factory team on race day with an advantage. The first victory of the year at the Silverstone Circuit saw Red Bull Racing exploit a weakness with the Mercedes-AMG cars’ ability to manage tire wear. At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen finally ended up on the best side of a qualifying fight with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Following a great start, the Dutch driver’s second win for Red Bull Racing appeared to be better suited to the Yas Marina Circuit.

Scoring a total of 14 podium finishes between both drivers in 2020, the Bahrain Grand Prix served as the team’s best overall result. Aided by Sergio Perez’s late race retirement, Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon snagged podium finishes behind grand prix winner Lewis Hamilton. The double podium result for Red Bull Racing in the third-to-last event in 2020 was the first for the team since the 2017 Japanese Grand Prix.

Beyond the accomplishments of the drivers, Red Bull Racing’s unsung garage crew staged one of the most breathtaking exhibitions at the Hungarian Grand Prix before the race started. During the formation lap for Formula 1 cars on a wet Hungaroring race track, Max Verstappen’s and his vehicle on intermediate tires slid wide in turn 12. Impacting the safety barrier resulting in damage to the left front suspension and front wing, the #33 car was quickly attended to by the Red Bull Racing mechanics. A grateful Verstappen was able to finish second in the event thanks to his crew’s efforts. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Assembling a 2020 season that saw them functioning as the only viable challenger to Mercedes-AMG, Red Bull Racing ended the year as the second-best outfit. Most of the times outright beaten by the German automaker’s Formula 1 team, there were occasions where opportunities for better results slipped away. Despite finishing in the runner-up position in the Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull Racing failed to score points in three grand prix events. McLaren, Racing Point and Renault only had one race apiece where neither vehicle finished in the top 10. Several mechanical problems and Max Verstappen’s unlucky involvement in an opening lap of the Sakhir Grand Prix proved costly.

Red Bull Racing has been spoiled by their wealth of grand prix talent that existed within their Scuderia Toro Rosso affiliate team. Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo all followed a route from the so-called ‘junior team’ to Red Bull Racing. In the past two seasons, the Austrian-based team has fielded two entries with noticeably varying consistency. While the #33 Verstappen car was a stable frontrunner, the second drivers have been seen as underachievers. Dropping Pierre Gasly in the middle of the 2019 season, Red Bull Racing put Thailand driver Alexander Albon behind the wheel for the remainder of last year and the full season in 2020. Albon has encountered much of the same obstacles of Gasly with Red Bull Racing. Receiving a new race engineers ahead of the British Grand Prix, the Thai Red Bull Racing pilot eventually gain two podiums but his performance remained uneven.

Team's Drivers: 

#33 Max Verstappen: A-

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

When the Dutch driver joined Red Bull Racing in the fifth round of the 2016 season, it was clear to the motorsport world the name Max Verstappen would become a spotlight athlete. In his sixth full season in Formula 1, Max Verstappen maintains a fierce level of aggression on the race track but continues to assert an attitude that some could call abrasive at times. 

The Dutch driver led the charge for the Red Bull squad in 2020 and was ultimately seen as ‘the best of the rest’ compared to the dominating performance of the two Mercedes-AMG team competitors. In 17 races, Verstappen claimed 11 podium finishes and the fastest laps in three grand prix events in addition to victories at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. On four occasions, Verstappen was voted by fans as the Driver of the Race. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Max Verstappen was the only non-Mercedes-Benz powered Formula 1 entry to stand at the top of the podium. On two occasions in 2020, Verstappen took the chequered flag in first place beating the Mercedes factory team. 

The season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was perhaps the best drive by Max Verstappen. Taking the race’s pole by a narrow .025-second maring for Valtteri Bottas, the Dutch racer presented a masterful performance on Sunday reminiscent to some of the showing Mercedes-AMG were able to orchestrate in races this past season. Maintaining his lead from the start, Verstappen would cross the finish line 15.9 seconds ahead of Bottas.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Max Verstappen finished on the podium in all but one race when the vehicle remained running at the end of a grand prix. On the flip side of that number, the 2020 season featured five retirements for the #33 Red Bull Racing RB16 race car. For two of the DNFs, Verstappen was caught in an opening lap crash including the Sakhir Grand Prix where he had a hypothetical chance at winning if he remained in the race based on the way the event transpired. Verstappen also suffered a retirement at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola when a sudden tire failure sent him off the track and out of the race while running second.

With only Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen recording more DNFs in 2020, Max Verstappen’s failure to finish likely cost the Dutch drive the runner-up spot in the World Drivers’ Championship ending the season nine points behind Valtteri Bottas.

#23 Alexander Albon: C+

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Thanks to the high profile mid-season driver change pushing Pierre Gasly out of the team in favour of Alexander Albon, the Thai racer was almost immediately on the hot seat to perform in 2020. In his first full year with the Red Bull Racing squad, Albon proved to be less effective in races than teammate Max Verstappen but did manage some accolades. A first career podium at the Tuscan Grand Prix allowed Albon to become the first athletic competing under the flag of Thailand to claim such an honour in Formula 1. Adding another podium later in the season, Alexander Albon succeeded in proving himself behind the wheel of the RB16 race car. However, being constantly measured against a teammate that ended the 2020 season with two wins and eleven podium finishes were inevitable causing the driver of the #23 car to be judged against a high standard. 

Alexander Albon finished the 2020 Formula 1 tied with McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr. with 105 points in the season-long drivers’ standings but a second place scored by the Spaniard resulted in the Red Bull Racing driver settling one position behind in 7th place. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

In a unique grand prix held at Ferrari’s Mugello race track, Alexander Albon took his first career podium finish crossing the line behind the pair of Mercedes-AMG race cars. The podium result at the Tuscan Grand Prix was essentially an overdue honour for the Thai driver. Running within the top-three late in the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix as well as at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, Albon’s hope to celebrate on a stage was foiled both times after contact with Lewis Hamilton.  

Although Alexander Albon was outranked in many aspects of the 2020 Formula 1 by Max Verstappen, the Thai driver leaves the past season better in one discipline. Albon finished all but two grand prix events compared to Verstappen’s five race retirements.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Alexander Albon performance during the 2020 Formula 1 season has been a roller coaster. Though he succeeded in putting the #23 Red Bull Racing car in a podium spot twice, the 17-round calendar also featured some less than stellar outings and missed opportunities for better placement. On lap 58 of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Albon spun as he battled Racing Point’s Sergio Perez for fifth place costing him and his team a point-paying finish. Albon was also out-qualified by Verstappen in every grand prix event in 2020 and earned a second row grid position on just three occasions. 

The lofty expectations of Red Bull Racing are difficult for many qualified Formula 1 drivers to live up it during a season. Alexander Albon performed well but not good enough for Red Bull Racing to field him in Formula 1 competition for 2021. His team elected to pick up hot free agent Sergio Perez to be the teammate to Max Verstappen next season with Albon remaining with the squad as a development driver. 

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

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Team Grade: A-

Overall Season: 

During the 2019 season, McLaren Racing was seen as on the road to recovering much of its historical reputation for being a contender in Formula 1. The 2020 Formula 1 season was another step forward to once-again asserting itself as a podium-fighting squad. Drivers Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr. each grabbed a podium result with McLaren in 2020 with their Renault powered machines. Overcoming reported financial concerns caused due to the Coronavirus pandemic, McLaren Racing’s reward was a third place finish in the Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship following an aggressive fight with Racing Point and the Renault F1 Team for the honour.   

 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The McLaren Racing organization has made a clear and concerted effort in recapturing much of its past glory after struggling through the midpoint of the 2010s. This year, the Woking-based race team was a solid point finisher with both drivers. The Russian Grand Prix was the only instant in 2020 where the team left a race weekend without scoring a top 10 finish. The McLaren Racing team also pulled together a great deal of consistency in the last remaining races that contributed greatly to their third place in the constructors’ standings for 2020. In the final five grand prix events, both cars finished in point-scoring positions.

The Renault-powered MCL35 also proved to be a pretty quick machine over the course of the year. On three occasions during the 2020 Formula 1 season, McLaren team cars captured the fastest lap of the race. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

For the team in general, the 2020 Russian Grand Prix could be seen as their most disappointing outing. In the only race where McLaren Racing failed to score points, Carlos Sainz Jr. crashed on the opening lap overshooting the second turn on the Sochi track and hit the wall after failing to rejoin the circuit. Lando Norris continued through the event attempting to push the hard compound Pirelli tires he received on lap 1 to the 53-lap distance of the Russian Grand Prix. In the last laps of the event, the #4 McLaren race car had difficulty maintaining the pace to retain a top 10 finish and ultimately needed to make a late pit stop coming across the line in 15th place.  

Another unfortunate moment for the McLaren Racing team came at the Belgian Grand Prix. Before the start of the race on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the power unit of the #55 machine of Carlos Sainz Jr. refused to engage. Sainz had qualified in seventh place for the weekend’s main event.

Team's Drivers

#4 Lando Norris: B+

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Lando Norris entered his second season in Formula 1 returning to McLaren Racing in 2020 and the 21-year-old continued to show talent and some blossoming expertise behind the wheel. In the opening round of this season at Austria’s Red Bull Ring, he scored his first career podium result. Despite the shortened season, Norris racked up almost twice the amount of points in the season-long championship compared to 2019. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

Lando Norris enjoyed a very consistent season with the McLaren Racing team failing only to finish one event on the entire 17-race calender. The biggest achievement in his young Formula 1 career occurred at the Red Bull Ring. A track where Lando Norris had tied his season-best result in his rookie year, the Austrian circuit hosted his first series podium finish after Mercedes-AMG driver Lewis Hamilton was issued a five-second penalty. Norris crossed the line in fourth but was 4.8 seconds behind Mercedes elevating him to his new career-best finish. In many events, Norris mirrored the efforts of his more veteran teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. ending the 2020 season with a qualifying average almost identical to the Spaniard. However, Norris bettered his now-former McLaren teammate by taking the extra championship point for fastest lap in two grand prix events compared to Sainz’s one.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Lando Norris’ efforts behind the wheel of a Formula 1 in 2020 were nowhere near as rage-filled as some of his Twitch game play streams. For a sophomore season in the top open wheel racing series on the planet, Lando Norris enjoyed a quiet yet successful campaign that did not contain too many major moments of failure. Missing the points on four occasions in the season, three of those times came in consecutive races. The Russian Grand Prix was due to Norris losing on the team’s gamble with hard compound tires, the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring ended with a power unit issue (his only DNF of the 2020 season) and the Portuguese Grand Prix’s 13th place finish was a result of a collision between him and the Racing Point car of Lance Stroll.

#55 Carlos Sainz Jr.: B+

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Finishing in sixth place in the 2020 Formula 1 Worlds Drivers’ Championship points standings, Carlos Sainz Jr. had one of the best years in his professional career. A driver in the series since 2015, Sainz entered his second year with McLaren Racing in 2020 achieving several career firsts. At the Styrian Grand Prix held on the Red Bull Ring, the driver of the #55 race car set the fastest lap that was also a lap record for the present configuration of the track. Later in the year, Sainz obtained a runner-up finish at the Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit. One-half of the driving team that contributed to McLaren’s third place in the Constructors’ Championship, Carlos Sainz Jr. is taking his talent to Scuderia Ferrari. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The Styrian Grand Prix was one of two showcase events for the Spanish driver’s 2020 Formula 1 campaign. Falling short in the race finishing in ninth, Carlos Sainz Jr.’s outing in Austria was one where the #55 car qualified a strong 3rd place in wet weather and posted the fastest lap on Sunday. However, the highlight of Sainz’s 2020 season (and Formula 1 career so far) has been the Italian Grand Prix. Placing himself in a position to pounce when the majority of traditional frontrunners were out of contention, Sainz and McLaren had a chance at victory. After pursuing eventual winner Pierre Gasly closely in the late laps, Carlos Sainz Jr. earned his second career podium finish and first time as the runner-up driver. Through 17 rounds of the 2020 Formula 1 tour, the Spaniard earned his season-best championship tally of 105 points.   

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Carlos Sainz Jr.’s best Formula 1 finish to date came in a middle of an unlucky streak of grand prix events. Prior to the Italian Grand Prix, Sainz was sidelined in the Belgian Grand Prix when his car’s power unit failed before the start of the event. In the two races following Monza, the #55 McLaren suffered early race retirements. At the Tuscan Grand Prix on the Mugello track, Sainz first suffered damage to his car in the opening lap. He would later be caught up in a multiple car crash following a safety car period on lap five. The following event in Russia had Carlos Sainz Jr. crashing on the opening lap after unsuccessfully attempting to rejoin the track through a run-off area. 

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

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Team Grade: A-

Overall Season: 

Racing Point name in Formula 1 will only exist for two and a half seasons as the team prepares for a massive rebranding for 2021. However, in the twilight of the short-lived Racing Point identity, the squad focused around pink team colours has left a meaningful footprint in the sport. For many races in 2020, the organization’s RP20 was a common sight running in the top 10 (often in the top five) of grand prix events.

Racing Point’s driver lineup consisting of Mexican Sergio Perez and Canadian Lance Stroll both had career years in 2020 with the young driver scoring his first Formula 1 career while the veteran pilot captured a prized win in the Sakhir Grand Prix. Both Racing Point drivers had to sit out races due to positive COVID-19 tests resulting in Nico Hulkenberg joining the group for three events performing more than respectable efforts especially based on limited practice. 

Though Racing Point established itself as a solid contender this season evident by its fourth place finish in the World Constructors’ Championship, the team’s infancy as a top-contending organization showed on several occasions this past year. A reliance on technology from Mercedes-AMG was also a major factor in Racing Point’s success but ended up being a double-edged sword creating one of the biggest controversies in the Formula 1 paddock.

Achievements During 2020 Season:

 Racing Point found its target during the 2020 season. After struggling to find traction in the 2019 competition, the group maintained itself as a solid top five constructor this past season. In occasions holding its own against Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull Racing, Racing Point posted two monumental achievements late in the season. Under treacherous conditions in Istanbul, Lance Stroll took pole for the Turkish Grand Prix. On race day, Stroll maintained the lead early but eventually fell down the running order as a result of tire issues. The Canadian driver was also in position to take Racing Point’s first Formula 1 win at the Italian Grand Prix but settled for third in that race. With two races remaining in his tenure at Racing Point, Sergio Perez stormed to victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

For the first part of the Formula 1 season, the Racing Point team’s RP20 race car came under scrutiny for its design resembling last year’s Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+ initially resulting in the vehicle being branded a “Pink Mercedes’ by some. Although the similarities were dealt with by humour, other teams felt more seriously about Racing Point’s 2020 challenger. The Renault F1 Team would file a formal complaint after the second round of the season focused on the RP20's rear brake duct design. After an investigation by the FIA it was determined the team used a 2019 rear brake duct design that was unused until this season. Though the computer-aided design template was legally obtained last year, using the design as the basis for the 2020 car was judged for being an infraction. Costing the team 400,000 euros, the addition penalty of 15 points proved significantly more expensive. Racing Point was seven points behind McLaren Racing who took third place in the 2020 Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship.     

Team's Drivers:

#11 Sergio Perez: A+

Zak Mauger/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Reaching the mark of completing in 190 grand prix events in 2020, Sergio Perez entered the season as one of the longest competing Formula 1 drivers that had not won a race. At the beginning of the year, the 30-year-old Perez who spent a majority of his career in the series driving mid-mark race cars was one-half of the driving team piloting Racing Point’s steadily quick RP20 machine. For the Mexican, the 2020 season would serve as a reward for a team he supported when it was known as Force India and remained part of following a consortium headed by Lawrence Stroll bought the organization. Demonstrating an ability of picking up points in almost every start he made, Perez’s presence in Formula 1 appeared to be precarious as Racing Point decided within the season that their 2021 plans would involve Sebastian Vettel replacing him. Determined to leave a lasting mark on the team as well as secure a 2021 ride, Perez was on a mission in the late rounds of the 2020 calendar. Becoming a Formula 1 race winner in the second to last race with Racing Point, Sergio Perez accomplished both late season goals.

For the 2021 Formula 1 season, Segio Perez takes his reignited determination to the Red Bull Racing team. 

 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The crowning achievement of what was a banner season for Sergio Perez is naturally the much-lauded victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Recovering from being a casualty of opening lap contact from the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, Perez’s charge placed him in prime position when the pair of Mercedes-AMG race cars fell out of contention due to poorly executed pit stops. Perez’s victory in the race in Bahrain was a popular moment late in the 2020 Formula 1 season and certainly played a major part in cementing the Mexican’s place with Red Bull Racing for 2021.  

Besides the win, Sergio Perez’s 2020 season is still an impressive campaign finishing fourth overall in the World Drivers’ Championship. With exception to the two races he missed because of a COVID-19 diagnosis, Perez finished in the top 10 in all two events. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Sergio Perez became the first Formula 1 driver to be affected by the Coronavirus in 2020. Testing positive for the virus just before the British Grand Prix, Perez was sidelined for the famous United Kingdom event as well as a special second event held on the Silverstone Circuit called the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. With Lance Stroll showing eye-catching pace with his Racing Point car during practice at Silverstone, there would have been a strong likelihood that the Perez would have been able to at least mirror the lap times.

The final four races for the Mexican at Racing Point were a period of highs and lows. Sergio Perez’s two podiums were accompanied by two race exits before crossing the finish line. His retirements in both races came late in the season and were the result of power unit failures.

#18 Lance Stroll: B

Photo Credit: Steven Tee/ LAT Images/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Having entered his fourth season in Formula 1 in 2020, 22-year-old Lance Stroll is perhaps one of the most scrutinized athletes in the sport. Since his arrival in 2017, the merits of Stroll’s presence in the driver’s seat were questioned by some citing his father’s and family’s wealth. However, this assumption discounting the Canadian’s place in the Formula 1 fails to account for his Italian F4 and F3 European Championship titles as well as what has been some more than decent drives between 2017 and the end of 2019 for teams away from the top tier. 

The 2020 season presented the first true test for Lance Stroll in Formula 1 as the Racing Point team had become a legitimate podium contender. The year started strong with a streak of point scoring finishes spanning seven races but was broken by a troublesome middle portion of the series. Thanks to a pair of third-place finishes, Stroll’s season ended with a 11th place in the drivers’ standings.  

Achievements During 2020 Season:

Lance Stroll demonstrated consistent race pace early in the 2020 Formula 1 season thanks to a career-best run of consecutive point-paying positions. The 22-year-old Canadian would also set a career-high amount of total top 10 finishes in Formula 1 that included a two podium finishes. At the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, Stroll posted a third place result that was the highest finish for the Racing Point team’s short history at that time in the season. The second podium for Lance Stroll accompanied the triumphant victory of teammate Sergio Perez in the Sakhir Grand Prix.       

At the fourteenth round of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Lance Stroll proved himself to be superior among competitors in qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix. A Saturday event undertaken on a wet and slippery Intercity Istanbul Park track, the #18 Racing Point race car posted a lap time in Q3 besting teammate Perez as well as beating the efforts of Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen for the top grid position. Stroll became the fifth youngest Formula 1 polesitter and would lead a sizable portion of Sunday’s main event.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

There’s a belief in auto racing that sometimes a driver needs to lose a race before they can win one. In 2020, Lance Stroll was presented with at least three potential opportunities that could have been grand prix victories but failed.

The first major chance for the Canadian to pull off a Formula 1 win this past season came at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. Lining up in second for a standing start following a red flag period on lap 28, Stroll could not get the traction needed for an effective launch and fell to fifth place by the end of the lap. At the Sakhir Grand Prix, the #18 Racing Point car failed to pass the Renault of Esteban Ocon during the middle portion of the event. Stroll’s teammate Sergio Perez did accomplish the feat and ultimately ended up in the position to take the win.

Though the two previously mentioned incidents ended with the consolation of a podium result, Lance Stroll settled with far less in a grand prix where he started on pole. At the Turkish Grand Prix, Stroll maintained the lead early and pulled out a gap on wet weather tires but suffered after intermediate tires were mounted to his Racing Point on pit stops finishing ninth.

In addition to his unfortunate missed chances for an initial Formula 1 victory, Lance Stroll had a demoralizing streak of not scoring a point after his podium at Monza. Stroll crashed in the Tuscan Grand Prix due to a tire failure, collected in an opening lap incident in Russia, withdrew from the Eifel Grand Prix because of illness and had poor outings in Portugal as well as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.  

#27 Nico Hulkenberg: A

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/ LAT Image/ Pirelli

Overall Season: 

Time and again, there are drivers in Formula 1 that proves how unfair the sport is to some very skilled individuals. Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg first drove for the Williams Racing team in 2010 after demonstrating his championship-earning abilities in the defunct A1 Grand Prix and GP2 Series. In the middle of his Formula 1 career, Hulkenberg participated in the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans where he was part of the overall winning driving team behind the wheel of a Porsche 919 Hybrid prototype sports car. However, after nine competitive season in Formula 1 (ten including the 2011 season where he served as reserve/test driver for Force India) the German’s career was relegated to mid-to-lower field teams. Often over-achieving with the vehicles he competed in, he was never able to earn a grand prix podium result by the end of 2019 when the Renault F1 Team decided not to retain Hulkenberg. While many Formula 1 fans expressed support for Nico Hulkenberg in Formula 1, a 32-year-old driver who had not won in the series was vulnerable as a newer, younger crop of competitors are always climbing through the ranks. 

Without a ride for 2020, Nico Hulkenberg’s talent would return to the Formula 1 grid on three occasions with Racing Point. Hulkenberg would substitute for the team’s regular drivers Sergio Perez for both races at the Silverstone Circuit as well as for Lance Stroll at the Eifel Grand Prix on the Nurburgring track. Despite little preparation for two of three events, the German’s efforts were strong and resulted in his appearances receiving well-deserved praise.  

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

In the three appearance with Racing Point during the 2020 season, Nico Hulkenberg’s reserve call-up succeeded as creating a buzz around every event. Piloting his #27 Racing Point RP20 race car during the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, Hulkenberg compiled some barn burner laps in qualifying on Saturday in an effort that placed him third on the grid. The German pulled off a seventh place finish after 52 laps during the Sunday main race.

Nico Hulkenberg’s third and final run in the 2020 Formula 1 season earned him the “Driver of the Day” recognition. Initially intending to spend the race weekend as a personality with German television, Hulkenberg was called to replace an ill Lance Stroll at the Eifel Grand Prix on Saturday. With no practice time, the German qualified in 20th place but drove to an eighth place result. By a considerable margin, Formula 1 fans voted Nico Hulkenberg as the Driver of the Day for the race at his home track.  

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Nico Hulkenberg’s worst showing in 2020 was not the result of actions of the German but rather a clutch bolt. After qualifying 13th on Saturday for the British Grand Prix, Hulkenberg’s #27 Racing Point refused to start for the formation lap on Sunday. Hulkenberg and his Racing Point RP20 were sent to the garage before having the ability to a turn. 

1 Racing Mind’s Formula 1 Season Ending Team Report Card: Renault DP World F1 Team

Photo Credit: XPB / James Moy Photography Ltd./ F1 Renault Group

Team Grade: B+

Overall Season: 

Besides Racing Point, the Formula 1 constructor name that comes to mind when mentioning biggest year-to-year gains is the Renault DP World F1 Team. The 2019 season was regarded as a disappointment when accounting the team’s commitment, resources and driving talent. Competing in a 2020 season that was four races shorter than 2019, the French automakers’ grand prix team came a point short of doubling their total point tally in the constructors’ standings. Though the Renault name has a storied history in Formula 1, the results since their 2016 return to the sport as a factory constructor team had been a rough affair up until this past year. 

Renault DP World F1 Team’s 2020 challenger, the R.S. 20 race car, showcased itself as not only a reliable top-10 finisher but as a vehicle that could be a spoiler in some grand prix races. Three times, the race car was driven to a podium finish including a runner-up position at the second-last race of the season. Navigated around the Formula 1 tracks by the popular Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo teamed up with new Renault pilot Esteban Ocon. Ricciardo captured a pair of third-place finishes while Ocon claimed a surprise runner-up finish at the Sakhir Grand Prix. 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

On-track success for Renault DP World F1 Team was marked by  Seven races for the Renault DP World F1 Team ended with both cars finishing in the top 10. 

Not an event that accounted for one of their three podium results in 2020, the Belgian Grand Prix was probably one of the most triumphant moments for the team. A track known to demanding supreme engine power as well as stable handling for some challenging corners, Renault’s R.S.20 race cars and drivers gave a profound demonstration of the team’s potential. Daniel Ricciardo started fourth and finished fourth while Esteban Ocon qualified sixth and gained a spot to finish fifth in the race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. In addition to the consistently strong effort over 44 laps, Ricciardo recorded the fastest lap in the Belgian Grand Prix race. The Australian and the Renault team would also post the fastest race lap in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:

A weak outing for the Renault DP World F1 Team was the Spanish Grand Prix. While it was a common sight to see at least one of the R.S. 20 race cars within the first five rows of a grand prix grid throughout 2020, Daniel Ricciardo started the event in 13th place and Esteban Ocon would leap on the opening lap from 15th place. This result for the team came after a Friday practice session where Ricciardo was fourth and Ocon was ninth. On race day, neither driver was able to significantly improve from their grid positions over the course of the 66-lap ordeal on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Team's Drivers

#3 Daniel Ricciardo: B

Photo Credit: XPB / James Moy Photography Ltd./ F1 Renault Group

Overall Season: 

Leaving Red Bull Racing after the 2018 season for the Renault DP World F1 Team, it was seen as a well-calculated gamble for Daniel Ricciardo joining an organization that possessed resources to be a leading contender in the sport but lacking track success since their 2016 return. While entering the 2019 season with great positivity and optimism, Ricciardo endured a somewhat disappointing 21-race run scoring the least enough of drivers’ championship points since he was with Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2013.  

In the second year of a two-year contract with Renault DP World F1 Team, Ricciardo announced prior to the start of the 2020 Formula 1 season in July that he would jump to McLaren Racing for 2021. Despite the news the driver would be departing the team, the Renault organization remained supportive of the Australian throughout the past year realizing their mutual interests of a strong 2020 campaign. Over the course of 17 races, Daniel Ricciardo scored points in 14 events and finishing in the top-5 in the final results 7 times.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

In the opening nine races of the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth on three occasions with one of those being an exceptionally strong performance at the Belgian Grand Prix where he started a season-best fourth on the grid. Knocking on the door for a podium finish through the first-half of 2020, the Australian was finally able to partake in his personal ritual of drinking champagne out of his driving shoe with a third place finish at the Eifel Grand Prix at Germany’s Nurburgring. Ricciardo would return to the podium two races later at the Imola circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo has also been the Renault DP World F1 Team’s primary source of speed behind the wheel of the R.S. 20 race car. Out-qualifying his teammate Esteban Ocon on all but two occasions over 17 races, Ricciardo made the Q3 session in qualifying for all but three of the seventeen events. The Australian driver was also the source of Renault’s two fastest race laps of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Daniel Ricciardo’s season-long points total were enough to place him fifth in the 2020 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Experiencing a very consistent season in the top-10, Daniel Ricciardo’s only major faltering came in a two-race span. 

The first of the outlying races for the Ricciardo was the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix held on the Silverstone Circuit. The weekend for the #3 car started off well earning a fifth place grid position during a Saturday qualifying session but Sunday’s main event was deflating for the Australian. On lap 31 while competing in the middle of a tight battle between 8th and 12th places involving drivers Daniil Kvyat, Sebastian Vettel, Carlos Sainz Jr. and teammate Esteban Ocon, Ricciardo spun his Renault coming out of Silverstone’s turn three. Daniel Ricciardo finished the race in the 14th place spot.  

Following the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix was generally regarded as a lousy weekend for the entire Renault DP World F1 Team. Ricciardo showed a moment of brightness for the organization when he was fourth fastest in the second Friday practice session but the event went downhill during Saturday and Sunday. Starting 13th, the driver of the #3 Renault settled with a 11th place result.

#31 Esteban Ocon: B-

Photo Credit: XPB / James Moy Photography Ltd./ F1 Renault Group 

Overall Season: 

The most elite form of racing in the world, Formula 1 is an exclusive club only a handful of motorsport drivers gain entry. With only 20 driving spots in the field in the current tour, hundreds of aspiring auto racing athletes compete for a slim chance simply to drive a Formula 1 machine in a single grand prix. Last year, French driver Esteban Ocon was squeezed out of the sport after competing with the former Manor Racing for a nine-race stint ending the 2016 Formula 1 calendar and two season with Force India. For 2020, Ocon rejoined the premium open wheel racing tour by signing with the Renault DP World F1 Team. 

One of only two driver moves heading into the 2020, Esteban Ocon’s arrival to Renault coinciding with the complications of the shortened, altered competitive season resulted in a potentially greater challenge for the Frenchman than other returning drivers. Despite posting ten top 10 finishes in the 17-race Formula 1 season, Ocon was viewed as having more difficulty than Renault teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Ocon’s #31 car suffered four retirements during the 2020 season compared to just one by Ricciardo but the French driver’s races were cut short three times by mechanical issues.

Esteban Ocon ended the season strong in the second-last event in Bahrain capturing a runner-up finish.

 

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

After a one-year hiatus from Formula 1, Esteban Ocon scored four championship points in his debut with Renault by finishing the Austrian Grand Prix in eighth. “It felt good to be back racing properly today. Finishing in the points is a great result, especially as I’m still a little rusty!” said the Frenchman in a post-race press release from Renault after the event on the Red Bull Ring. 

Over the span of the first 15 races, Esteban Ocon’s best finish has been a respectable fifth place in an overall strong effort for the entire Renault DP World F1 Team. The 16th race of the 2020 season was a career-defining event for Ocon occurring on the 3.543-kilometer track within the Bahrain International Circuit. Starting in the middle of the grid in 11th place, the French driver of the #31 Renault moved up the field of Sunday’s 87-lap main race thanks to a single pit stop strategy and some spiffy driving through the early stage of the tire run. Aided in part by the mayhem of the latter third of the Sakhir Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon held on to second place capturing his first-career Formula 1 podium.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Rejoining the Formula 1 tour after a one-year absence, Esteban Ocon quite possibly experienced one of the longest learning curves (besides Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi) among full-time drivers in 2020. In truth, Ocon’s performance with Renault DP World F1 Team was pretty close to the consistency he displayed in 2018. However, his previous stint in Formula 1 did involve Force India’s turbulent mid-season transition to Racing Point’s ownership. The big downside to Esteban Ocon’s 2020 season was his efforts were overshadowed by his Renault teammate.

Only twice in qualifying for the 17 events of 2020 was Ocon able beat Ricciardo for grid position. Ocon also missed the top 10 in event qualifying on 8 occasions while his Australian teammate had just three events where he placed outside of the Q3 session. 

Esteban Ocon experienced four of the total five retirements recorded by the Renault DP World F1 Team but that was more due to bad luck than driver-related causes. In fact, all of Ocon’s DNFs are attributed to mechanical failures such as an overheating problem in the Styrian Grand Prix and failing hydraulics at the Eifel Grand Prix.

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: 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.

1 Racing Mind's 2017 Formula 1 Summer Break Report Card: Renault Sport Formula One Team

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Images

Team Grade: C

Driver Grades
Nico Hulkenberg: B-
Jolyon Palmer: D+

Repurchasing their formerly-owned team late in 2015, Renault started the 2016 Formula 1 season behind the eightball. Through the entire 2016 tour, Renault Sport Formula One Team scored just eight points. 2017 has been accepted as another rebuilding year with a great deal of focus in collecting the pieces needed for better performances.

Joining Renault in 2017 was seasoned German pilot Nico Hulkenberg who brought a history of consistency with mid-marker teams in Formula 1. Hulkenberg has scored five finishes in the top-10 so far this season. The Renault race team only had three point-scoring finishes total in 2016 between both drivers. Second generation Formula 1 racer Jolyon Palmer returned to the second Renault R.S. 17. Palmer is still chasing his first point-scoring finish in a 2017 Formula 1 event.

The performance differential between the Renault Sport Formula One teammates has generally been wide. Nico Hulkenberg has proven not only to be better performing on Sunday but also shown the speed potential of the R.S. 17 in qualifying conditions. The German driver placed his Renault into the final Q3 session six times so far in 2017. Jolyon Palmer’s less than remarkable outings this season has resulted in only a few occasions where is placed higher than Hulkenberg. While most team-leading race finishes by Palmer were virtue of a retirement suffered by his teammate, he did out-place Hulkenberg at the Austrian Grand Prix while both Renault cars completed the event.  

Thoughts of Team for Remainder of 2017:

Nico Hulkenberg will likely continue being the primary breadwinner for the Renault team in 2017. Jolyon Palmer is undoubtedly eager to post points this season being one of only two regular drivers yet to register a point for 2017. It Palmer succeeds, it will only be his second time in his career. Renault’s history in Formula 1 leaves room for optimism heading forward through the remaining races of 2017 and beyond. Entering the sport in 1977 and returning in 2002 in the position as a constructor, Renault has twice been turned around into a front-running competitor after less successful opening seasons.

1 Racing Mind's 2017 Formula 1 Summer Break Report Card: Intro

Photo Credit: Charles Coates/LAT Images

An almost month-long silence of Formula 1 engines will be broken this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. The summer break for drivers and teams provide a rest period from touring across the world. For the 20-race 2017 calender taking teams through parts of Europe, North America, Australia and Asia, the break effectively breaks the season into two pieces.

Already in the 2017 Formula 1 season, audiences has already witnessed several spectacular scenes we haven’t seen for a while. Namely, steady competition against Mercedes-AMG for the first year since the introduction of the current gasoline/electric powertrain regulations. Ferrari has been an ongoing threat to defeat the Silver Arrows in almost every race. Between the manufacturers, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are battling for the 2017 drivers’ crown. 2017 is also the first time since 2013 that three constructors have won grand prix events.

Although the summer break is meant as a time to detach from the pressures of the grand prix schedule, there was little chance anyone involved in the sport was not constantly reviewing the first 11 races of the 2017 grand prix season or have not been looking ahead to the final 9 events.

Looking back to the season between the Australian Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix, 1 Racing Mind has compiled the strengths as well as weaknesses for each Formula 1 teams.

Formula 1 Team Report Cards

Mercedes AMG
Scuderia Ferrari
Red Bull Racing
Force India
Williams Martini Racing
Scuderia Toro Rosso
Haas F1 Team
Renault Sport Formula One Team
McLaren Honda
Sauber F1 Team