Tag: f1 2020

F1 2020: Belgium Gp Review – Hamilton, One hand on the trophy

The writing was on the wall as early as Saturday qualifying during which Lewis Hamilton secured a dominant pole position. The only chance, and it was a small one, that anyone would have of delaying his progress was at the start of the race. However, he led serenely from the front and strolled on to the top step of the podium for his fourth win in Belgium.

Valtteri Bottas came home in second place some eight seconds adrift of Hamilton. The Finn now languishes a massive fifty points behind in the driver’s standings and has seemingly no chance of getting his hands on the coveted trophy. For some of the opening laps Bottas kept himself relatively close to Hamilton’s gearbox. However, we he asked for an increased power mode in order to attack his teammate it was shot down by the pitwall. Effectively, the team had ordered Bottas not to race his teammate and he obeyed. For Mercedes Bottas is the perfect wingman to Hamilton. Yes, he may sometimes score a pole and maybe even a few wins but he is never going to disrupt Hamilton enough to truly take the fight to him over an entire season. The chance to win the title this year has already gone for Valtteri Bottas. Since joining in 2017 he has never mounted a serious and sustained challenge and is very much in danger of becoming F1’s nearly man. For while Mercedes will be happy with Bottas as a second driver at this stage there is some serious talent, in the form of George Russell, ready and waiting to slot into the Mercedes team.

Max Verstappen racked up another podium finish but described his race as fairly boring. The Red Bull driver was caught somewhat in no man’s land, as he wasn’t quick enough to challenge the Mercs and saw no one behind mounting an assault on his third place either. There is no doubt that Verstappen is ready to win a championship however he simply doesn’t have the car to challenge the might of Mercedes weekend in and weekend out. He can try his level best and sometimes even snatch the odd win but the reality is that Mercedes will not be conquered in 2020.

Formula 1 has always been better off when it has produced a battle for the championship titles but in 2020 the question is not if Hamilton will take his seventh crown but rather when. A dominant pole on Saturday saw the writing on the wall for 47 points It will have to be a bungling of monumental proportions for Mercedes and Hamilton to lose the titles from here.

Daniel Ricciardo not only set the fastest lap of the race but also drove a stellar race to finish fourth in the Renault ahead of teammate Esteban Ocon in fifth. The low-downforce setup adopted by Renault for the race paid huge dividends and will bode well for this weekend’s race in Monza too. Alex Albon was sixth in other Red Bull ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in seventh. Pierre Gasly’s choice to start of the hard compound tyre paid off the final stint of the race as he netted an impressive eighth place finish. Racing Point would likely have hoped for more on the power-dominant Spa circuit but has to be satisfied with ninth and tenth for Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez respectively.

While Carlos Sainz was unable to take the start of the race due to an exhaust failure only two driver retired from the race proper. Antonio Giovinazzi lost the rear of his and destroyed his Alfa Romeo. The pursuing George Russell had to take avoiding action which pitched the Williams into the barriers. Though both drivers escaped unscathed the incident brought out the safety car.

It was by all accounts as miserable a day for Ferrari as they have experienced in some time. With thirteenth for Seb Vettel and fourteenth for Charles Leclerc there was never even an inkling of scoring any point. In fact so poor was the works Ferrari team performance that Kimi Raikkonen easily finished ahead of the pair of them in a customer Alfa Romeo. It used to be an honour to don the red overalls and drive for Ferrari and maybe one day it would be again. But what is happening in 2020 is utterly embarrassing. Some serious conversations need to be had over the next while and some serious changes will need to be implemented if Ferrari is ever going to recover from the doldrums.

To add insult to an epic lack of pace F1 heads to Monza this weekend, an even more power sensitive circuit. If Spa was a painful experience Monza is likely to be even more so. The only saving grace is that the grandstands around Monza will be empty which means that, at the very least, Ferrari wont have to face up to the Tifosi.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

August 31, 2020
F1 2020: Spanish Gp Review – Hamilton coats to victory

Fairly straightforward and supremely dominant is probably the best adjectives with which to describe Lewis Hamilton’s latest race victory. Seemingly without too much effort the Mercedes driver racked up career win number 88 by leading every one of the 66 laps of the Spanish grand prix from pole position.

So dominant was Hamilton that not even Max Verstappen could get close. Eventually, the Red Bull driver finished roughly twenty-four seconds adrift in second. It was another day in which the Dutch driver delivered the best result possible, which keeps him, somewhat, within touching distance in the point’s standings. Elsewhere, Valtteri Bottas was third for Mercedes after a strange lack of pace on the quicker soft tyre in the closing stage of the race. The call to put the Finn out on the soft compound was done with the expectation that he would be able to cruise up to the back of Verstappen, on the medium compound, and take second place off him. However, the pace never materialized and Bottas now sits a rather uncomfortable, and probably insurmountable, 43 points behind Hamilton.

Racing Point delivered a good haul of points with an impressive drive from Lance Stroll in fourth and masterful tyre management from the one-stopping Sergio Perez in fifth. Carlos Sainz delivered a sixth place for McLaren at his home race but the driver of the day was unquestionably Sebastian Vettel. Normally, seventh place wouldn’t seem all that impressive in a works Ferrari but it was on this occasion. The Ferrari’s lack of pace meant that Vettel started the Spanish Gp from 11^th on a circuit notorious for lack of overtaking. It’s been clear from the start of the season that the relationship between Vettel and Ferrari had deteriorated to the point of no return. Nevertheless, one would expect that Ferrari should still be doing their level best to score as many points as possible with both cars.

But it doesn’t seem to be the philosophy shared by the team. As on several other occasions throughout his tenure at Ferrari Vettel was again forced to take the reigns on strategy in Sunday’s race. Radio messages clearly indicate Vettel’s inquiries about tyres and strategy to which he received no response. Sometime in the final stint of the race the pitwall suggest trying to go to the end on the soft compound. The lack of care and attention to Vettel is not only indicative of the relationship between the two but also of a team in serious crisis. Somehow, without any help from the team, Vettel ran the soft tyre for nearly forty laps in the end and finished an impressive seventh.

In eighth was Alex Albon whose gamble to opt for the hard tyre at the first round of stops didn’t pan out. Pierre Gasly scored two points in ninth for Alpha Tauri while Lando Norris claimed the final point in tenth for McLaren. Charles Leclerc, who ran in sixth for most of the race, was the only retirement with a suspected electronic issue.

When Hamilton jumped out of the car after winning his fifth Spanish Gp he looked like he could probably run a hundred more laps so little effort had he expended. The only driver with the car to challenge Lewis Hamilton is Valtteri Bottas and it doesn’t seem likely that the Finn has the ability to do so. Yes, he may occasionally beat Hamilton to pole and even take a win off him here and there. But the fact remains that Bottas simply isn’t championship material, not against Hamilton anyway.

August 18, 2020
F1 2020: British Gp Review – Late drama at Silverstone

The majority 2020 British grand prix wasn’t exactly one that spiked the heart rate. Here and there a few tasty fights and overtakes in the midfield piqued the interest but overall the race around Silverstone was turning into a bit of a damp squib.

Lewis Hamilton led away from pole position with teammate Valtteri Bottas and the ever-present Max Verstappen in third. Not even the two appearances from the Safety Car added any spice to the racing at the sharp end. The first Safety Car was brought out for a clash between Red Bull’s Alex Albon and Haas F1’s Kevin Magnussen. A 50/50 move from Albon to take position off Magnussen saw the latter end up in the gravel trap with a destroyed car while Albon was subsequently given a 5-second penalty. The second Safety Car was prompted by a high-speed crash for Daniil Kvyat who’s Alpha Tauri appeared to suffer some type of failure in the Magotts-Becketts complex.

It was still plain sailing at the front for Hamilton and Bottas with Verstappen unable to make any impression. Further adrift in fourth Charles Leclerc trundled around in the Ferrari without any challenge from behind. The same couldn’t be said for Seb Vettel who struggled significantly all weekend. The German driver eventually finished a lowly tenth. The midfield battle between McLaren, Renault, and the lone Racing Point of Lance Stroll did their best to entertain with several laps of overtaking. It was a difficult weekend for Racing Point who had to replace Sergio Perez following his positive test for Covid-19. Nico Hulkenberg was drafted in at the eleventh hour and seemed to hit the ground running. Unluckily, the German driver was not able to take the start of the race due to a fault on the car. Hulkenberg is also expected to be in the car this weekend as Perez has been advised to self-isolate for ten days.

Still the race itself wasn’t all that enthralling. In fact, it’d do well to crack the ‘top 50 most exciting’ races of the decade. But then with just two laps to go Bottas ran wide and appeared to be limping around the circuit. The Finn had suffered a left-front tyre delamination. It proved disastrous for the number 77 car who slipped down to eleventh place. Red Bull immediately called in Verstappen as a pre-caution and he emerged back into second place. The camera quickly picked up the McLaren of Carlos Sainz who was also stricken with a left-front puncture. And if that wasn’t dramatic enough Hamilton next suffered the same fate on the final lap of the race. With Verstappen bearing down on him at a rate of knots Hamilton somehow made it around the lap and to the chequered flag for an unforgettable victory.

The British grand prix had suddenly exploded into life and delivered a stunning run to the flag. Though Red Bull could have won the race had they left Verstappen out on track it was confirmed after the race that they were seeing a worrying level of wear on the tyre. Even with the benefit of hindsight it appears to have been the correct decision to call Verstappen in for fresh tyres.

What we know for sure is that Pirelli will conduct a meticulous investigation this week to determine why the front-left tyre on three cars failed. They’ll get down into the nitty gritty and pour over every single megabyte of data in order to understand what happened. The compounds prescribed for next weekend’s race around Silverstone are a step softer. In other words, the soft tyre shifts from C3 to C4 for the next race. The weather too is expected to be much hotter on race day, which means higher degradation. Unfortunately, it may prompt them to shift the tyre compounds for next weekend’s race around Silverstone. Teams were given a directive by Pirelli, which stated that the hard compound should last for an estimate of 40 laps. What is important to note is that the directive from Pirelli on tyre life is an approximation. Throughout the ever-changing conditions of a 52-lap race there is no way that weather, track condition, car behaviour, or driving style can be taken into account.

While Hamilton, Verstappen, and Leclerc climbed onto the podium Daniel Ricciardo delivered an impressive fourth place finish for Renault. Lando Norris continues to impress with fifth place ahead of Esteban Ocon in sixth. Pierre Gasly was seventh for Alpha Tauri while Alex Albon’s late charge netted him eighth place. Racing Point will be disappointed with only ninth for Lance Stroll ahead of Vettel in tenth. Bottas’s eleventh means he scored zero points on the day and has dropped a nearly insurmountable 30 points behind Hamilton in the driver’s standings.

There is every chance that Pirelli could practice an abundance of caution and shift the tyre compounds for the race this weekend. For the sake of racing and the potential of seeing a great strategic race let’s hope they leave it as is.

All images courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

August 5, 2020
F1 2020: British Gp Preview – Silverstone Primed for Merc Dominance

After a short break F1 returns this weekend for the first of two races at Britain’s Silverstone circuit.

Given what’s transpired in the first three rounds of the season it is difficult to look past Mercedes for the victory. With one win for Valtteri Bottas and two for Lewis Hamilton the Mercedes team has established itself well ahead of the rest of the field. Red Bull, seemingly the closest challenger, languished well behind in Hungary and chalked up their lack of pace to setup issues.

Traditionally the Hungaroring, and the Red Bull Ring for that matter, have been circuits where Red Bull has excelled in the last few years. But it hasn’t been the case in 2020 and it all has to do with timing. By the time F1 normally arrives in Austria and Hungary teams would have already run several races and would know their cars inside and out. What we know of Red Bull in the last few years is that they have tended to start the year slowly and gradually built momentum as the season progresses. However, in 2020 they haven’t had that luxury.

Instead they arrived in Austria and Hungary still learning the behaviour of the car and still discovering exactly how to extract best performance from it. Unfortunately for Red Bull the 2020 season will not afford any time for teams or drivers to find their way. The good news is that the calendar has been extended by three more races with the inclusion the Nürburgring, Portimaõ, and Imola. More good news is that the Red Bull does appear to be a quick car but unlocking the pace is reliant on hitting the setup nail on the head. And even then it might not be enough, on merit, to challenge the might of Mercedes.

Valtteri Bottas sits only five points behind teammate Hamilton. In the next two races at Silverstone he has a big opportunity to not only regain the lead in the driver’s standings but to land a significant mental blow on Hamilton. It’s been repeatedly proven that over the course of a season it is highly unlikely that Hamilton will be beaten in terms of pace.

The only way to ensure eventual victory over the six-time champion is to get inside his head, as proven in 2016 by Nico Rosberg. It will be a monumental effort but if Bottas manages to beat him two weeks running, especially at Silverstone, he will force Hamilton to take notice and adjust his approach.

For Ferrari it was slightly better in Hungary but still nowhere near where they are expected to be. A restructuring back in Maranello has taken some of the pressure off team principal Mattia Binotto but there is a substantial amount of work ahead of Ferrari to return to the top step of the podium. Silverstone should produce a better yardstick for the upgrades introduced in race two but the power deficit of their engine will likely be even more telling around the British circuit.

For much of the first half of 2020 the Formula 1 season was seriously in doubt. It is a real treat then to have back-to-back races on, arguably, one of the most iconic and historic circuits in the world. Silverstone hasn’t only been on the F1 calendar since 1950 but was the first circuit to host a championship race. The power dominant circuit has been re-modeled since and newish layout is possibly even better than its predecessor. Formula 1 too has raced through seven decades that has delivered unforgettable moments and memories. This latest iteration seems primed for Mercedes domination unless Max Verstappen can coax enough pace out of his Red Bull to contest the victory.

July 29, 2020
F1 2020: Hungarian Gp Review – Merc in a class of one

Ninety-one race victories and seven world championship titles seemed inaccessible for so long. But now it is case of when rather than if Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton will reach and break the lofty records set by the great Michael Schumacher.

Lewis Hamilton cruised to a dominant victory in round three of the 2020 championship. An eighth win around the Hungaroring, with a fastest lap and pole position to boot, has also given Hamilton the lead in the driver’s standings. So comfortably dominant was Hamilton’s pace that he was able to pit near the end of the race and still emerge well ahead of second-placed Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas who completed the podium in third.

The races started in damp condition but the switch to slick tyres happened within a few laps of the race start. There was drama before the race even started for Red Bull as Verstappen fell foul of the slippery conditions on the way to the grid. The Dutchman clouted a barrier with the front-left of his car breaking the track rod and front-wing. Somehow his mechanics were able to change the track rod in record time to get their driver into the race. Max Verstappen may have been voted Driver of the Day by fans on social media but the real MVPs were unquestionably his mechanics.

Saturday qualifying confirmed Racing Point’s pace as they locked out the second row of the grid with Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez. It is often easy to dismiss Lance Stroll seeing as his father owns the team he’s driving for. But his performance and fourth place finish in the Hungarian Gp deserves praise. He thoroughly outpaced Checo Perez whom is the much more highly rated of the Racing Point drivers.

Alex Albon recovered from a nightmarish qualifying position of 13^th to finish fifth ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in sixth. Ferrari’s woes were eased somewhat with Vettel but Charles Leclerc was only able to bring his Ferrari home in 11^th. It’s going to be a long old season and, unfortunately, the light at the end of the tunnel is nowhere near in sight for the Scuderia.

Sergio Perez was seventh for Racing Point however Renault hit them with another protest after the race. Renault had also lodged a protest with the FIA following the Stryrian Gp (Austria Part 2) challenging the legality of the Racing Point’s car design. Racing Point has made no secret about the fact that they had copied, from pictures, the design of the 2019 Mercedes. Renault believe though that Mercedes lent more of a helping hand than was legal.

Renault would likely not have raised the issue if they were ahead of Racing Point on pace, but they aren’t. As it were Daniel Ricciardo finished eighth for Renault ahead of McLaren’s Carlos Sainz in ninth and Haas F1’s Kevin Magnussen in tenth. Magnussen had finished ninth on the track but was subsequently dealt a ten-second-time penalty for receiving prohibited instructions during the formation lap.

On current pace it is clear that Hamilton might only have one challenger in 2020 – Valtteri Bottas. Valtteri Bottas started the season like he has in the last few years. Victory in race one is almost a given for the Finn but inevitably he is bested by Hamilton in the next few races. Bottas made two mistakes in the Hungarian grand prix. A stutter, nearly a jump start, at the beginning of the race saw him lose several places but luckily avoid a penalty as he was adjudged to still be in his grid slot despite a small amount of relative movement before the lights went out. The second slip-up was his inability to overtake Verstappen despite having significantly fresher tyres and boatload more pace. Yes, overtaking around the Hungarian circuit isn’t the easiest feat but if Bottas is serious about taking the challenge to Hamilton then he must make that pass for second. The fact is that Bottas is not going to beat Hamilton, over a season, on pace. The only way of beating Lewis Hamilton is to get inside his head. Bottas needs to be utterly relentless and to make Hamilton aware that he isn’t going to yield.

The good news for Bottas is that there is unlikely to be a consistent challenge from anywhere else. Mercedes Benz is simply in a class of its own. The on-board footage of Hamilton’s qualifying lap pretty much defied the laws of gravity so ridiculously planted was the Merc around the Hungaroring.

It is quite astonishing that the Mercedes factory and engineers is still able to produce an even quicker car than they have in the previous six years. Every year the car created is a masterpiece of engineering and innovation to the point where one thinks it surely cannot get any better. But it does. And what they have conjured with the W11 in 2020 is gob-smacking. It is unfathomable to imagine that the championship titles will be going anywhere other than Mercedes’s undoubtedly overflowing trophy cabinet in Brackley. In fact, the rest would do well to get a win off them this season, on merit.

July 23, 2020
F1 2020 Game Review: Codemasters Set New Benchmark

When Codemasters took over the franchise of F1 games there were those who had doubts and there were those that had a wish list twice as long Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Year on year the doubters have been silenced and Codemasters have steadily chipped away at the lengthy wish lists. But surely those most outlandish dreams on said wish lists were assumed to be mere pipe dreams destined to remain fantasy. After all, it is a title based on the F1 season of a given year; a race around a set calendar with real-world teams. You would assume then that there’s only so much evolution that can take place in terms of gameplay. But Codemasters has set such a lofty benchmark for itself with every new F1 release that now even some of the most incredible wishes have been granted.

Not only has Codemasters produced a brilliant F1 racing game but also they have combined it with a fully-fledged management sim. In F1 2020 you are the boss. In the new ‘My Team’ features players can, for the first time ever, create their own teams from scratch and line it up on the F1 grid as the 11^th team in the paddock.

You won’t only be the boss though as you’ll be pulling double-duty as a driver too. In addition to customizing your own character there is a whole host of important decisions to be made. From selecting a team name, a second driver, a new livery, main sponsors, and an engine supplier to managing the various departments the new game mode is stuffed full of content that will keep you busy and engaged for some time to come.

The handling model of the title has been overhauled too. In many instances the handling of the 2020 cars feels slightly easier to manage but you’ll have to take more care accelerating out of corners as the cars now have slightly less traction. There are a litany of things that standout in F1 2020 from the razor sharp graphics to the minute details of the asphalt on the different track surfaces. The sound deserves its own mention. From the ultra-realistic gear shifts to the throaty off-throttle growl of the Honda engine to the plank of the Alpha Tauri skimming along the main strait of Brazil’s Interlagos circuit – the sound in F1 2020 is a marvel.

A tour, or several, around the newly added Zaandvoort circuit is highly recommended too. The experience is a spectacular tear around the undulating Dutch circuit akin to an exhilarating rollercoaster jaunt. You don’t have to feel daunted by F1 2020 either as a new set of assists allows even the most inexperienced gamers to try their hand at it and have fun while doing so.

In addition to the sparkly new features it also maintains several customary game modes (Time Trial, Grand Prix) including a traditional career mode, which allows the player to step into any of the current F1 teams and perform simply as a driver. And if you’re not ready for the cutthroat world of F1 you can ply your trade at F2 level with the full rostrum at your disposal.

If you are looking for the most complete racing experience possible then look no further than F1 2020 by Codemasters. Dazzlingly authentic, stunningly engrossing, F1 2020 is a wonder.

July 15, 2020
F1 2020: Austria Gp Preview – It’s A GO….Finally

It is finally here. After months of no on-track action to speak off this weekend the 2020 Formula 1 season will finally kick-off.

The season-opener will run around the picture-perfect Red Bull Ring situated at the foothills of the Styrian Mountains. It’s been more than half a year and an awfully long dry spell for all involved but the Austrian grand prix may make the wait more than worth it.

At the outset every new season there are unknowns. Pre-season testing may have provided a rudimentary pecking order but the Red Bull Ring is a far different prospect than the traditional first race of the season around Australia’s Albert Park circuit. Instead of the unique semi-permanent street circuit F1 2020 will start on an Austrian circuit dominated by straights and heavy braking.

Though the teams all observed a compulsory shutdown period work on improving their cars has been progressing. Mercedes and Ferrari are guaranteed to bring a raft of upgrades to their cars. The number of parts may vary in comparison to the bigger teams but all teams are likely to run updated packages this weekend. Ferrari are supposedly bringing only ‘minor’ upgrades to their car. But it is believed that a new smaller and narrower nose configuration will also be introduced. Reports also suggest that Ferrari are readying an engine upgrade that is rumoured to be worth 20 to 30 BHP which could prove valuable on a circuit dominated by straights.

At Mercedes Technical chief James Allison confirmed that the team has made “significant progress” on the 2020 car and will bring a “chunk” of upgrades to Austria. It might mean that Mercedes will maintain the pre-season favourites tag. But Austria hasn’t been overly kind to Mercedes in the last few years. For one, the traditionally sky-high temperatures have severely affected the Merc on several occasions. However, as it stands the weather is forecast to be in the low twenties with 60% chances of showers on Sunday.

The more than three month delay to racing, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, ensures that the 2020 F1 season will long being remembered as one of the most unusual. In addition to the conjecture around Ferrari’s pace and Mercedes’s ability to preserve their dominance Red Bull too enter into the equation. It’s been seven years since they last won a title and the biggest question around the Austrian-owned team is whether or not a sustained challenge can be mounted for the championship. The opening rounds of this season, which include the double-header in Austria and a third round in Hungary, are circuit tailor-made to the characteristics of the Red Bull car. It is as good a chance as they’ve ever had to assert themselves in the championship fight.

In the midfield too there is great sense of anticipation. Can McLaren maintain their position as best-of-the-rest? They have momentum on their side but team’s financial difficulties add an extra layer of pressure to maximise every point-scoring opportunity. Was the pace shown by Racing Point in pre-season testing legitimate and can they keep their eye on the ball despite the team’s imminent re-branding as Aston Martin? Dubbed the ‘pink Mercedes’ due to its overwhelming similarity to the 2019 Merc the Racing Point team made a big statement in testing. It’s now though that they’ll need to prove that their pace is legitimate. Will Renault, undoubtedly under pressure from France, move forward? For a works team Renault has been languishing further down the field than it should be and must begin to show progress up the grid if it is justify its participation in the sport. Has Williams produced a car capable of scoring points? There were signs early on that the 2020 Williams was at least better than its predecessor. However, the 2019 car didn’t exactly set a high bar. The team seemed cautiously optimistic that it is moving in the right direction.

The 2019 Austrian grand prix, which culminated in a last gasp win for Max Verstappen, was easily one of the best races of the season. If the 2020 Austrian grand prix has even the slightest resemblance to it then we’re in for a cracker.

July 2, 2020
F1 2020: Opening Races Officially Announced

For most 2020 has been an unprecedented year, so far. Nearly all the plans and ideas and intentions have fallen by the wayside or at the very least significantly delayed. Amongst many other areas of life the world of sport has found itself in suspended animation for several months. Astonishingly, it has been six months, or half a year, since the last F1 race in Abu Dhabi.

Fortunately the official announcement of the opening eight races for the 2020 season signals an end to the long wait. With due considerations towards health and safety Formula 1, in partnership with the FIA and teams, has facilitated a return to the track. F1 will look markedly different in this new world, as all eight races will take place behind ‘closed doors’. The thought of no fans at Monza, devoid of the passionate Tifosi is nearly unimaginable. But these are the compromises that had to be made in order to go racing.

The opening two rounds will take place at Austria’s Red Bull Ring. The race scheduled for 3 – 5 July will officially be known as the Formula 1 Rolex Grosser Preis von Osterreich while round two, slated for 10 – 12 July will be known as the Formula 1 Pirelli Grosser Preis der Steiermark.

The paddock will be sans motorhomes for the opening stint of the season and team members will make use of the paddock club facilities for mealtimes. Teams will also keep to themselves during the race weekend and not mingle with members from other teams so as to insure a relative isolation.

The third round of the season will take place at Hungary’s Hungaroring from 17 – 19 July. Though the 2020 cars have not turned a wheel in anger Austria’s Red Bull Ring and the Hungaroring are traditionally strong circuits for Red Bull. It could be just what Max Verstappen and co needs to be serious contenders right off the bat.

After several long consultations Formula 1 and other elite sports have obtained a special exemption from the British government to forego the compulsory 14-day self-quarantine upon entering the country. It means that the British grand prix can go ahead. In fact, the brilliant Silverstone circuit will host back-to-back race weekends with the first to take place from 31 July to 02 August. The second race, on 07 – 09 August, is being billed as the Emirates Formula 1 70^th Anniversary Grand Prix. As the site of the first ever Formula 1 world championship race in 1950 it seems more than fitting.

From 14 – 16 August Formula 1 will be at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya in Spain for round 6 of the championship. Interestingly, the much hotter weather could have a significantly impact on the racing as Spain’s traditional slot on the F1 calendar sees much cooler conditions. Round 7 of the calendar has been reserved for the Belgian grand prix around the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The Belgium grand prix retains its original of 28 – 30 August. One week later, on 04 – 06 September, Monza has been penned in as round 8

While only eight races have been announced the expectation is to run a calendar of 15 – 18 races, which is expected to end in December. Ferrari, which owns the Mugello circuit, has given their consent for a race to be run on the Italian track. Amongst others, Hockenheim and Imola are also believed to be in the mix for addition to the 2020 F1 calendar.

June 9, 2020
F1 2020: Who Will Renault Sign for 2021?

Some years the driver changes in F1 are downright predictable. But every now and then drivers and teams drop some bombshells that catch everyone by surprise. Seb Vettel’s departure from Ferrari is such a bombshell.

All expectations were for the four-time champ to resign with Ferrari and continue on his quest of winning the title in the red like his childhood hero Michael Schumacher. While Vettel still has one more chance in 2020 to claim that elusive fifth crown his time with Ferrari is guaranteed to be over after the final race of the season.

His decision caused significant reaction in the driver market. Ferrari has already announced the signing of Carlos Sainz Jr. while McLaren snatched Daniel Ricciardo from Renault to fill their vacant seat in 2021. As it stands the seat at Renault, alongside Esteban Ocon, remains empty. Unsurprisingly, the speculation as to who will join the French team continues to simmer.

The good news is that Renault has re-affirmed its commitment to remaining in F1 as a full works team. This put to bed any rumours of the team closing up shop and making an ungraceful exit any time soon. Importantly, it also assures any potential driver that Renault is serious about F1.

A few drivers’ names have been floating around for the Renault seat.

Most likely

Guanyu Zhou. At 21-years old the Chinese racing driver is easily one of the most in the Formula 2 championship. Massively quick and seemingly consistent Zhou is already part of the Renault Sport Academy and is currently retained as Renault’s reserve driver. In addition to his inherent speed Zhou also comes complete with serious sponsorship from China. If he were signed up Zhou would be the first Chinese driver in Formula 1.

Valtteri Bottas. At the end of 2020 Bottas will be out of contract at Mercedes. It is a pretty safe assumption that he will want to remain with the team. But there is, allegedly, interest from Daimler in the services of one Seb Vettel. This would mean Bottas needs to find a new seat and Renault could be a good fit.

Bottas’ performance at Mercedes has, at times, been fairly poor. For example, in 2018 he didn’t win a single race in easily the most dominant car on the grid and finished a lowly fifth in the championship. But his performances have also been good at times. Good enough to ensure the constructor’s title. But the tantalising though of Vettel and Hamilton in the same team may be one that Daimler simply cannot pass up.

He’ll probably do well at Renault too. There will be less pressure than at Mercedes. His only job will be to score solid and consistent points for the mid-field team something he has already proven capable of with his time at Williams. There are credible reports that Renault has initiated discussion with Bottas’ management.

Out-of-the-box

George Russell. The young Brit is a must on any team’s list of potential signings. Russell is a Mercedes Academy driver, and could well be in line for the Merc seat himself. From pre-season testing Williams appear to have put together a much-improved car for 2020. But sooner than later Russell will need to move up the grid and if Merc doesn’t take up the option of moving him into the works team he could be off to new pastures. Renault would do well sign up Russell.

Alex Albon. F1 chain reactions are real and this move is somewhat dependent on the speculation that Bottas could end up at Red Bull if Vettel takes his Merc seat. From his brief time as a Red Bull driver Albon has shown tremendous promise. The Thai driver is undeniably a star in the making and would boost any team he joins. But he’s comfortable at Red Bull and it is unlikely that Helmut Marko and Christian Horner would let him go. But stranger things have happened.

What box?

Sebastian Vettel. In the statement announcing the end of his relationship with Ferrari there was no mention of what Vettel’s future would be. He could well hang up the gloves at the end of the season. He could head off to Merc. Or he could join Renault.

He brings massive star power, presence, and a treasure trove of experience. It will boost morale at Renault and perhaps just be the shot in the arm the French manufacturer needs. But does Vettel want to putter around in the mid-field? Is his love of racing still deep enough to, potentially, give up winning?

Romain Grosjean. Frenchman in a French team is always the best-case scenario for a French team. Lets not forget that Grosjean signed for Haas just before Renault announced their full-time return to the sport. Chances are they would’ve retained his services if the uncertainty at the time didn’t force him to make the move to the American team.

Yes, he’s had several issues and even more crashes. But Grosjean has the potential to be very good. His time at Lotus proved his capability. All he needs is a bit of belief and consistency.

Special mentions

Nico Hulkenberg. The German driver finds himself outside of F1 after being dropped by Renault for Esteban Ocon. The question is whether Renault would want to dip into the Hulkenberg-well for second time? They know what he is capable of and if all other options fail to come to fruition he may be in with a shot of returning to the sport with Renault.

Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard has made no secret of his desire to return to F1 and his management will push hard to get the Renault seat. He won two titles with Renault in ’05 and ’06 and more than likely hasn’t lost any speed since his last stint in the sport. BUT. Signing Alonso doesn’t mean getting a prodigiously quick racing driver. It also means getting Alonso and all of his baggage.

June 9, 2020
F12020: Why Ferrari Chose Sainz over Ricciardo

Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel have jointly announced that after the conclusion of the 2020 season, assuming it actually gets underway, they will no longer be partners.

If you’d cared to look for it the writing has been on the wall for some time. Yes, hindsight and all that but Vettel just hasn’t seemed to be as in love with Formula 1 as he had been in his Red Bull heyday and even his early years at Ferrari. Vettel and Ferrari’s story is a romantic one that the four-time champion had been dreaming of since the days of watching his hero Michael Schumacher win five consecutive titles for the Prancing Horse. A title with the famed Italian team was always Vettel’s ambition but it simply hasn’t come to fruition, for a number of reasons. There is still a chance for Vettel if things get underway in 2020 and Ferrari can get their act together.

Little time was wasted in announcing Vettel’s replacement. In fact, a mere 48 hours after the Ferrari/Vettel statement was released it was revealed, via press release, that Carlos Sainz would be a Ferrari driver in 2021. It wasn’t much of a surprise given that most of the smart money was on Sainz to join the Scuderia. The other driver believed to be a serious consideration for the seat was Daniel Ricciardo. Neverthelesss, Sainz got the nod and has put pen to paper in what is the biggest move of his career.

Why exactly did Ferrari choose Sainz over Ricciardo? Let’s break it down. Sainz is quick, he’s consistent, and he’s only 25. Carlos Sainz has all the attributes that will be attractive to Ferrari and five seasons under his belt to boot. He appears, from what we’ve seen so far, to be a fairly low maintenance driver who gets on with the job. This is important for Ferrari. Fernando Alonso is brilliant racing driver but too demanding and political for his own good. His time at Ferrari yielded some memorable race wins and nearly a title or two but his time in red is also blighted by tension in the garage and on the pitwall.

Similarly, the fractious relationship between Vettel and Charles Leclerc may have been consigned to the second half of 2019 but it caused unnecessary distraction. Sainz’s demeanour doesn’t seem to lend itself to a potentially explosive relationship with Leclerc. What’s more, the Spaniard isn’t yet a championship contender so he wont necessarily have this expectation from day one. In many ways Ferrari will be able to groom Sainz much in the same way that they did Leclerc.

Sainz is hungry too. Even though its years behind him now he was left behind in the Max Verstappen promotion to Red Bull saga. He felt he was overlooked and could have dropped his head and easily morphed into an also-ran. But he rebounded incredibly well and finished best-of-the-rest in 2019. This shows a deep-rooted determination on top of what is already impressive speed and race craft.

Why not Ricciardo? The Aussie has been a fan-favourite from day one and would undoubtedly have been embraced by the Tifosi. He’s a proven race winner and a dynamite overtaker. He would’ve joined Ferrari as a bonafide championship contender from day one, should the machinery suffice.

BUT. No matter what he may say he left Red Bull because Max Verstappen was clearly the top dog. And he did so because he wants to be at a team where he would be considered the number one driver. At Ferrari he would’ve been coming into Leclerc’s team. As much as he may be assured of equal status within the team it is never a seamless process. No matter what they may say in the press the team will inevitably lean towards Leclerc because there is already a level of comfort and familiarity between the two. And, as previously mentioned, Ferrari want to avoid a war between its drivers.

It’s not all lost for Ricciardo who has inked a deal to join McLaren for 2021. It is an tacit admission from the Australian driver that he’d made a mistake to leave Red Bull. While Verstappen was racking up wins and podiums it never really came together for Ricciardo at Renault. And if he was truly convinced and believed in the French team’s potential he would’ve stuck around for it. Nevertheless, he could be playing a crafty long game by joining McLaren. Lest we forget they are retuning to Mercedes power in 2021 and sooner rather than later there will be a seat available at the works team and it could very well have Daniel Ricciardo’s name on it.

For now, Ferrari are unquestionably entering an thrilling period. For the first time since 2007 Ferrari will start a season without a champion in its line up. But they’re going to field one of the most exciting driver pairings in Sainz and Leclerc. If they can produce a car capable of consistently fighting for wins it is bound to be an explosive season for the Scuderia.

May 25, 2020