Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Carlos Sainz Jr.

Verstappen beats Sainz to claim first Canadian Grand Prix victory

Max Verstappen capitalized on old tyres through a 16-lap dash to the finish to outlast Carlos Sainz Jr. and win the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday, June 19.

The 24-year-old Dutchman, who won last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit, commenced the weekend on a strong note by winning the pole on wet, slick conditions on Saturday. During the main event and on dry, sunny conditions on Sunday, Verstappen, who endured the event through a two-stop strategy along with a majority of competitors, spent the majority of the event battling Fernando Alonso and Sainz for the lead. He was leading by Lap 49 of 70 and appeared to have the event under his control when a Safety Car was deployed on the track due to Yuki Tsunoda wrecking in Turn 2. Despite having the field stacked up behind him for a 16-lap shootout, Verstappen’s Red Bull RB18 managed to fend off repeated attacks from Sainz’s Ferrari F1-75, which had fresher tyres, through the 14-turn circuit to emerge victorious for a second consecutive weekend and by nearly a second over Sainz.

The victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was Verstappen’s first in Canada, the sixth of the 2022 Formula One season and the 26th of his career as he extended his lead in the drivers’ championship standings to 46 over teammate Sergio “Checo” Perez, who retired early in the event due to a suspected gearbox issue.

“The Safety Car didn’t help, overall [Ferrari] were very quick,” Verstappen said. “Following is tricky around here but I could see [Sainz] pushing, charging, pushing, charging. The last few laps were very fun…Overall in the race, we seem to struggle a little more for pace compared to [Ferrari], so I think already, with the last [pit] stop I did, if it would’ve gone to the end, it would’ve been a close call, I think, to really fight him, but I was also not entirely happy with the Safety Car because he came out behind me with new tyres. I gave everything I had in those last [16] laps, which are very enjoyable with an F1 car to go flat out. The gap, I think, never really got bigger than eight-tenths, so it was a tough one. Of course, it’s a good sign [to extend the championship lead], but still a lot of races to go. A lot of things can go wrong, so we just have to keep focused and keep on doing what we’re doing, but [I] always try to look where we can improve.”

Sainz, coming off his early retirement in Azerbaijan due to a mechanical issue that also affected his teammate Charles Leclerc, settled in the runner-up spot for the fifth time in his career, which marked his fifth podium result of the season and his 11th podium result overall as he continues his pursuit for his first F1 victory.

“I was pushing flat out, I wasn’t leaving any inch to the walls under braking,” Sainz, who started third and earned a bonus point for setting the fastest lap of the event, said. “I tried everything to pass Max but the positive thing is we were quicker, we were faster in the race. We were very close to winning today so I’ll take the positives…Honestly, all race, I had been quicker than [Verstappen]. For the first time this year, I felt like I was the fastest man on the track at all times, which was encouraging and it does give me confidence, but disappointed not to have gotten that first win because it was very close. I was two-, three-tenths quicker every lap, but around here, if you wanna pass, you really need to have a second six-tenths, which I didn’t have into the Red Bull today. There was no way [for a lunge] because the Red Bull is quick. It’s a quick car and doesn’t have any real weaknesses. I tried everything. I didn’t leave anything. I want my first win as much as everyone does at home, and so, you can imagine I was leaving everything out there…Everything I could, but it was just not enough, but I will keep trying.”

In the midst of the two-car battle for the lead, Sir Lewis Hamilton claimed his second podium result of the season after finishing in third place while trailing the leaders by more than seven seconds. The podium result was the 184th overall for Hamilton and his first since finishing in third place at Bahrain International Circuit in March.

“We’ve had such an awesome crowd, and it’s quite overwhelming to get this third place,” Hamilton, who started fourth, said. “We remain vigilant, never give up and it’s something I’m inspired by. We’re getting closer. I could just about see them [the front runners] at the end! Honestly, I’m ecstatic…Honestly, [this is] one of the best feelings of the year. To be back [on the podium], especially in Montreal where I got my first win 15 years ago. To be back up there, to feel the atmosphere from the crowd was pretty special. And then, just to kind of be in the race, to see the guys ahead and see that there’s potential, feel some of the potential of the car, that’s a real positive for us. Apart from Barcelona, I think this is the best race pace we’ve had…I’m glad I did everything I could to get ahead.”

George Russell extended his top-five steak through the first nine consecutive events in his first season competing for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team by finishing in fourth place while Charles Leclerc, who started at the rear of the field after his Ferrari F1-75 underwent raft of power unit changes, carved his way to a fifth-place result.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, who started on the front row with Verstappen, came home in sixth and seventh followed by Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and rookie Guanyu Zhou. Alonso, however, was given a five-second penalty and demoted from seventh to ninth after he was deemed weaving to fend off Bottas during the penultimate lap. Meanwhile, Lance Stroll claimed the 10th and final points-paying result at his home track, thus recording a single point of the day for the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team.

The first competitor to finish outside of the points was McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo followed by Sebastian Vettel, Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris, who endured an early slow pit stop from his pit crew. Nicholas Latifi, the second Canadian competitor in the event, settled in 16th followed by Kevin Magnussen, who qualified in fifth place but pitted early following an early battle with Hamilton that damaged his wing and was given the black-and-orange flat to pit, which he never recovered for points.

Yuki Tsunoda, who started at the rear of the field due to an engine change to his AT03 and had methodically worked his way towards the top-10 points-paying results, ended up in 18th place after wrecking against the barriers in Turn 2 on Lap 49. Prior to his incident, he had just exited pit road with cold hard tyres and was carrying too much speed entering the corner when he went dead straight into the barriers.

Mick Schumacher, who qualified in sixth place and was aiming for his first points result this season, retired in 19th place after he parked his Haas VF-22 in Turn 9 on Lap 20 due to a mechanical issue.

Sergio “Checo” Perez was the first retiree of the event in 20th place after he pulled his Red Bull RB18 off the course in Turn 8 due to a suspected gearbox issue, an issue that spoiled Perez’s three-race result on the podium, including the Monaco Grand Prix victory.

Results:

1. Max Verstappen, 25 points

2. Carlos Sainz, 19 points

3. Lewis Hamilton, 15 points

4. George Russell, 12 points

5. Charles Leclerc, 10 points

6. Esteban Ocon, eight points

7. Valtteri Bottas, six points

8. Guanyu Zhou, four points

9. Fernando Alonso, two points

10. Lance Stroll, one point

11. Daniel Ricciardo

12. Sebastian Vettel

13. Alexander Albon

14. Pierre Gasly

15. Lando Norris

16. Nicholas Latifi

17. Kevin Magnussen

18. Yuki Tsunoda – Retired

19. Mick Schumacher – Retired

20. Sergio Perez – Retired

With his victory in Canada, Max Verstappen continues to lead the drivers’ standings by 46 points over teammates Sergio Perez, 49 over Charles Leclerc, 64 over George Russell, 73 over Carlos Sainz and 98 over Lewis Hamilton.

In addition, Red Bull Racing RBPT continues to lead the constructors’ standings by 76 points over Ferrari, 116 over Mercedes, 239 over McLaren Mercedes, 247 over Alpine Renault and 253 over Alfa Romeo Ferrari.

Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is Silverstone Circuit for the British Grand Prix, which will occur on July 3.

June 19, 2022
Perez capitalizes for first Monaco Grand Prix victory

In a season filled with trials, challenges and late misfortunes, Sergio “Checo” Perez capitalized through two rain delays and a well-executed pit strategy to earn his redemption after winning the rain-shortened Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on Sunday, May 29.

The 32-year-old Perez from Guadalajara, Mexico, rolled off the grid in third place and with an intact Red Bull RB18 despite wrecking his car during Saturday’s qualifying session with Carlos Sainz. With the event red-flagged due to steady precipitation, the event commenced under a cautious pace before rolling under way on the third lap. In the early stages of the event, Perez raced in the top five while Leclerc dominated at his home track.

Then on Lap 18, Leclerc pitted before Perez pitted on Lap 23. This allowed Perez to cycle his way into the lead ahead of Sainz and Verstappen, who pitted during the same lap as Perez, while Leclerc was mired back in fourth place. Once the event was thrown under caution due to Mick Schumacher wrecking on Lap 27 in the Swimming Pool corner, which ripped the rear end of Schumacher’s Haas VF-22, the field was then brought back to pit road on Lap 30 to give the safety workers time to repair the barriers.

Once the event restarted on Lap 33 following another delay, Perez retained the lead ahead of teammate Verstappen and the two Ferraris, including Sainz. By then, the event was placed under a two-hour clock schedule for completion. Despite being challenged by Sainz in the final minutes of the scheduled clock, Perez was able to maintain the advantage and claim the checkered flag on Lap 64, 13 laps shy of the scheduled distance, for the win.

With the victory, Perez notched his third career win in Formula One, thus becoming the most successful Mexican competitor in F1 competition. He also notched his first victory at Monaco and his first Grand Prix victory since winning at Azerbaijan’s Baku City Circuit in June 2021.

“It’s a dream come true, as a driver you dream of winning here,” Perez said. “After your home race, there is no more special weekend. With the graining, to not make any mistakes, to keep Carlos behind was not easy. It’s a massive day for myself and my country.”

“When we saw the rain coming, we knew that it was all important to make sure we delivered the race with no mistake and that was critical today for us as a team, as a group, to deliver the results that we did,” Perez added. “It was just extremely special.”

Sainz, who made a bold save on Lap 24 and was challenging Perez for his first win in F1 while having issues finding a way to overtake Perez’s Red Bull RB18, finished in second place for the second time of this year, the second time in a row at Monaco and the fourth time of his career.

“It was, it was, we did everything we had to, my out-lap stuck behind a lapped car cost me the race win,” Sainz added. “You can understand my frustration, it’s how sport is sometimes. Checo was unlucky in Jeddah, today he drove a great race…I think we did all the right choices.”

Verstappen backed up his recent victories at Iola, Miami and Spain by finishing in third place for his fifth podium result of the season a year after winning the Monaco Grand Prix, thus placing both Red Bull Racing competitors on the podium.

“I think today as a team, we did a really good job in terms of executing that strategy,” Verstappen said. “That basically guided Checo [Perez] to the win and got myself on the podium. I’m pleased with that. If you would’ve told me yesterday that I would finish in front of Charles [Leclerc], I would’ve told you you’re crazy. That was an incredible team effort.”

Leclerc, who led the first 17 laps and was bitter with the pit call, settled in a disappointing fourth place at his home track followed by Mercedes’ George Russell. Lando Norris, who set the fastest lap of the event, came home in sixth place followed by Fernando Alonso, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Vallteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel.

The first competitor to finish outside of the top-10 points-paying results was Pierre Gasly followed by Esteban Ocon, who crossed the finish line in ninth place but was given a five-second time penalty due to an on-track collision earlier in the event with Hamilton.

Daniel Ricciardo settled in 13th followed by Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi and Guanyu Zhou while Yuki Tsunoda fell back to 17th after he went off the track twice in the closing minutes of the event. Alexander Albon retired in 18th place due to a mechanical issue.

Following his vicious wreck on Lap 27, Mick Schumacher ended up in 19th place while teammate Kevin Magnussen retired due to a reliability issue.

Results:

1. Sergio Perez, 25 points

2. Carlos Sainz, 18 points

3. Max Verstappen, 15 points

4. Charles Leclerc, 12 points

5. George Russell, 10 points

6. Lando Norris, nine points

7. Fernando Alonso, six points

8. Lewis Hamilton, four points

9. Valtteri Bottas, two points

10. Sebastian Vettel, one point

11. Pierre Gasly

12. Esteban Ocon

13. Daniel Ricciardo

14. Lance Stroll

15. Nicholas Latifi, +1 lap

16. Guanyu Zhou, +1 lap

17. Yuki Tsunoda, +1 lap

18. Alexander Albon – OUT, Retired

19. Mick Schumacher – OUT, Retired

20. Kevin Magnussen – OUT, Retired

With his third-place result, Max Verstappen continues to lead the driver’s standings by nine points over Charles Leclerc, 15 over teammate Sergio Perez, 41 over George Russell, 42 over Carlos Sainz, 75 over Sir Lewis Hamilton and 77 over Lando Norris.

In addition, Red Bull Racing RBPT continues to lead the constructors’ standings by 36 points over Ferrari, 101 over Mercedes, 176 over McLaren Mercedes, 194 over Alfa Romeo Ferrari and 195 over Alpine Renault.

Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is Baku City Circuit for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which will occur on June 12.

May 29, 2022
Verstappen seals a dominant 1-2 victory for Red Bull Racing in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Following his late retirement in Melbourne, Max Verstappen responded back with vengeance once again after grabbing a dominating victory in the third annual running of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola Circuit on Sunday, April 24.

The 24-year-old Dutchman started the weekend by taking care of business by winning the spring qualifying event on Saturday and claiming the pole position over points leader Charles Leclerc. From there, Verstappen outlasted the wet conditions to lead all 63 laps and claim the checkered flag by more than 16 seconds over teammate Sergio “Checo” Perez, thus sealing a 1-2 victory for Oracle Red Bull Racing.

The victory at Imola marked Verstappen’s second consecutive win at the circuit, the second of the 2022 season and the 22nd career victory for the Dutchman in his early quest to defend his world championship. By earning a total of 34 points for winning his sprint qualifying event and the overall event, Verstappen now trails points leader Charles Leclerc by 27 points.

“Coming into the weekend, of course, I didn’t expect something like this,” Verstappen said. “As a team, I think we executed everything very well. That’s always hard to do. Yeah, very pleased. Of course, to score the maximum amount of points. Also had the whole race win from the start. To the right calls with the tyres and also one-two [finish] at the end. Super happy. A lot of points scored. We also needed the points, so we looked like we were a bit more back on track. We have to try and keep this going…We can enjoy this Sunday for now.”

The runner-up result for Perez marked his second consecutive runner-up result and podium result of the season as he now trails the lead in the drivers’ standings by 32 points.

“It was a good result,” Perez said. “I think the rule number one of this conditions is to finish. It was so easy to make a mistake throughout the race. Going into the slick tyre, the warm-up phase and so on. That was going to be difficult, but it was great to get that victory [for Red Bull]…I think, given the start of the season we’ve had, it’s a great result for everyone back home.”

Meanwhile, Lando Norris benefitted from a late spin involving points leader Charles Leclerc to snatch the final podium result by finishing in third place. The result marked the second consecutive season where Norris achieved a podium result at Imola as he also achieved the first F1 podium result of the season for the McLaren F1 Team.

“I think we won a lot in the start,” Norris said. “I had a perfect start, honestly. Probably the best one I’ve had in the wet. That put me ahead of the carnage. We won a lot in the beginning and we just had really good pace throughout. Not as amazing as the guys ahead, but I just managed it like I needed to do ahead of George [Russell] and that’s the way I needed to do. It was good. Fourth would’ve been amazing, but to be P3, to make the most of Charles’ mistake was just the icing on the cake on the pretty amazing weekend we’ve had so far. Super happy.”

George Russell came home in fourth place followed by Valtteri Bottas, who notched his first top-five result with Alfa Romeo Racing.

Charles Leclerc, who was poised for a podium spot until he spun on Lap 53, settled for sixth place while Yuki Tsunoda, Sebastian Vettel, Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll finished in the top 10. The top-10 results for Vettel and Stroll recorded the first five points of the season for Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team.

Alexander Albon settled in 11th followed by Pierre Gasly and Sir Lewis Hamilton, who qualified 14th and was never in contention for the win. Esteban Ocon and rookie Guanyu Zhou finished in the top 15 while Mick Schumacher and Daniel Ricciardo were the last two competitors to finish.

Fernando Alonso retired in 19th place due to a sidepod damage to his Alpine A522.

Carlos Sainz Jr., coming off a two-year contract extension with Ferrari, ended up in 20th place, dead last, for a second consecutive event after being involved in an opening lap collision with Ricciardo.

Results:

1. Max Verstappen, 34 points

2. Sergio Perez, 24 points

3. Lando Norris, 19 points

4. George Russell, 12 points

5. Valtteri Bottas, 12 points

6. Charles Leclerc, 15 points

7. Yuki Tsunoda, six points

8. Sebastian Vettel, four points

9. Kevin Magnussen, three points

10. Lance Stroll, +1 lap, one point

11. Alexander Albon, +1 lap

12. Pierre Gasly, +1 lap

13. Lewis Hamilton, +1 lap

14. Esteban Ocon, +1 lap

15. Guanyu Zhou, +1 lap

16. Nicholas Latifi, +1 lap

17. Mick Schumacher, +1 lap

18. Daniel Ricciardo, +1 lap, three points

19. Fernando Alonso – Retired

20. Carlos Sainz Jr. – Retired, five points

Despite finishing in sixth place, Charles Leclerc continues to lead the drivers’ standings by 27 points over Max Verstappen, 32 over Sergio Perez, 37 over George Russell, 48 over Carlos Sainz Jr. and 51 over Lando Norris.

In addition, Ferrari continues to lead the constructors’ standings by 11 points over Red Bull Racing RBPT, 47 over Mercedes, 78 over McLaren Mercedes, 99 over Alfa Romeo Ferrari and 102 over Alpine Renault.

Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is the inaugural running of the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, which will occur on May 8.

April 24, 2022
Sainz inks two-year F1 contract extension with Ferrari

Scuderia Ferrari announced that Carlos Sainz Jr. has inked a two-year contract extension to continue to drive for the championship-winning organization through the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

The news comes as the 27-year-old Sainz from Madrid, Spain, is off to a strong start in his second season with Ferrari, where he has notched two podiums during the first three F1 events this season: a runner-up result at Bahrain and a third-place finish at Saudi Arabia in March. He is currently ranked in third place in the drivers’ standings.

“I am very happy to have renewed my contract with Scuderia Ferrari, Sainz said. “I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for and after over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable. My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season.”

Sainz is currently campaigning in his eighth full-time season in Formula One that includes previous season starts with Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren prior to Ferrari. During his first season with Ferrari in 2021, he notched a career-best runner-up result during the Monaco Grand Prix in May, a total of four podiums and 20 top-10 points-paying results as he finished in a career-best fifth place in the final standings.

Through 143 career starts in Formula One, Sainz has achieved a total of eight podiums, 570 points and an average-finishing result of 10.3.

“I feel strengthened by this renewed show of confidence in me and now I can’t wait to get in the car, to do my best for Ferrari and to give its fans plenty to cheer about,” Sainz added. “The F1-75 is proving to be a front-runner, which can allow me to chase my goals on track, starting with taking my first Formula 1 win.”

The decision for Ferrari to retain Sainz means that he will remain as a teammate to Charles Leclerc, the current championship leader who has won two of the first three events this season at Bahrain and Australia. Leclerc is currently competing with a Ferrari contract that also runs through 2024.

“I have said several times that I believe we have the best driver pairing in Formula 1 and so, with every passing race, it seemed a completely natural step to extend Carlos’ contract, thus ensuring stability and continuity,” Mattia Binotto, Team Principal & Managing Director of Ferrari, said. “In his time so far with the team, he has proved to have the talent we expected from him, delivering impressive results and making the most of all opportunities. Outside the car, he is a hard worker with an eye for the smallest detail, which has helped the whole group to improve and progress. Together, we can aim for ambitious targets and I’m sure that, along with Charles, he can play a significant part in fuelling the Ferrari legend and will write new chapters in the history of our team.”

With his new, extended contract official, Sainz is set to proceed towards his quests of winning his maiden Grand Prix event and World Championship title by competing at Imola Circuit on Sunday, April 24, for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

April 21, 2022
Leclerc dominates for second F1 victory of 2022 in the Australian Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc made another statement in his bid to win the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship after grabbing a dominant victory in the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit on Sunday, April 10, from pole position.

The 24-year-old Monegasque dominated from pole position despite being pressured by Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen from the start. When Verstappen fell out of the event due to a late mechanical issue, the race was all but wrapped up for Leclerc, who proceeded, defended his top spot through a number of safety car periods and cruised to the win over his rivals while also establishing the fastest lap of the event, thus claiming a single bonus point with the victory.

The Australia victory marked Leclerc’s fourth Grand Prix career win in his 83rd F1 start and the second of the season as he extended his championship lead in the drivers’ standings from 12 to 34.

“In Formula One, it’s the first [race] where we control a little bit the gap,” Leclerc said. “What a car today. I did a great job all weekend, but it was not possible without the car. This weekend, especially the race pace, we were extremely strong. The tyres felt great from the first lap to the last lap. We were managing the tyre really well. I’m just so happy. Incredible to win here. We are only at the third race, so it is difficult to think about the championship but we have a very strong car, a reliable car too. For now, we’ve always been there. Hopefully, it continues like this. If it does, we probably have chances for the championship. It’s great to be back in this position.

Finishing in second place and more than 20 seconds behind Leclerc was Sergio “Checo” Perez, who notched his maiden podium result of the season after having potential podium results in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia evaporated.

“[The start] was a bit tricky,” Perez said. “Getting my position, Lewis overtook me on the inside, he braked really late and had a really good Turn 1. My first stint was very poor in terms of degradation. We struggled quite a lot, but the hard, the Safety Car – we were unlucky where he lost two positions, which we recovered late there. It was a great result…Looking forward, we’ve been a bit unlucky the first two races.”

Settling in the third and final podium spot was George Russell, who fended off teammate Sir Lewis Hamilton to claim his second career podium result and first while driving for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

“We got to be in it to win it,” Russell said. “[We] Capitalized from other’s misfortunes. We got a little bit lucky today twice, but we’ll take it. There’s so much hard work going on to get us back to the front. To be standing on the podium, it’s special. We are never going to give up. We got to keep on fighting. We were a long way behind and yet here we are, on the podium. I think it’s gonna take some time until we can fight with these boys in red [Ferrari] and blue [Red Bull]. They look pretty exceptional at the moment, but it anyone can [fight them], Mercedes can.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo came home in fifth and sixth followed by Alpine’s Esteban Ocon. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly settled in eighth place followed by Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and William Racing’s Alexander Albon, who pitted for fresh tyres on the final lap to retain 10th place for a full circuit and record the first point of the season for himself and for Williams Racing.

The first competitor to finish outside of the points was rookie Guanyu Zhou followed by Lance Stroll, who received a five-second time penalty for weaving earlier on the track to remain ahead of Bottas. Haas teammates Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen finished 13th and 14th, leaving Haas with no recorded points for the day, followed by AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. Nicholas Latifi, the second driver for Williams Racing, finished 16th followed by Fernando Alonso, whose opportunity to finish in the points evaporated late after he pitted for fresh tyres while being shuffled towards the rear of the field, an issue that also affected Magnussen’s run in the top 10.

Following a dramatic victory in Saudi Arabia in late March, Max Verstappen suffered his second DNF through the first three scheduled events of 2022 after retiring on Lap 39 due to the engine on his RB18 catching on fire, where he was forced to park in Turn 2.

Sebastian Vettel, who was making his first start of the 2022 season after being sidelined for the first two events due to COVID-19, retired on Lap 24 after he got loose and spun in Turn 4 before making contact with the wall and ripping off the front wing of his Aston Martin AMR22

Coming off back-to-back podiums, Carlos Sainz Jr. retired in 20th place, dead last, after he lost his Ferrari F1-75 in Turn 9 on the second lap, where he then cut across the grass, slid off into the gravel and got stuck in the gravel as he was unable to continue despite being dodged by the field.

Results:

1. Charles Leclerc, 26 points

2. Sergio Perez, 18 points

3. George Russell, 15 points

4. Lewis Hamilton, 12 points

5. Lando Norris, 10 points

6. Daniel Ricciardo, eight points

7. Esteban Ocon, six points

8. Valtteri Bottas, four points

9. Pierre Gasly, two points

10. Alexander Albon, one point

11. Guanyu Zhou

12. Lance Stroll

13. Mick Schumacher, +1

14. Kevin Magnussen, +1

15. Yuki Tsunoda, +1

16. Nicholas Latifi, +1

17. Fernando Alonso, +1

18. Max Verstappen – Retired

19. Sebastian Vettel – Retired

20. Carlos Sainz – Retired

Following the third event of the 2022 F1 season, Charles Leclerc continues to lead the drivers’ standings by 34 points over George Russell, 38 over Carlos Sainz Jr., 41 over Sergio Perez, 43 over Lewis Hamilton and 46 points over Max Verstappen.

In addition, Ferrari continues to lead the constructors’ standings by 39 points over Mercedes, 49 over Red Bull Racing RBPT, 80 over McLaren Mercedes and 82 over Alpine Renault.

Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is Imola Circuit for the third annual Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which will occur on April 24.

April 10, 2022
Verstappen strikes back with a late victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Following a late mechanical retirement in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir, Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing struck back with vengeance and an early championship statement after claiming a late victory in the second annual Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Sunday, March 27.

The reigning Formula One champion, who qualified in fourth place and raced towards the front for the entire event, battled and overtook Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on Lap 46 of 50 before proceeding to fend off the Monégasque over the final five laps to win by half a second under a safety car virtual caution and claim the first victory of the 2022 season for the Dutchman and Red Bull Racing.

The victory was Verstappen’s 21st overall in Formula One competition and the first since winning the 2021 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit, where he claimed his maiden F1 title.

“[The battle] was a tough one,” Verstappen said. “It’s not easy, especially in the beginning. To follow was quite difficult. It was very easy to open up the tyre and then you have no performance anymore, but I think once we swapped to the hard tyre, it went well. I think we played the long game on the tyres, especially after the last VSC [Virtual Safety Car period]. We had good tyre grip. We could make the most from that. Yeah, tough battle. I really enjoyed it with Charles. It’s not easy to get past him. At the end, we did it. We can be very proud. I’m sure [me and Perez] have plenty of races to make up for that. Patience is always key, especially when you want to fight for the championship. You have to fight hard, but of course, I think you need to score some good points. That’s what we did today. We raced hard, but of course, we also want to score the points. ”

“Great racing between all the drivers, but particularly, Max and Charles again,” Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, added. “They did it last week in Bahrain. This weekend, more overtaking, more great close racing. A great motor race. You can see that they’re both great racers. That was absolute quality from two of the best guys out there. It was an enjoyable race. These cars, it does feel like you can follow a bit closer. The overtaking is a bit more possible. Max, he just played it cool, he waited for his moment and then, he struck and he made it stick. The season is very long. We need to be consistent. Today maybe, Red Bull was a tiny bit stronger, but we brought both cars home in good places. Good points for the team.”

Leclerc, who notched a dominant victory at Bahrain a week ago, settled in second place after leading a race-high 30 of 50 laps. Despite falling one position short of the victory, Leclerc continues to lead the drivers’ standings over teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., who grabbed his second consecutive podium result in third place.

“I really enjoyed [the battle with Verstappen], but obviously, disappointed with a second place,” Leclerc said. “We’ve been leading for the big part of the race and then to lose the lead at the end, it’s a shame, but it’s like this. We took a bit of a different approach this weekend with a bit more downforce compared to Max and Red Bull in general. It was extremely difficult for me to defend with the straight line speed they had. It’s like this, but it’s the way it is and now we need to keep working and hopefully, do a step forward in Melbourne.”

Meanwhile, Sainz settled in third place for his eighth career podium in F1 competition as he was eight seconds behind the two leaders.

“[It was] A better feeling with the car than in Bahrain,” Sainz said. “I think I did a step forward in the right direction. I also know exactly where I’m lacking and where I need to improve with the car. Apart from that, I think we are gonna get there. While I’m not feeling 100%, I’m still getting good points, finishing in the podiums. It’s coming. As soon as I put a car a bit more to my liking and I adapt a bit to my driving, I think [a win] will come and we are gonna be in a strong place.”

Perez, who became the first Mexican competitor to start on pole position after claiming the top qualifying spot on Saturday and who led the first 14 laps before losing the lead during the first virtual safety car period for Latifi’s accident, settled in a disappointing fourth place with a potential podium and victory evaporating from his grasp while George Russell claimed his second consecutive top-five result of the season in fifth place.

Esteban Ocon claimed sixth place in front of Lando Norris, who managed to secure the first points of the season for the McLaren F1 Team. Pierre Gasly, who finished dead last at Bahrain, came home in eighth place in front of Kevin Magnussen, who earned points in his first two events since reuniting to Formula One and with Haas.

Meanwhile, Sir Lewis Hamilton, who qualified in 15th place but methodically carved his way into the top 10, settled in 10th place and collected a single point during the event after making a late pit stop following the second virtual safety car period.

The first competitor to finish outside of the points was rookie Guanyu Zhou, who received two different penalties during the main event: the first for cutting a corner following an early battle with Albon and the second for failing to serve the penalty while pitting. Nico Hülkenberg, who filled in as an interim competitor for Sebastian Vettel and the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team, finished 12th. Teammate Lance Stroll ended up in 13th place, the only competitor to finish a lap behind the leaders, after he was involved in a late on-track collision with Alexander Albon, who was unable to finish late in 14th place.

Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo all retired in 15th, 16th and 17th due to mechanical issues along with 18th-place finisher Nicholas Latifi, who wrecked and retired on Lap 16.

Prior to the event, there were two competitors who did not participate in the Grand Prix. The first was Yuki Tsunoda, who stalled his AlphaTauri during the formation lap and retired due to a suspected drivetrain issue. The second was Mick Schumacher, who was involved in a vicious accident during his qualifying session on Saturday and was flown to a local hospital, where he was evaluated without any serious injuries but resulted with Haas electing to field one car for Magnussen for the main event.

Results:

1. Max Verstappen, 25 points

2. Charles Leclerc, 19 points

3. Carlos Sainz Jr., 15 points

4. Sergio Perez, 12 points

5. George Russell, 10 points

6. Esteban Ocon, eight points

7. Lando Norris, six points

8. Pierre Gasly, four points

9. Kevin Magnussen, two points

10. Lewis Hamilton, one point

11. Guanyu Zhou

12. Nico Hülkenberg

13. Lance Stroll, +1 lap

14. Alexander Albon – Retired

15. Valtteri Bottas – Retired

16. Fernando Alonso – Retired

17. Daniel Ricciardo – Retired

18. Nicholas Latifi – Retired

19. Yuki Tsunoda – Retired

Following the second event of the 2022 F1 season, Charles Leclerc continues to lead the drivers’ standings by 12 points over teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., 20 over Max Verstappen, 23 over George Russell, 29 over Lewis Hamilton and 31 over Esteban Ocon.

Ferrari continues to lead the constructors’ standings by 40 points over Mercedes, 39 over Red Bull Racing RBPT, 62 over Alpine Renault and 66 over Haas Ferrari.

Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is the return of the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, which will occur on April 10.

March 27, 2022
Leclerc leads a 1-2 finish for Ferrari in 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari commenced the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship season with an emphatic statement after both captured a dominant victory in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, March 20.

The 24-year-old Leclerc from Monte Carlo, Monaco, who qualified on pole position on Saturday, took off with the lead at the start, led all but two of the 57-scheduled laps and benefitted from three strong, strategic pit stops to remain ahead of his front-runners en route to a victory over teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. under caution as Ferrari captured a 1-2 finish to commence their bid for this year’s championship battle.

The victory at Bahrian was the third of Leclerc’s Formula One career and first since winning the Italian Grand Prix in September 2019. In addition, Ferrari captured its first Grand Prix victory since the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix in September with Sebastian Vettel.

“It feel amazing,” Leclerc said. “It really feels amazing. After all the hard work, to do the pole yesterday felt good, but I had to finish the business today and to have a race win, especially with a one, two [finish] for the team, it feels absolutely incredible.”

“A victory’s always very, very special,” Leclerc added. “I definitely feel much grown as a driver compared to my victory in 2019. Here today, everything felt a bit more under control and it felt nice. Obviously, there were some tense moments on track with Max [Verstappen] after the first stop, with the Safety Car restart after that, but everything was managed well. It’s great.”

“So happy,” Mattia Binotto, Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, added. “I think we’re not expecting or hoping for such a good result at the end. It’s great to be here, to win and finally, a one, two [finish]. I think it has been, overall, a great team effort, great team result. Everyone worked very well. Both drivers did a fantastic race.”

Behind, Sainz, who qualified in third place, commenced his eighth full-time season in F1 competition by tying his career-best result of second place.

“I think it’s a great day for the team,” Sainz said. “It’s a massive day. I just need to say congratulations to everyone, to everyone back at the factory because you cannot imagine how much hard work there’s behind these results. These last two years, there’s been a lot of struggles, a lot of suffering and suddenly, to come back with a one, two, it’s something huge for Italy, for Ferrari. Great day. Time to celebrate and then, time to get our heads down and keep going.”

Rounding out the podium was Sir Lewis Hamilton as the seven-time F1 champion, who never contended for the victory but settled quietly near the top five, settled in third place for his 183rd career podium in Formula One competition.

“Honestly, I’m generally quite happy with today, given the struggle that we’ve had in the forms we’ve had,” Hamilton said. “I’m positive. I had a pretty decent lap in the end. I’m excited. I know it’s a long, long season. It’s easy to get down when you know that you can’t compete for wins, but just proud of the team. Proud of us all keeping our heads down. I know that this is the best team. We will huddle together, unite and fix whatever problems we have, and be back in the fight with these guys.”

While Ferrari celebrated their strong start to the season, Red Bull Racing, the reigning champions, were left disappointed after both Max Verstappen and Sergio “Checo” Perez retired late due to late fuel pump issue. Verstappen, the reigning champion, retired on Lap 54 of 57 after he fell off the pace due to his mechanical issues while running in second place, thus retiring in 19th place. Meanwhile, Perez, who had third place locked up on the final lap, spun through the first turn and just in front of Hamilton as he was unable to continue. With his late issues, Perez settled in 18th place as both competitors failed to record points for Red Bull Racing one race into the new season and in their bids to defend the drivers’ championship.

George Russell, Hamilton’s new full-time Mercedes teammate, came home in fourth place while Kevin Magnussen finished fifth in his return to Formula One competition following a one-year absence, thus scoring the first points for the Haas F1 Team since the Eifel Grand Prix in October 2020 with former F1 competitor Romain Grosjean.

Valtteri Bottas earned a strong sixth-place result in his first event with Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen followed by Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso. Rookie Guanyu Zhou for Alfa Romeo completed the top-10 points-paying results by capturing his maiden point in F1 with a 10th-place result.

The first competitor to finish outside of the points was Mick Schumacher, who rallied from an early spin following contact with Ocon, in 11th place followed by Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris. Nicholas Latifi finished 16th while Nico Hülkenberg, who filled in as an interim competitor for Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel after Vettel tested positive for COVID-19, settled in 17th place.

Pierre Gasly settled in 20th place, dead last, following a late overheating issue to his AlphaTauri-RBPT under the final 15 laps.

Results:

1. Charles Leclerc, 26 points, 55 laps led

2. Carlos Sainz Jr., 18 points, two laps led

3. Lewis Hamilton, 15 points

4. George Russell, 12 points

5. Kevin Magnussen, 10 points

6. Valtteri Bottas, eight points

7. Esteban Ocon, six points

8. Yuki Tsunoda, four points

9. Fernando Alonso, two points

10. Guanyu Zhou, one point

11. Mick Schumacher

12. Lance Stroll

13. Alexander Albon

14. Daniel Ricciardo

15. Lando Norris

16. Nicholas Latifi

17. Nico Hülkenberg

18. Sergio Perez – Retired

19. Max Verstappen – Retired

20. Pierre Gasly – Retired

Following the first event of the 2022 F1 season, Charles Leclerc leads the drivers’ standings by eight points over teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., 11 over Lewis Hamilton, 14 over George Russell, 16 over Kevin Magnussen and 18 over Valtteri Bottas.

In addition, Ferrari leads the constructors’ standings by 17 points over Mercedes, 34 over Haas Ferrari, 35 over Alfa Romeo Ferrari and 36 over Alpine Renault.

Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the second running of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will occur on Sunday, March 27.

March 20, 2022
Hamilton prevails over Verstappen to win the Bahrain Grand Prix

Sir Lewis Hamilton commenced the 2021 Formula One World Championship season in epic fashion by holding off a late challenge from Max Verstappen to win the 17th running of the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The reigning seven-time Formula One champion started on the front row alongside Red Bull Racing’s Verstappen, who won his fourth career pole position in F1 a day prior to the main event. Through the pit stops and the on-track battling, Hamilton and Verstappen took turns dominating the event over one another and the field. By Lap 40 of 56, though, Hamilton was out in front by more than eight seconds over Verstappen.

On Lap 53, Verstappen, who was able to methodically decrease his deficit to Hamilton, drew himself alongside Hamilton’s Mercedes on the outside lane through Turn 3 and entering Turn 4. Though Verstappen was able to reassume the lead from Hamilton, he went wide and off the track during the process. In doing so, he had to relinquish the lead back to Hamilton to avoid a penalty.

Despite keeping the pressure on Hamilton, the Dutchman was unable to gain another run to close back towards Hamilton, who had enough power to claim the checkered flag in first place by 0.745 seconds over Verstappen.

The victory was Hamilton’s fifth at Bahrain and the 96th of his Formula One career as Hamilton begins his quest for a record-setting eighth F1 World championship. Hamilton also recorded his 75th victory with Mercedes and the 300th Grand Prix victory for a competitor from the United Kingdom. Prior to his victory at Bahrain, Hamilton established another record in the history books by surpassing Michael Schumacher’s record for the most laps led in F1 history with 5,126.

“I’m so happy,” Hamilton said. “I really, really am absolutely over the moon just to see the response from the team, knowing how difficult today really was. It was so tough. For the first race, I was not expecting to be in that position, being able to keep up with [Verstappen] in the first stint. I was really grateful for that…We knew this weekend and through testing that we were gonna be on the back foot and there’s been a lot of worrying in the team, but we pulled it through…I knew [Verstappen] was catching me massively. I couldn’t do the laps he was doing and I guess in my mind, I was thinking, ‘OK, if I can just hold on to these tyres, make no mistakes, maybe just keep him at harm’s length out of my DRS, which wasn’t necessary in this case,’…it was so hard.”

The runner-up result was one that left Verstappen with mixed emotions, disappointment in not winning the season-opening event but pleased and confident in challenging Hamilton and Mercedes for this year’s championship.

“It is what it is,” Verstappen said. “I gave the position back and then, I tried again, but I didn’t have the tyres anymore. Of course, I had newer tyres, but as soon as you get within one and a half seconds, it also degrades very quickly and it’s super hard to follow with these cars, especially with how the wind was today. It was really not helping out of Turn 1, Turn 2 and all critical corners where you want to stay close. It was hurting even more. Of course, I’m disappointed about today, but last year, we would be super happy with a race like this. It also shows how much we have grown. It’s still a positive start to the season and it’s still a long season ahead. I see it as only seven points dropped, and we’ll try to do better next time.”

Rounding out the podium in third place was Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, who trailed teammate and race winner Hamilton by more than 37 seconds to claim his 57th career podium result in F1 despite encountering a slow pit stop past the midway point of the event. Bottas also recorded the fastest lap of the event.

McLaren’s Lando Norris finished in fourth place while Sergio “Checo” Perez, who started the race on pit lane after losing engine power during the formation lap, recovered to record a strong fifth-place result in his first start with Red Bull Racing. With his recovery and stellar drive back to the front, Perez was voted Driver of the Day.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crossed the finish line in a decent sixth place followed by Daniel Ricciardo, who completed his first event with McLaren, and Carlos Sainz Jr., who completed his first event with Ferrari.

Yuki Tsunoda, one of three newcomers in this year’s Formula One season, finished in ninth place driving for AlphaTauri while Lance Stroll completed the points-awarded results on the track in the top 10 by finishing 10th, thus recording a single point for the newly formed Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team.

The first competitor to finish outside of the points in 11th place was Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Räikkönen followed by teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, who finished a lap behind the leaders.

Esteban Ocon settled in 13th place following an on-track incident with Sebastian Vettel on Lap 46, where Vettel, who had been overtaken by Ocon entering Turn 1, locked up his tires and ran into the rear of Ocon’s Alpine machine in Turn 1, sending both competitors around. Vettel finished in a disappointing 15th place in his first race with Aston Martin Racing and right behind Williams driver George Russell.

Mick Schumacher, another newcomer in F1 this season driving for the Haas F1 Team, finished 16th after spinning early followed by Pierre Gasly, who damaged his front wing early in the race following contact with McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and never recovered.

Nicholas Latifi, the second Williams Racing competitor, settled in 18th place after retiring just shy of the finish due to a boosting system issue.

In his return to F1 competition since retiring in 2018, Fernando Alonso, who had a decent run in the making with Alpine, retired in 19th place due to brake issues.

Nikita Mazepin, the second Haas F1 competitor and the third F1 newcomer of this season, ended his race in 20th place and as the first retiree of the event after being involved in an opening lap wreck in Turn 3, where he slid sideways entering the turn while running at the rear of the field and made hard contact against the barriers, thus sustaining heavy damage to his Haas machine.

Results:

1. Lewis Hamilton, 27 laps led, 25 points

2. Max Verstappen, 29 laps led, 18 points

3. Valtteri Bottas, 16 points

4. Lando Norris, 12 points

5. Sergio Perez, 10 points

6. Charles Leclerc, eight points

7. Daniel Ricciardo, six points

8. Carlos Sainz Jr., four points

9. Yuki Tsunoda, two points

10. Lance Stroll, one point

11. Kimi Räikkönen

12. Antonio Givinazzi, +1 lap

13. Esteban Ocon, +1 lap

14. George Russell, Williams Mercedes, +1 lap

15. Sebastian Vettel, +1 lap

16. Mick Schumacher, +1 lap

17. Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri Honda, DNF

18. Nicholas Latifi, Williams Mercedes, DNF

19. Fernando Alonso, Alpine Renault, DNF

20. Nikita Mazepin, Haas Ferrari, DNF

Following the first Grand Prix event of the 2021 season, Hamilton leads the drivers’ standings by seven points over Verstappen, nine over Bottas, 13 over Norris and 15 over Perez. In addition, Mercedes leads the constructors’ standings by 13 points over Red Bull Racing, 23 over McLaren and 29 over Ferrari.

With the 2021 Formula One season underway, the next event on the schedule is Imola Circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, April 18.

March 28, 2021
2021 Formula One season preview

With new names on the grid, new stakes on the line and a new start on the horizon for all teams, the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship season is hours away from commencing.

Formula One is coming off one of its bizarre seasons to date, a season that was delayed until July and featuring a total of 17 Grand Prix events in 14 circuits due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With multiple Grand Prix events across several countries being canceled, the sport took on a new approach to the 2020 season by competing in familiar circuits like Silverstone Circuit and Bahrain International Circuit twice in two weekends while returning to historic circuits like Mugello Circuit and the Nürburgring. In the midst of a scrambling season, the highs and the lows experienced for every team and competitor during race weekends and the rivalry sparked between the teams both on and off the track, the sport was able to etch another season in the record books when the final checkered flag flew at Yas Marina Circuit in December.

Now with 23 Grand Prix events slated on the 2021 schedule, featuring the return of many countries, the Formula One teams and competitors strive to display every amount of power, speed and competitiveness towards one another to win it all and complete the entire season as scheduled.

With another pair of championships added to the team’s stable, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team enters the 2021 season with a continuous goal to extend their on-track dominance and leave their rivals in the dust for an eighth consecutive season. Having recorded the seventh drivers’ and constructors’ title for Mercedes, Sir Lewis Hamilton also made history on the track in 2020 by winning 11 Grand Prix events, becoming the all-time Grand Prix wins leader at 95 and tying Michael Schumacher for the most F1 championships in history with seven. While Hamilton sets his sights on winning his record-setting eighth F1 title in his 15th season in competition, teammate Valtteri Bottas, who won twice in 2020 and concluded the season in the runner-up position, aims to overtake Hamilton and leap into the spotlight with his first F1 title in his ninth season in competition. The 2021 F1 season will mark the fifth consecutive season where Hamilton and Bottas will represent Mercedes’ driver lineup as both fight with and against one another for the top spot on the grid and in the championship standings.

After concluding the 2020 Formula One season as victors in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and as the championship runner-up in the constructors’ standings, Red Bull Racing Honda enters the 2021 season with a simple goal of dethroning Mercedes from their dominance and reclaim their glory as champions since 2013. Leading the way for the team is Max Verstappen, who won twice in 2020 and concluded the season in third place in the final standings. Entering his seventh season in F1, Verstappen will continue his ongoing pursuit to intimidate his fellow competitors and become the next F1 champion. New to the team for this upcoming season is veteran Sergio “Checo” Perez, who is coming off a career-best season in F1 competition where he claimed his maiden Formula One victory at Bahrain in December 2020 and became the first Mexican F1 winner in five decades. Having been released from Racing Point despite a productive 2020 season that nearly brought his racing career to a halt, Perez was picked up by Red Bull Racing, replacing Alexander Albon, and has been given an opportunity to extend his on-track momentum and become a potential championship contender in his 11th season in competition.

Another team on the rise following a productive, consistent 2020 season is the McLaren F1 Team. With a third-place result in the constructors’ standings, their highest since 2012, McLaren aims to return as race winners for the first time since 2012 and as world champions since 1998. Returning for a third full-time season with the team and of his career is Lando Norris, who claimed his maiden podium result in the 2020 season-opening Austrian Grand Prix and went on to finish in ninth place in the drivers’ standings, though he strives to become the 20th competitor from the United Kingdom to win in Formula One this upcoming season. Like Red Bull Racing and a majority of teams on the grid, McLaren will feature a new face to its stable, this season being veteran Daniel Ricciardo, who spent the previous two seasons with Renault and recorded two podium results in 2020. Entering his 10th full-time season in Formula One, Ricciardo aims to return as a race winner for the first time since 2018.

Coming off a season surrounded with controversy off the track but an abundant of success on the track, Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team, rebranded from Racing Point, aims to take the next step from their fourth-place result in the 2020 constructors’ standings by becoming a regular contender for victories and the overall title in years to come. After claiming two podium results and a career-best 11th-place result in the drivers’ standings in 2020, Lance Stroll returns for a fifth full-time season in Formula One as he strives to become the third Canadian competitor to win in Formula One. New to the team is Sebastian Vettel, four-time F1 champion who spent the previous six seasons with Ferrari. After finishing 13th in the drivers’ standings in 2020. Vettel, who enters his 14th full-time season in Formula One, looks to rejuvenate his career and return to the top of the competition since winning his last title in 2013.

Next is the Alpine F1 Team, rebranded from Renault, a team that earned three podium results and concluded the 2020 season in fifth place in the constructors’ standings. Returning for a second full-time season with the team and fourth of his career is Esteban Ocon, who claimed his maiden podium result in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and finished in 12th place in the drivers’ standings, though he aims to become the 14th French competitor to win in Formula One. Joining Ocon as a teammate at Alpine this season is two-time champion Fernando Alonso. Regarded as one of the sport’s well-accomplished competitors, Alonso will also be making a triumphant return to the sport since retiring in 2018 and to Alpine, the team where he claimed his two Formula One championships in 2005 and 2006.

Following their worst recorded season in nearly four decades that was highlighted with on-track issues with speed and capped off with a sixth-place result in the 2020 constructors’ standings, the Scuderia Mission Winnow Ferrari team enters the 2021 season with a return to the top of the competition being the central focus. Remaining at Ferrari for a third full-time season is Charles Leclerc, who won his first two F1 career races in 2019 but only recorded two podium results in 2020. With Leclerc returning, Ferrari welcomes Carlos Sainz Jr. to its stable for the 2021 season. A rising star in Formula One, Sainz enters his seventh full-time season in F1, having spent the previous six seasons competing for teams like Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, and will attempt to become the second competitor from Spain to win in Formula One.

The Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda team is coming off its first full-time season since being rebranded from Toro Rosso, where the team emerged victorious in the 2020 Italian Grand Prix and settled in seventh place in the final constructors’ standings. The competitor who recorded the team’s first victory since being rebranded was Pierre Gasly, who became the first French winner in Formula One in over two decades and notched a 10th-place result in the 2020 drivers’ standings. The 2021 season will mark Gasly’s fourth full-time season in the sport as he aims to repeat the on-track success he experienced the previous season. New to the team and in F1 for this season is Yuki Tsunoda, a 20-year-old native from Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan, who settled in third place in the 2020 Formula 2 standings while competing for Carlin and replaces Daniil Kvyat as a rookie Formula One competitor.

Ending up in eighth place in the constructors’ standings last season and for a second consecutive season was the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen team, which was rebranded from Sauber since 2019. Despite standing as a bottom mid-field team, Alfa Romeo is one of three teams retaining its driver lineup from the previous season for this upcoming season, featuring Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi. Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula One champion, will enter his 21st season in F1 competition in 2021 while Giovinazzi will be making his third full-time season start in Formula One.

Compared to a majority of Formula One teams that will feature one change to a two-driver lineup, Uralkali Haas F1 Team will enter the 2021 F1 season with a completely new driver lineup with hopes of being competitive and becoming a top midfield team on the grid. Following a ninth-place result in the 2020 constructors’ standings, Haas dropped the hammer by releasing fellow competitors Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean. Replacing them for 2021 will be Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, both of whom will also be making their inaugural presence in Formula One. Schumacher, the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, is coming off a Formula 2 championship-winning season with Prema Racing while Mazepin, the son of Dmitry Mazepin, Chairman of Uralchem Integrated Chemicals Company, won two 2020 F2 races with Hitech Grand Prix before settling in fifth place in the final standings.

After concluding the 2020 season with zero recorded points, the 2021 Formula One season will mark the first full-time season that Williams Racing will compete under Dorilton Capital and without founder/co-owner Frank Williams and deputy team principal Claire Williams. Despite a new ownership, the Williams team retains its driver lineup for the 2021 F1 season, featuring George Russell and Nicholas Latifi. This upcoming season will mark the third full-time season in F1 competition for both Russell and Latifi.

With 10 teams and 20 competitors on the grid, the 2021 Formula One season is set to commence on Sunday, March 28, at Bahrain International Circuit for the 17th running of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

March 27, 2021
2020 Formula One season in review

Twenty-three weeks (161 days) since its start, the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship season concluded on December 13 when the final checkered flag flew at Yas Marina Circuit following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. While another season of Formula One competition was stamped in the record books, this season has been like none others in recent years.

Initially set to commence in March, the 2020 Formula One season was also set to mark the start of a new era of motorsports competition, highlighted with 22 Grand Prix events on the schedule and the sport celebrating its 70th anniversary of the first Formula One World Drivers’ Championship. Instead, everything changed in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of this year’s F1 season and several Grand Prix events were cancelled.

Delayed for four months amid the pandemic, the season was able to make its highly anticipated start on the track in early July as new and familiar Grand Prix events along with old circuits made its way into a rescheduled calendar for a total of 17 events spanning six months.

Throughout the season, the competitors and teams competed as a unity amid the COVID-19 pandemic while also expressing solidarity against acts of social injustices. Along the way, new and familiar faces rose to the spotlight both on and off the track while the dynasty of a multi-time champion took another step into history. In addition, a number of competitors concluded their final seasons with their current teams, with some set to embark on new adventures with new teams entering a new season while others await their future plans.

With the 2020 F1 season concluded, here is a rundown of the teams and competitors that competed throughout this season as they look ahead to 2021.

Amid a pandemic year, there was no denying another dominating on-track season for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, which claimed its record seventh consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships (573 points) and placed its two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, atop the Drivers’ standings. Since the first Grand Prix event of this season, the Mercedes team was in total control of the championship standings for the drivers and the constructors, winning all but four of 17 Grand Prix events and all but two poles throughout the 2020 season. Following their latest victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in late November, the Mercedes team surpassed the Williams Racing team for the third-most victories in F1 with 115. After eclipsing Ferrari’s previous record of six consecutive Constructors’ championships, Mercedes has an opportunity in making more history and extending their championship streak to eight, which would move them into a tie with McLaren for the third-most Constructors’ titles.

With 11 Grand Prix victories and another world championship added to his resume, Lewis Hamilton has taken another step towards history as he continues to shatter the record books following another dominating season with Mercedes. Compared to his previous championship seasons, this season was also like none other for the 35-year-old veteran from Stevenage, England, who started the season kneeling prior to every race and expressing solidarity towards the Black Lives Matter movement and against acts of racial injustices. It only took two races into the 2020 season for Hamilton to commence his run for the title when he won the Styrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria, and claimed his first victory of the season. From July to September, he went on to claim Grand Prix victories at Hungary, Great Britain’s Silverstone, Spain, Belgium and Italy’s Tuscany while finishing no lower than seventh. After finishing in third place in the Russian Grand Prix, Hamilton went on to win the following Grand Prix events in Nürburg, Portugal, Imola and Turkey. Following his win in the Portuguese Grand Prix, Hamilton surpassed seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher and became the all-time Grand Prix wins leader with 92. Two races later, he clinched his record-tying seventh world championship with a victory in Turkey and tied Schumacher for the most F1 titles. Two days after claiming his 95th career victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton was unable to compete in the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms. With Williams’ driver George Russell filling in at Bahrain, Hamilton was able to return the following week and cap off the 2020 season in third place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Despite being absent for a single race, he walked away with the championship and with a 124-point advantage over teammate Valtteri Bottas, leaving him one title short of holding the most F1 titles of all time. Currently, Hamilton does not have a contract to drive for Mercedes for next season, though he intends on having a new contract with the team set by Christmas.

For a second consecutive season, teammate Valtteri Bottas opened a new season of Formula One racing by winning the season opener and he went on to finish in the runner-up spot in the final Drivers’ standings behind Lewis Hamilton. On this occasion, he settled behind Hamilton in the standings by 124 points compared to 87 last season. The 31-year-old veteran from Nastola, Finland, started the season with three consecutive podium results, including his win in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. He went on to win the Russian Grand Prix in late September and rack up seven additional podium results, including five additional runner-up results, for the remaining 14 events of the season. Throughout the season, he did not finish in the top 10 three times and he struggled during two Grand Prix events at Bahrain, which ended his title hopes for this season. Nonetheless, he concluded the season with a second-place result in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he also settled in second place in the Drivers’ standings for a second consecutive season. Currently, Bottas is set to return to Mercedes for the 2021 F1 season.

Settling in the runner-up position in the 2020 Formula One Constructors’ standings with 319 points is the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team, which claimed its highest-points result in the standings since claiming second place in the Constructors’ standings following the 2016 F1 season. Despite trailing Mercedes throughout the season, Red Bull Racing, coming off its second season powered by Honda engines, rallied from double retirements in Austria to record two victories and 24 top-10 results throughout the season. With a win in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to cap off this season, Red Bull Racing aims to close the gap to Mercedes and return as world champions since winning four consecutive titles in 2010-13.

If there is a current competitor on the grid who emerges as a potential championship threat for the 2021 season, it is Max Verstappen, who is coming off his sixth season in F1 competition. When the 2020 F1 schedule was re-drafted and the season opener was moved to the Red Bull Ring in early July, the 23-year-old Verstappen aimed to start the season on a strong note and with an advantage after winning the previous two Grand Prix events in Spielberg. Instead, his season started off on a low note when early electrical issues sidelined him. He rebounded from his early misfortune by finishing on the podium in the next six Grand Prix events. During this streak, he recorded the first victory of the season for himself and Red Bull Racing in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit in August. For the next nine Grand Prix events, he recorded four additional podium results, but sustained four retirements, which allowed Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to run away with the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships for the 2020 season. While he did not claim his first F1 title, he recorded a dominating victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the pole, a victory which allowed him to conclude the season in a career-best third place in the Drivers’ standings with 214 points and provide a potential preview of his run for the 2021 title.

Following his late but superb on-track audition with Red Bull Racing last season, Alexander Albon was given a full-time ride with Red Bull for the 2020 season with hopes of extending his strong performances and taking the next step in challenging for victories and podiums on a regular basis. His season started off, however, on a low note when he was involved in a late incident with Lewis Hamilton, where Hamilton spun Albon while he was in position of recording his first podium result. Since then, he went on a six-race streak of finishing in the top 10, with his best result being fourth place at the Styrian Grand Prix in July. A week after finishing 15th at the Italian Grand Prix, Albon prevailed over a late battle with Daniel Ricciardo to capture his first podium result in the Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello Circuit with a third-place finish. With his accomplishment, the 24-year-old Albon became the first Thai F1 competitor to achieve a podium result. During the next five races, however, he finished no higher than seventh place as he sustained a retirement and two results outside of the top 10. He rebounded during the final three races of the season by finishing in the top six on the track. Among his late accomplishments included his second career podium result in the Bahrain Grand Prix with a third-place result and finishing in fourth place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In the end, Albon concluded his sophomore season in F1 in seventh place in the Drivers’ standings, one spot better than his rookie season, with 105 points. Despite a strong finish to this season, Albon’s F1 plans for next season remains uncertain.

With Mercedes and Red Bull emerging as the two front-runners of the 2020 F1 season, it was also a victorious season for the McLaren F1 Team, which achieved two podium results and finished in third place in this year’s Constructors’ standings with 202 points following a strong consistent season for drivers Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris. The result marked McLaren’s return to the top three in the Constructors’ standings for the first time since 2012 and following a year-long battle against names like Racing Point and Renault. It also snapped McLaren’s seven-year span of finishing no higher than fourth place in the Constructors’ standings. With the McLaren Group coming off a new long-term investment deal into McLaren Racing from MSP Sports Capital, an American sports investment group, and switching from Renault to Mercedes engines for 2021, McLaren, winner of 12 Drivers’ championships and eight Constructors’ championships, aims to return as race winners and world champions in the coming years in F1 competition.

Following a strong 2019 season with McLaren, Carlos Sainz Jr. started this season on another strong note by finishing in fifth place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. The 26-year-old native from Madrid, Spain, backed it up by finishing ninth in the Styrian Grand Prix while also recording the fastest lap of the race and finishing ninth again the following Grand Prix at Mogyoród, Hungary. During the next four Grand Prix events, Sainz’s best result was sixth place at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, his home track. The lowlight during the stretch was failing to start the Belgian Grand Prix during to a power unit issue. He rallied back in early September by collecting his second career podium result at Italy’s Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, where he notched a career-best second place behind race winner Pierre Gasly. Despite retiring the following two Grand Prix events at Tuscany and Russia, Sainz concluded the season by finishing in the top 10 for the remaining seven events. In the end, he contributed to McLaren finishing in third place in the Constructors’ standings as he settled in a career-best sixth place in the Drivers’ standings with 105 points. Despite a successful two-year run with McLaren, Sainz is set to join Scuderia Ferrari for the 2021 F1 season.

Like Sainz, teammate Lando Norris had a productive on-track season that started off on a bright note when he captured his maiden podium result in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Though he initially crossed the finish line in fourth place, the 21-year-old native from Bristol, England, benefitted from Lewis Hamilton being penalized five seconds on the track due to being involved in a late incident with Alexander Albon to finish 4.8 seconds behind Hamilton and move into third place on the track, thus becoming the third podium sitter in F1 at age 20 years, seven months and 22 days. Throughout his sophomore campaign in F1, Norris achieved 13 top-10 results, including the final five events of the 2020 season and two fastest lap times in two Grand Prix events with only one retirement. Like Sainz, Norris contributed to McLaren finishing in third place in the Constructors’ standings as he settled in ninth place in the Drivers’ standings, two spots better than his rookie season, with 97 points. Unlike Sainz, Norris will remain as a McLaren F1 competitor for the 2021 season.

If there was a team that fought through adversity and intimidated McLaren for third place in the Constructors’ standings all the way to the final checkered flag of the season, it was the BWT Racing Point F1 Team. In the team’s second full-time season as Racing Point, the team achieved an abundant of on-track success amid challenges and a disappointing start to this season. The low moment for the team occurred in July when protests coming from Renault were launched over the team’s use of brake ducts not designed by Racing Point themselves and copying the ducts used by Mercedes in 2019. In between back-to-back Grand Prix events at Silverstone, United Kingdom, the team was fined €400,000 and docked 15 points in the Constructors’ standings after Renault’s protests were upheld. In addition, Racing Point’s two drivers, Sergio “Checo” Perez and Lance Stroll, were absent from a Grand Prix event after testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms. Their absences allowed veteran Nico Hülkenberg to fill in as a relief competitor for a total of three races. Amid the challenges throughout the season, Racing Point remained in contention to emerge as the third-best team in 2020 while achieving its first victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix with Perez. While the team achieved a total of 24 top-10 results between its two-car lineup, late on-track issues during the Grand Prix events in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi left Racing Point behind McLaren as the third-best team in 2020 by seven points. Nonetheless, the fourth-place result in the Constructors’ standings (195 points) marks the team’s best best points results since the 2017 Formula One season when the team competed as the Sahara Force India F1 Team. With the 2020 season concluded, Racing Point is set to rebranded as Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season.

In his 10th season as an F1 competitor, Sergio “Checo” Perez is coming off a career-defining season that currently leaves him uncertain of his status for next season. The 30-year-old veteran from Guadalajara, Mexico, started the season with three consecutive results in the top 10. His season, however, was placed in jeopardy when he was absent from the following two Grand Prix events at Silverstone due to testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms. During his absence, Nico Hülkenberg filled in, where he failed to make the starting grid for the British Grand Prix but rebounded with a seventh-place result in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. Returning in mid-August for the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Perez rebounded with a fifth-place result. From Spain in August through the Turkish Grand Prix in November, he went on a nine-race streak of finishing in the top 10 and collecting an abundant of points. During this span, he achieved his first elusive podium result since 2018 in the Turkish Grand Prix after coming home in a career-best second place behind the champion Lewis Hamilton. By then, however, it was confirmed that Perez will not be remaining with Racing Point for the 2021 season, though he initially inked a three-year contract extension with the team following the 2019 season. After retiring in the final laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix due to an engine failure and while having a podium spot within his grasp, Perez returned to Bahrain International Circuit with vengeance and won after rallying from an opening lap incident to claim his maiden F1 victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix and in his 190th career start. With his first F1 victory, Perez became the 110th different competitor to win a Grand Prix event and the first Mexican competitor to win a Grand Prix event since Pedro Rodriguez made the last accomplishment in the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. His final ride with Racing Point, however, ended on a low note during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when an early technical issue sidelined the Mexican. Despite the bitter conclusion, Perez achieved a career-best fourth place in the Drivers’ standings with 125 points. Currently, his racing plans for next season are unknown.

Like Perez, teammate Lance Stroll also achieved great success on the track in his fourth full-time season as an F1 competitor. Following an early retirement in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, the 22-year-old Stroll from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, went on a seven-race streak of finishing in the top 10 and collecting an abundant of points. By then, he was coming off his second career podium result after finishing in third place in the Italian Grand Prix in early September. The next five Grand Prix events, however, did not fall in Stroll’s favor as he suffered three retirements. In addition, he withdrew from competing in the Eifel Grand Prix in October due to testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms, which allowed Nico Hülkenberg to fill in for his third race as a Racing Point interim competitor. Stroll rebounded the following event on the schedule, Turkish Grand Prix, by capturing his maiden pole position and becoming the first Canadian F1 pole winner since Jacques Villeneuve made the last accomplishment at the 1997 European Grand Prix. He also was one of two F1 competitors not driving for Mercedes to win a pole position throughout the 2020 season. He went on to finish in ninth place during the main event. A week after flipping early in the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, Stroll again rebounded by claiming his third podium result of his career, second of the season, in the Sakhir Grand Prix at Bahrain after finishing in third place, two spots behind teammate and winner Sergio Perez. He went on to cap off the season in 10th place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and settle in a career-best 11th place in the Drivers’ standings with 75 points. With Perez departing, Stroll is set to remain with Racing Point that will be rebranded to Aston Martin.

Another team that contended for the third-place spot in the Constructors’ standings throughout the 2020 season was the Renault DP World F1 Team. Following a difficult 2019 season, Renault’s two-driver lineup, featuring Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, recorded a combined 24 top-10 results, six more than 2019, and three podium results along with two fastest time laps in two Grand Prix events, both with Ricciardo. The results, however, were not enough for the two-time world championship team to overtake McLaren and Racing Point in the Constructors’ standings, with Renault concluding the 2020 season in fifth place, equivalent to 2019, but with 181 points compared to 91 in 2019. Like Racing Point, Renault is set to be rebranded as the Alpine F1 Team for the 2021 season while sporting the French national colors of red, white and blue and compete with Renault engines. In addition, the team is excited to feature two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso as one of its two competitors for the 2021 season, which will mark Alonso’s return to Formula One competition since 2018.

For Daniel Ricciardo, his second season with Renault started off on a low note when he retired in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix due to overheating issues. Compared to last season and despite the season-opening retirement, the 31-year-old veteran from Perth, Australia, did not record another retirement for the remainder of this season. Instead, he finished in the top 10 in all but two of the remaining 16 Grand Prix events and achieved two fastest lap times in two Grand Prix events. By the end of September, his best on-track result was fourth place (twice). During the following Grand Prix at Nürburgring, Germany, Ricciardo achieved his first podium result with Renault after finishing in third place behind race winner Lewis Hamilton and runner-up Max Verstappen. The podium result was Ricciardo’s first since winning the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix and the first for Renault since the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. Two races later, he achieved another podium result in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy after finishing in third place. Afterwards, he capped off the season with four consecutive top-10 results and finished in fifth place in the Drivers’ standings with 119 points, his best result in the standings since 2017. Despite a successful 2020 run with Renault, Ricciardo is set to open a new chapter to his resume in 2021 as he will become a McLaren F1 competitor.

After being left without a full-time seat for the 2019 season, Esteban Ocon began his comeback return in F1 this season when he replaced Nico Hülkenberg as one of Renault’s two competitors. The 24-year-old native from Évreux, France, started the season by finishing eighth in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. He then retired during the Styrian Grand Prix and finished 14th in the Hungarian Grand Prix before recording back-to-back top-10 results at Silverstone. Through the first 15 Grand Prix events of this season and entering the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ocon’s best on-track result was fifth place, which occurred during the Belgian Grand Prix in August. While he achieved eight top-10 results, he also sustained four retirements. Nonetheless, he managed to conclude the season on a positive note when he earned his maiden F1 podium result in the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit by finishing in second place in his 66th career start and behind ex-teammate Sergio Perez. A ninth-place result in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit following a late battle with Lance Stroll was enough for him to conclude the season in 12th place in the Drivers’ standings, the same spot he finished in following his previous full-time season in 2018 but with 62 points. Following an up-and-down season, Ocon is set to remain with Renault that will be rebranded to Alpine in 2021.

For the first time since the 2014 Formula One season, Scuderia Ferrari did not conclude an F1 season in the top three in the Constructors’ standings. Instead, the team, which has achieved 16 Constructors’ championships, 15 Drivers’ championships and 237 victories, settled in sixth place in the standings with 131 points, their lowest points result since finishing 10th in 1980. In addition, the team failed to win a Grand Prix event since the 2016 season. Since the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, Ferrari struggled with pace and speed against the competition. Through the first half of the 2020 F1 season, the team only achieved two podium results with Charles Leclerc. While Leclerc improved with consistency in the second half of the season, teammate and former F1 champion Sebastian Vettel struggled throughout the entire season in finishing in the points for himself and the team. Following a difficult 2020 season, Ferrari looks to rebound and return to competitive form in 2021.

After achieving his first two Grand Prix events, 10 podium results and a fourth-place result in the Drivers’ standings last season, Charles Leclerc opened his second full-time season with Ferrari by finishing in second place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix following a slow start. Following two results outside of the top 10, he claimed his second podium result of the season in the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, which was followed with a fourth-place result in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. He then sustained two retirements during the next three Grand Prix events, which diminished his hopes for the 2020 F1 title. From Tuscany, Italy in September through Sakhir, Bahrain in November, Leclerc rallied by finishing in the top 10 in seven consecutive Grand Prix events, with a best result of fourth place (twice). Despite his late consistent surge, he concluded the season on a low note by retiring in the Sakhir Grand Prix following an opening lap multi-car crash and finishing 13th in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. When the checkered flag flew and the dust settled, Leclerc concluded the season in eighth place in the 2020 Drivers’ standings, four spots lower than his first campaign with Ferrari, with 98 points, the highest-finishing competitor with double-digit points. The 23-year-old Leclerc from Monte Carlo, Monaco, is slated to remain as a Ferrari competitor through 2024.

Prior to this season’s start in July and during the pandemic, teammate Sebastian Vettel was thrown into the spotlight when it was announced that he will not be remaining with Ferrari following the 2020 season and following a six-year run with one of motorsport’s iconic names. When the season started, Vettel struggled with consistency and in keeping pace with the competition. Following the first half of the 2020 F1 season, nine races completed, Vettel’s highest-finishing result was sixth place, which occurred in the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-July. In addition, he had achieved four additional top-10 results, but no podium results and two retirements. Vettel continued to struggle during the start of the second half of the season as he finished no higher than 10th place during the next four Grand Prix events. The following Grand Prix event in Turkey, Vettel captured his first elusive podium result of the season after crossing the finish line in third place. For the final three Grand Prix events of the season, however, he finished no higher than 12th place. In the end, Vettel capped off a long season of racing in 13th place in the Drivers’ standings, his lowest result since 2007, with 33 points. With his time with Ferrari complete, the four-time world champion from Heppenheim, West Germany, is set to join the Aston Martin F1 Team, rebranded from Racing Point.

Coming home in seventh place in the Constructors’ standings and the final team with triple-digit points (107) is the Scuderia AlphaTauri team. Rebranded from Toro Rosso and a sister team to Red Bull Racing, the team finished one spot behind from last season in the Constructors’ standings, but achieved a fair share of on-track success in 2020. The team’s bright moment was winning the Italian Grand Prix in September with Pierre Gasly, which marked the team’s first victory as AlphaTauri but second overall since winning the 2008 Italian Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel while known as Toro Rosso. Throughout the 2020 campaign, the team’s two-driver lineup, featuring Gasly and Daniil Kvyat, achieved a total of 17 top-10 results and gained points in all but two of 17 Grand Prix events this season. The results, however, were not enough for the team to join the battle for the third-best team in the Constructors’ standings, but the team remains poised to be competitive on the track next season.

A year after being demoted from Red Bull Racing to Toro Rosso and achieving his maiden podium result at Brazil, Pierre Gasly experienced another first in his racing career this season. That first was his maiden Grand Prix win at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy in early September, where the 24-year-old native from Rouen, France, benefitted from an early pit stop and 10-second stop-and-go penalties handed to Lewis Hamilton and Antonio Giovinazzi to carve his way to the lead and hold off Carlos Sainz Jr. to score his first victory in F1 competition. With his accomplishment, he became the first French competitor to win a Grand Prix event since Olivier Panis made the last accomplishment in the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix. He also became the 109th different competitor to win a Grand Prix event and the first competitor not representing Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull to win an F1 race since Kimi Räikkönen won the 2013 Australian Grand Prix while driving a Lotus. In addition to his win, Gasly achieved 10 top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule, four fewer than 2019, while also sustaining three retirements. By finishing in eighth place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he was able to conclude his junior season in Formula One in 10th place in the Drivers’ standings with 75 points. Following a productive 2020 season highlighted with his maiden F1 victory, Gasly is set to remain with AlphaTauri for the 2021 season.

Compared to Gasly, teammate Daniil Kvyat had an up-and-down season in his sixth campaign in Formula One. A year after collecting a podium result in Germany and 10 top-10 results, the 26-year-old native from Ufa, Russia, opened this season with two retirements and finishing no higher than 10th place (twice) through the first seven Grand Prix events in 2020. He rallied during the following three Grand Prix events in Monza, Tuscany and Russia, his home country, by finishing in the top 10. Following a two-race slump in Germany and Portugal, Kvyat recorded a season-best fourth-place result in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November. For the final four Grand Prix events of the season, however, Kvyat finished no higher than seventh place as he settled in 14th place in the final Drivers’ standings, one spot lower than last season, with 32 points. Currently, Kvyat’s F1 plans for next season remain uncertain.

Finishing in eighth place in this year’s Constructors’ standings with eight points is the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen team. Compared to last season, where the team opened the season with four consecutive top-10 results, the team opened the 2020 campaign with a single top-10 result, which occurred in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix with Antonio Giovinazzi. Throughout the season, Alfa Romeo’s two-car lineup struggled to gain points and run towards the front. In total, the team secured a best on-track result of ninth place (three times) and five top-10 results, which was enough to emerge as the first team with single-digit points ahead of Haas and Williams (eight). Despite a difficult 2020 campaign, the team will retain its driver lineup, featuring Giovinazzi and Kimi Räikkönen, for the 2021 season.

The 2020 Formula One season marked a career low for Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 F1 champion, as he recorded a career-low four points, two top-10 results and a final result of 16th place in the Drivers’ standings. Through the first nine races of this season, the 41-year-old veteran from Espoo, Finland, finished no higher than 11th place on the track. He was originally in position of battling for the lead and the win in the Italian Grand Prix in September until he faded in the late stages and finished in 13th place. During the second half of the season, Räikkönen managed to collect his first top-10 result and pair of points in the Tuscan Grand Prix in September. Four races later, he picked up another ninth-place result in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November. Since then, his next highest result on the track was 11th place. In the end, Räikkönen tied teammate Giovinazzi as the highest-finishing competitor in the Drivers’ standings with single-digit points. With the 2020 season concluded, Räikkönen will remain as an Alfa Romeo F1 competitor next season.

Following a difficult freshman season in Formula One, Antonio Giovinazzi started off the 2020 season on a stronger note by finishing in ninth place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. It was not until the Eifel Grand Prix in October, however, until the 27-year-old native from Martina Franca, Italy, picked up his second top-10 result of the season (10th place) as he suffered two retirements during the first 10 Grand Prix events this season. He managed to pick up his third top-10 result of the season in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November following a 10th-place result. Since then, Giovinazzi struggled with pace. In the end, he concluded the season in 17th place in the Drivers’ standings, equivalent to the 2019 season, but with four points, 10 fewer than his rookie season. Like Räikkönen, Giovinazzi will retain his seat with Alfa Romeo in 2021.

Emerging as the next-to-last team scored in this year’s Constructors’ standings is the Haas F1 team, which achieved a career-low three points in its fifth season in competition. Like last season, the Haas F1 Team struggled with their VF-20 and keeping pace with the competition. It took three races into the 2020 season for the team to achieve their first points of the season with Kevin Magnussen finishing in 10th place in the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-July. Since then, the team picked up two additional points to this season with Romain Grosjean finishing in ninth place in the Eifel Grand Prix in October. Mired within their on-track struggles were 10 retirements, including a harrowing accident in the Bahrain Grand Prix that left Grosjean injured and sidelined for the remainder of the season. While the Haas F1 Team equalized their result in the Constructors’ standings from last season (ninth place), the team achieved a career-low three points. With the 2020 season complete, Haas is set to feature a new two-car lineup for the 2021 season, featuring Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, and Nikita Mazepin from Moscow, Russia.

With a single point recorded throughout this season, Kevin Magnussen recorded his fewest points in an F1 season since recording seven in 2016. His lone highlight in 2020 was finishing in 10th place in the Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring in mid-July, the third event of the season, and recording the first point of the season for himself and Haas. Since then, his next highest result throughout the 2020 season was 12th place (twice) as he struggled to earn consistent results. In addition, the 28-year-old native from Roskilde, Denmark, sustained seven retirements throughout the season and he concluded the season in a career-low 20th place in the Drivers’ standings. Following six full-time seasons in Formula One, four with Haas, Magnussen is set to compete in the 2021 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Like Magnussen, teammate Romain Grosjean endured a long 2020 season that came to a late conclusion. Through 14 of 17 Grand Prix events this season, the 34-year-old veteran who competed under the French flag finished no higher than ninth place, which occurred during the Eifel Grand Prix in October. His next highest-finishing result throughout the 2020 season was 12th place (twice) as he sustained two retirements. Grosjean’s season took a harrowing turn during the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix in late November, when he made contact with AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat, spun and collided into the barriers in Turn 3 at full speed. The impact split Grosjean’s Haas VF-20 in half, where the driver slipped through the upper section of the barrier with the front half of the car and with flames being ignited following the crash. Miraculously, Grosjean was able to extract himself from the wreckage without any assistance before receiving on-track treatment and being transported to the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital by helicopter for further treatment for burns on his hands. After spending three nights in the hospital, he returned to Bahrain and his paddock to be with his team and greet the medical and track/safety workers, among which included Dr. Roberts and medical car driver Alan van der Merwe, who saved his life. While he did not compete in the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix, he ultimately decided to conclude his five-year run with Haas early to focus on his recovery and health. With Pietro Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, filling in as a relief Haas competitor, Grosjean capped off the 2020 season in 19th place in the Drivers’ standings with two points. He currently has no racing plans lined up for 2021.

Finally, the Williams Racing team capped off the 2020 campaign in last place in the Constructors’ standings with zero points. The team started the season on a promising note when Nicholas Latifi finished in 11th place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Throughout the season, the team’s best result on the track was 11th place (four times) while also sustaining seven retirements. The team’s low point of the season occurred in early September when Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal of Williams Racing, and the Williams family ended their 43-year involvement with Formula One following the Italian Grand Prix. The team was acquired by Dorilton Capital, an American investment group, for €152 million while remaining as Williams Racing and based in the United Kingdom. While the team’s two-driver lineup, featuring Latifi and George Russell, came close in recording a single point at certain Grand Prix events, the team ultimately settled in 10th place (last) in the Constructors’ standings for a third consecutive season.

For much of the 2020 Formula One season, George Russell, dubbed as a future star in F1, was nowhere towards the front. The 22-year-old native from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England, achieved best results of 11th place (once) and 12th place (twice) while also sustaining four retirements through the first 15 Grand Prix events of this season. Then came an opportunity of a lifetime in the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit when Russell was selected to drive for the championship-winning Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in place of the champion Lewis Hamilton, who was absent due to COVID-19 symptoms. During his one-race absence from Williams, British-Korean racer Jack Aitken made his F1 debut in place of Russell. Starting the race on the front row along with Valtteri Bottas, Russell dominated the event. During a pit stop sequence in the late stages, however, Russell’s road to victory was stalled when a mix-up in the Mercedes’ pit lane over the tire installments for Russell and Bottas resulted with Russell making another pit stop to have the correct set of tires installed on his car. Dropping back to fifth place, Russell wasted no time carving his way back to the front as he worked his way back into second place Sergio Perez. Just as he had the pace and victory within sight, everything changed when he was forced to make a late unscheduled pit stop due to a left-rear tire puncture. Returning back on the track, he ended the race in ninth place. While he earned his first three points in Formula One racing and established the fastest lap during the race, he was left dejected over the late issue that cost him his first F1 victory. Despite returning to Williams the following week and finishing in 15th place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Russell concluded the season in 18th place in the Drivers’ standings, two spots better than his rookie season. He is also due to remain with Williams Racing for the 2021 Formula One season.

Unlike Russell, teammate Nicholas Latifi is coming off his first full-time campaign in Formula One racing, where he replaced veteran Robert Kubica. The 25-year-old rookie from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, recorded a strong 11th-place result in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. He picked up two additional 11th-place results throughout the season while also sustaining three retirements. In the end, Latifi was the lone full-time F1 competitor to not record a single point throughout the 2020 F1 season as he concluded the season in 21st place in the Drivers’ standings. Like teammate George Russell, Latifi will return for a second full-time campaign in F1 with Williams Racing in 2021.

With the 2020 F1 season complete, the drivers and teams are currently in off-season before returning for the start of the 2021 Formula One World Championship season on March 21 at Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit for the Australian Grand Prix, the first of 23 Grand Prix events slated on the provisional schedule.

December 15, 2020