2020 Tuscan Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Italy
Grand Prix:Tuscan
Previous Round:2020 Italian Grand Prix
Next Round:2020 Russian Grand Prix
Image-Size:250px
Date:13 September
Year:2020
Official Name:Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020
Race No:9
Season No:17
Location:Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
Scarperia e San Piero, Tuscany, Italy
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Mi:3.259
Course Km:5.245
Distance Laps:59
Distance Mi:192.312
Distance Km:309.497
Weather:Sunny
Attendance:1,500[1]
Pole Driver:Lewis Hamilton
Pole Team:Mercedes
Pole Time:1:15.144
Pole Country:GBR
Fast Driver:Lewis Hamilton
Fast Team:Mercedes
Fast Time:1:18.833
Fast Lap:58
Fast Country:GBR
First Driver:Lewis Hamilton
First Team:Mercedes
First Country:GBR
Second Driver:Valtteri Bottas
Second Team:Mercedes
Second Country:FIN
Third Driver:Alexander Albon
Third Team:Red Bull Racing-Honda
Third Country:THA

The 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020) was a one-off Formula One motor race held on 13 September 2020 at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in Scarperia e San Piero, Tuscany, Italy. The race was the ninth round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship and the first race of the season with spectators. As of, this is the only Tuscan Grand Prix to be held and also the only Formula One race to be held at the Mugello circuit.

The race was won by Lewis Hamilton of the Mercedes team, with teammate Valtteri Bottas in second; Mercedes scored their third 1–2 finish of the season. Alexander Albon of Red Bull Racing-Honda scored his first podium in Formula One with a third-place finish, becoming the first Thai driver to do so. Albon also become the first Asian driver outside Japan to achieve a podium finish.

The race was the first since the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix to have two red flags.[2] Due to the two stoppages, the race had three standing starts.

Background

The race was held as an event celebrating Ferrari's 1000th race in the Formula One World Championship and the safety car used a red livery, instead of its usual silver colour, to mark the occasion.[3] The Mugello Circuit hosted a World Championship Formula One race for the first time. The Ferrari SF1000 sported a special livery: instead of the traditional rosso corsa, the car was painted dark burgundy. Both Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc wore special racing overalls, and both had special helmet designs.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

See also: COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. The championship was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the originally scheduled Grands Prix were cancelled or postponed, prompting the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile to draft a new calendar. While the previous eight events were held behind closed doors, organizers announced that up to 2,880 spectators would be allowed for the Tuscan Grand Prix.[4]

Entrants

Ten teams (each representing a different constructor) each entered two drivers. The drivers and teams were the same as those on the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for either the race or practice.[5]

Tyres

See also: Formula One tyres. Sole Formula One tyre manufacturer Pirelli brought the C1, C2, and C3 compound tyres for teams to use in the race, the three hardest compounds available.[6]

Qualifying

Qualifying classification

DriverConstructor
Q1Q2Q3
144data-sort-value="ham" Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:15.7781:15.3091:15.1441
277data-sort-value="bot" Valtteri BottasMercedes1:15.7491:15.3221:15.2032
333data-sort-value="ver" Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing-Honda1:16.3351:15.4711:15.5093
423data-sort-value="alb" Alexander AlbonRed Bull Racing-Honda1:16.5271:15.9141:15.9544
516data-sort-value="lec" Charles LeclercFerrari1:16.6981:16.3241:16.2705
611data-sort-value="per" Sergio Pérez1:16.5961:16.4891:16.3117
718data-sort-value="str" Lance Stroll1:16.7011:16.2711:16.3566
83data-sort-value="ric" Daniel RicciardoRenault1:16.9811:16.2431:16.5438
955data-sort-value="sai" Carlos Sainz Jr.McLaren-Renault1:16.9931:16.5221:17.8709
1031data-sort-value="oco" Esteban OconRenault1:16.8251:16.297data-sort-value="10" No time10
114data-sort-value="nor" Lando NorrisMcLaren-Renault1:16.8951:16.640N/A11
1226data-sort-value="kvy" Daniil KvyatAlphaTauri-Honda1:16.9281:16.854N/A12
137 data-sort-value="rai" Kimi RäikkönenAlfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari1:17.0591:16.854N/A13
145data-sort-value="vet" Sebastian VettelFerrari1:17.0721:16.858N/A14
158data-sort-value="gro" Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari1:17.0691:17.254N/A15
1610data-sort-value="gas" Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri-Honda1:17.125N/AN/A16
1799data-sort-value="gio" Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari1:17.220N/AN/A17
1863data-sort-value="rus" George RussellWilliams-Mercedes1:17.232N/AN/A18
196data-sort-value="lat" Nicholas LatifiWilliams-Mercedes1:17.320N/AN/A19
2020data-sort-value="mag" Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari1:17.348N/AN/A20
107% time

1:21.051

Source:[7] [8]

Race

The race was marked by several incidents. On the first lap at turn 2, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, Kimi Räikkönen, and Romain Grosjean collided, resulting in Gasly and Verstappen retiring from the race and Räikkönen having to change his front wing. Verstappen's car was beached in the gravel trap. A separate incident at the same corner involved Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lance Stroll, as Sainz spun round and damaged Sebastian Vettel's front wing. These incidents together brought out the safety car. On lap 6 the safety car pulled in, but an accordion effect led the midfield drivers to accelerate up to racing speed before the leaders did and were forced to brake,[10] triggering a collision involving Sainz, Kevin Magnussen, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Nicholas Latifi. Grosjean blamed the leader, Valtteri Bottas, for causing the accordion effect, and stated "this is the worst thing I've seen ever." All four drivers retired from the race and the red flag was brought out. During the red flag period, Esteban Ocon retired due to a brake failure; George Russell had earlier reported Ocon's brakes being on fire. The second red flag came on lap 45,[11] after Stroll suffered a tyre failure at lap 43 turn 9, and went into the barrier.[12] His Racing Point RP20 caught on fire, making it harder for the marshalls to clear the track.

Lewis Hamilton won the race, his 90th career win. Valtteri Bottas came in second and Alex Albon finished third; his first career podium. By finishing in ninth place, Kimi Räikkönen scored his first points of the season. A poor restart after the second red flag meant George Russell slipped from ninth to twelfth and last. He eventually finished eleventh leaving him out of the points.[13] Twelve drivers were warned by the FIA for their part in the accident at the restart on lap 6.[14] Writing for the BBC, former GP2 Series champion Jolyon Palmer praised the circuit, saying that it "defied all the [Hermann] Tilke design theories and yet provided a great spectacle in the traditional sense."[15]

Race classification

DriverConstructorTime/RetiredPoints
144data-sort-value="ham" Lewis HamiltonMercedes592:19:35.060126
277data-sort-value="bot" Valtteri BottasMercedes59+4.880218
323data-sort-value="alb" Alexander AlbonRed Bull Racing-Honda59+8.064415
43data-sort-value=ric" Daniel RicciardoRenault59+10.417812
511data-sort-value="per" Sergio Péreznowrap59+15.650710
64data-sort-value="nor" Lando NorrisMcLaren-Renault59+18.883118
726data-sort-value="kvy" Daniil KvyatnowrapAlphaTauri-Honda59+21.756126
816data-sort-value="lec" Charles LeclercFerrari59+28.34554
97data-sort-value="rai" Kimi RäikkönenAlfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari59+29.770132
105data-sort-value="vet" Sebastian VettelFerrari59+29.983141
1163data-sort-value="rus" George RussellWilliams-Mercedes59+32.40418
128data-sort-value="gro" Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari59+42.03615
data-sort-value="13"Ret18data-sort-value="str" Lance StrollnowrapRacing Point-BWT Mercedes42Accident6
data-sort-value="14"Ret31data-sort-value="oco" Esteban OconRenault7Brakes 10
data-sort-value="15"Ret6data-sort-value="lat" Nicholas LatifiWilliams-Mercedes619
data-sort-value="16"Ret20data-sort-value="mag" Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari5Collision20
data-sort-value="17"Ret99data-sort-value="gio"Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari5Collision17
data-sort-value="18"Ret55data-sort-value="sai" Carlos Sainz Jr.McLaren-Renault5Collision 9
data-sort-value="19"Ret33data-sort-value="ver" Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing-Honda0NowrapCollision3
data-sort-value="20"Ret10data-sort-value="gas" Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri-Honda0Collision 16
Fastest lap

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:18.833 (lap 58)

Source:[16] [17]
Notes

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
DriverPoints
1data-sort-value="ham" Lewis Hamilton190
2 Valtteri Bottas135
3 Max Verstappen110
14 Lando Norris65
15 Alexander Albon63
Source:[18]
Constructors' Championship standings
ConstructorPoints
1 Mercedes325
2 Red Bull Racing-Honda173
3 McLaren-Renault106
4 Racing Point-BWT Mercedes92
5 Renault83
Source:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gp di Toscana, festa a metà per la Ferrari. Andrea Marotta. it. 13 September 2020. 14 September 2020.
  2. Web site: Tuscan Grand Prix 2020 race report and highlights: Hamilton beats Bottas to win crazy race at Mugello, as Albon secures maiden podium. www.formula1.com . 13 September 2020 . en.
  3. Web site: 11 September 2020. Safety car uses red livery to commemorate Ferrari's 1000th GP. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200915101430/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.safety-car-sports-special-red-livery-at-mugello-to-celebrate-ferraris-1000th.19R73T2Mxk3fmIGovXYn84.html. 15 September 2020. Formula1.com. Formula One. en-GB.
  4. Web site: Smith. Luke. 30 August 2020. Tuscan GP at Mugello to be first F1 race to host fans in 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200830105824/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/151772/tuscan-gp-to-be-first-f1-race-to-host-fans-in-2020. 30 August 2020. Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. en-GB.
  5. Web site: 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix – Entry List. 10 September 2020. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 10 September 2020.
  6. Web site: 22 July 2020. 2020 Tuscan and Russian Grands Prix - Tyre compound choices. 2020-07-25. Pirelli. en.
  7. Web site: Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020 – Qualifying. Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. 12 September 2020. 12 September 2020.
  8. Web site: Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020 – Starting Grid. 13 September 2020. formula1.com.
  9. Web site: Perez blames pit exit configuration as he's handed grid drop for Raikkonen collision in FP2. Formula1.com. 11 September 2020. 11 September 2020.
  10. Web site: What really happened in Tuscan GP's huge restart crash. 14 September 2020. The Race. 28 September 2020.
  11. Web site: 13 September 2020. Hamilton beats Bottas to win crazy Tuscan GP, as Albon secures maiden podium. 23 October 2020. Formula1.com. en.
  12. Web site: Lewis Hamilton wins chaotic Tuscan Grand Prix to extend world championship lead. https://web.archive.org/web/20201010111131/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/formula1/lewis-hamilton-tuscan-grand-prix-result-standings-b434400.html . 2020-10-10 . limited . live. 13 September 2020. The Independent. 4 October 2020.
  13. Web site: The small and unenviable F1 club Russell has joined, for now. 18 September 2020. The Race. 28 September 2020.
  14. Web site: Smith. Luke. 13 September 2020. Twelve F1 drivers given warning over pile-up on Tuscan GP safety car restart. 2020-09-28. Autosport.com. en.
  15. News: Jolyon Palmer column: Mugello offers lessons to F1 on sanitised circuits. 15 September 2020. 20 February 2021. BBC Sport. Palmer. Jolyon.
  16. Web site: Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020 – Race Result. Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. 13 September 2020. 13 September 2020.
  17. Web site: Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020 – Fastest Laps . 13 September 2020. formula1.com.
  18. Web site: Tuscany 2020 - Championship. 2020-09-13. www.statsf1.com.