2020 F1 World Championship

The 2020 F1 season marked the 70th anniversary of the first Formula One World Drivers’ Championship in 1950 but was halted even before lights out at the first race due to global events.

The start of the championship was initially planned for March, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed to July. The season was expected to feature a record-breaking 22 Grand Prix, but due to cancellations and alternative races found to fill the calendar and reduce global travel, only 17 races took place.

Season

The season began with the Austrian Grand Prix and ended with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. The pandemic led to the first eight rounds of the championship being run without spectators, with the remaining races being held at a reduced capacity or without spectators due to the second wave of the pandemic.

Defending champions Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes entered the season aiming to maintain their grip on the World Drivers’ and World Constructors’ titles. At the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Mercedes clinched their seventh consecutive Constructors’ Championship, becoming the only team to win seven straight titles, surpassing the record of Ferrari from 1999 to 2004. Mercedes also retained their position as the only team to win the championship since the FIA introduced turbo-hybrid engine regulations in 2014.

Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of seven World Drivers’ Championships at the Turkish Grand Prix and broke Schumacher’s previous record of 91 career wins at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel struggled throughout the season, finishing thirteenth in the standings with just 33 points. This marked his final season with Ferrari as he went on to join Aston Martin, formerly known as Racing Point, for the 2021 season.

2020 F1 Entries drivers and teams

2020 Formula 1 Race Calendar

The 2020 F1 World Championship originally had a total of 22 Grand Prix planned, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were several cancellations and postponements. As a result, the revised schedule only had 17 Grand Prix, with nine races from the original calendar and eight additional races, with the remaining 13 being cancelled altogether. The season started with two races in Austria, and included two at Silverstone and two at the Bahrain International Circuit.

2020 Formula 1 Race Reports

Round 1: Austrian Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 5 July 2020
Race start time: 14:10
Circuit: Red Bull Ring
Laps: 71
Circuit length: 4.318km

The 2020 Austrian Grand Prix became the opening round of the Championship and also the first of two consecutive races at the Red Bull Ring, with the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix scheduled to take place the following week.

Lewis Hamilton entered the round as the defending World Drivers’ Champion, while Mercedes sought to defend their Constructors’ title. However, it was Valtteri Bottas who emerged victorious for Mercedes, with Charles Leclerc finishing second for Ferrari and Lando Norris securing third for McLaren—his first career podium in Formula One. At 20 years old, Norris became the third-youngest driver in F1 history to stand on an F1 podium.

The race took place under unique circumstances, as the original 2020 F1 calendar was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned season opener in Australia was abruptly canceled just two days before the race, forcing the FIA to reorganise the schedule. The revised championship finally commenced on July 5, with Austria hosting the first race.

To accommodate the disrupted season, race organizers signed a contract to host a second round at the same circuit on July 12, known as the Styrian Grand Prix. This marked several firsts in Formula One history: it was the first time since 1995 that a country hosted back-to-back Grands Prix in a single season (Japan previously hosted the Pacific and Japanese Grands Prix). It was the first time ever that the same circuit layout hosted two consecutive World Championship races in a season. And it was the first F1 race weekend to be held behind closed doors, with no spectators allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Round 2: Styrian Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 12 July 2020
Race start time: 14:10
Circuit: Red Bull Ring
Laps: 71
Circuit length: 4.318km

The 2020 Styrian Grand Prix marked the first-ever running of the event and took place exactly one week after the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix at the same circuit, the Red Bull Ring. This unique scheduling was part of the revised Formula One calendar, implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lewis Hamilton delivered a commanding performance in the race, converting pole position into victory. His Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas finished second, while Max Verstappen secured third place for Red Bull.

Hamilton’s win brought him within six points of championship leader Bottas, while Mercedes extended their lead in the Constructors’ Championship to 41 points, strengthening their early dominance in the season.

Round 3: Hungarian Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 19 July 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Hungaroring
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.381km

Lewis Hamilton, the defending race winner, once again dominated at the Hungaroring for the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix, securing his second consecutive victory of the 2020 season and an unprecedented eighth win at the circuit.

Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull Racing, while Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas took third for Mercedes, rounding out the podium.

Round 4: British Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 2 August 2020
Race start time: 14:10
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 52
Circuit length: 5.891km

The 2020 British Grand Prix was the first of two consecutive races at Silverstone in 2020, with the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix following a week later.

Defending race winner Lewis Hamilton continued his dominance at the circuit, claiming his third consecutive victory of the 2020 season and Mercedes’ fourth win in a row. Initially, there were concerns over whether Silverstone would be able to host Formula One races due to quarantine restrictions proposed by the British government. However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson supported an exemption for Formula One, and the British Government ultimately approved the event.

With the addition of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix on 9 August, this season marked the first time in 27 years that two Formula One races were held in the United Kingdom. The last time this occurred was in 1993, when Donington Park hosted the European Grand Prix alongside Silverstone’s British Grand Prix. It was later revealed that Silverstone had offered to host up to 12 races during the disrupted season. However, the British Grand Prix and the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix were ultimately held behind closed doors, with no spectators allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Round 5: 70th Anniversary Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 9 August 2020
Race start time: 14:10
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 52
Circuit length: 5.891km

The 2020 70th Anniversary Grand Prix was the fifth round of the rescheduled 2020 Formula One World Championship and served as a commemorative event marking 70 years since the first-ever Formula One World Championship race, which was held at Silverstone in 1950.

Max Verstappen claimed victory for Red Bull Racing, securing the first non-Mercedes win of the season. It was also Red Bull’s first Silverstone victory in the V6 turbo-hybrid era, their first triumph at the circuit since Mark Webber won at the 2012 British Grand Prix, and the first Honda-powered victory at Silverstone since 1989.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton finished second, and in doing so, he equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of 155 career Formula One podiums. Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas finished third.

Round 6: Spanish Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 16 August 2020
Race start time: 14:10
Circuit: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Laps: 66
Circuit length: 4.655km

The 2020 Spanish Grand Prix was originally scheduled to take place on 10 May, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and rescheduled as part of a revised calendar. Lewis Hamilton dominated the race, winning by 24 seconds and lapping every driver except for the Red Bull of Max Verstappen and his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who finished second and third, respectively, to complete the podium.

Charles Leclerc endured a frustrating race for Ferrari, retiring due to a mechanical issue after spinning at the chicane. Meanwhile, his teammate Sebastian Vettel managed to salvage seventh place, impressively completing more than half the race on a single set of soft tyres.

Round 7: Belgian Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 30 August 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 44
Circuit length: 7.004km

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix, leading every lap from start to finish, with teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen maintaining their second and third positions throughout the race. Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest lap on the final lap with a time of 1:47.483, earning an additional championship point.

A minute of silence was observed before the race to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Anthoine Hubert’s passing. Pierre Gasly, one of Hubert’s closest friends, honoured him by wearing a tribute helmet, while all teams and drivers displayed a star sticker on their chassis and helmets in memory of Hubert.

Round 8: Italian Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 6 September 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.793km

At the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly, driving for AlphaTauri, claimed his first Formula One victory, becoming the first French driver to win a race since Olivier Panis at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix. This win also marked the 80th Formula One World Championship race win for a French driver. Additionally, it made Honda the first engine manufacturer to win with two different teams in the V6 turbo-hybrid era. McLaren driver Carlos Sainz finished second, while the Racing Point of Lance Stroll took third place.

The race was also the last for both Claire Williams and Frank Williams, as they stepped down from their positions at Williams Racing and the first time that Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull all failed to score a podium finish since the 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Round 9: Tuscan Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 13 September 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
Scarperia e San Piero, Tuscany, Italy
Laps: 59
Circuit length: 5.245 km (3.259 miles)

The 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix was a one-off Formula 1 race held on 13 September 2020 at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in Tuscany, Italy. The race was held to commemorate Ferrari’s 1000th race in the Formula One World Championship, with the safety car sporting a special red livery instead of the usual silver in honour of the occasion. It was the first time the Mugello Circuit hosted a Formula One World Championship race. During the COVID pandemic it was the ninth round of the 2020 World Championship and was the first race of the season to allow spectators. As of 2024, it remains the only Tuscan Grand Prix in F1 History and the only Formula One race ever held at the Mugello circuit.

Lewis Hamilton claimed victory for Mercedes, with teammate Valtteri Bottas finishing second, marking Mercedes’ third 1-2 finish of the season. Alexander Albon with Red Bull Racing secured his first-ever F1 podium with a third-place finish, becoming the first Thai driver and the first non-Japanese Asian driver to reach the podium.

The race was also notable for having two red flags, the first time this occurred since the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, leading to three standing starts throughout the race.

Round 10: Russian Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 27 September 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Sochi Autodrom
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.848 km (3.634 miles)

The Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas won the 2020 Russian Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen finishing in second for Red Bull, and Bottas’s teammate Lewis Hamilton completing the podium in third.

The 2020 season was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the cancellation or postponement of many originally scheduled races. As a result, the FIA introduced a revised calendar, though the Russian Grand Prix retained its original date. Up to 30,000 fans were allowed to attend the race under social distancing guidelines. Haas driver Romain Grosjean voiced concerns about the management of the pandemic at his hotel during the event.

Round 11: Eifel Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 11 October 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Nürburgring
Laps: 60
Circuit length: 5.148 km (3.199 miles)

A one-off race due to a heavily affected calendar because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, held at the Nurburgring, was won by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who equalled Michael Schumacher‘s record of 91 Formula 1 wins. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finished second, pushing Hamilton for much of the race but unable to challenge for the win. Daniel Ricciardo, driving for Renault, claimed third place, marking Renault’s first podium since 2011.

In the post-race interviews, Mick Schumacher presented Hamilton with his father’s race-worn Mercedes helmet from 2012, a gesture from the Schumacher family to honour Hamilton for equaling Michael Schumacher’s record number of wins.

Round 12: Portuguese Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 25 October 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Laps: 66
Circuit length: 4.653 km (2.891 miles)

Lewis Hamilton claimed his 92nd race victory at the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix, surpassing seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher‘s record for the most Grand Prix wins. He finished over 25 seconds ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, marking the second-largest winning margin of the season, with Max Verstappen finishing third, making his 40th podium appearance.

This race marked the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix for the first time since 1996, this time it was held at the Algarve International Circuit. The 2020 Formula One season had been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many originally scheduled Grands Prix either cancelled or postponed, leading the FIA to create a revised calendar. The Portuguese Grand Prix, not initially part of the 2020 schedule, was added in July to help maximize the number of races.

Initially, up to 45,000 fans were expected to attend, but due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, the number of spectators was reduced to 27,500.

Round 13: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 1 November 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Laps: 63
Circuit length: 4.909km

The 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix marked the return of Formula One to the Imola circuit for the first time since the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix, making it the 28th F1 race held at the track. Kimi Raikkonen was the only driver on the grid with prior F1 experience at Imola, having competed there from 2001 to 2006. This Grand Prix weekend was condensed into two days, with only a single 90-minute practice session on Saturday morning before qualifying.

The 63-lap race saw Lewis Hamilton take victory for Mercedes, with his teammate Valtteri Bottas in second, and the Renault of Daniel Ricciardo completing the podium in third. Mercedes clinched the 2020 Constructors’ Championship with this 1-2 finish, setting a new record for consecutive titles with seven. Initially, the race was set to welcome 13,000 fans, but due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, it was ultimately held behind closed doors.

Round 14: Turkish Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 15 November 2020
Race start time: 14:10 local time
Circuit: Istanbul Park
Laps: 58
Circuit length: 5.338 km

The 2020 Turkish Grand Prix was added to the revised F1 calendar to replace races cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 58-lap race was held on a newly resurfaced track with low-grip conditions, worsened by rain before the start. Racing Point driver Lance Stroll secured the first pole position of his career and led much of the race, but after his car sustained damage, he fell back to finish ninth. Lewis Hamilton, starting from sixth for Mercedes, navigated the challenging conditions to take a sublime and historic win, securing his seventh World Drivers’ Championship title and equaling Michael Schumacher’s record.

Hamilton’s tyres were nearly slick by the end of the race, as he opted not to replace his worn intermediate tyres, as others around him did, a testament to his tyre management in the changing track conditions. The podium was rounded out by Stroll’s teammate, Sergio Perez, in second and Sebastian Vettel of Scuderia Ferrari in third—marking both drivers’ first podiums of the season. Hamilton’s victory also ensured the World Drivers’ Championship remained with Mercedes for the seventh consecutive year, with only his teammate Valtteri Bottas remaining in contention before the race, trailing by 85 points.

Round 15: Bahrain Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 29 November 2020
Race start time: 17:10 local time
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit
Laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.412km

The 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, initially scheduled for March but rescheduled to 29 November due to COVID-19, was the first of two consecutive races at the Bahrain International Circuit, with the second, the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, using a different layout the following weekend. The race, held behind closed doors with an exception for local health workers and their families, became unforgettable due to a harrowing accident involving Romain Grosjean. His Haas car split in two, wedging itself in the barrier, and caught fire, suspending the race for eighty minutes. Grosjean escaped with second-degree burns on his hands, but the incident led him to miss the season’s final races, making Bahrain as his last Formula One appearance before moving to the IndyCar Series in 2021.

Driving for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton claimed victory from pole position, finishing ahead of Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon. This win was Mercedes’ final victory of the 2020 season, as the remaining races at Sakhir and Abu Dhabi were won by Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, respectively.

Round 16: Sakhir Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 6 December 2020
Race start time: 17:10 local time
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit
Laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.412km

The 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix was held on this day, 6 December 2020, and was a unique one-off Championship race on the ‘Outer Circuit’ of the Bahrain International Circuit. It was the penultimate round of the 2020 season and followed the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, which had been held on a different track configuration the previous week. It remains the first and only F1 race on this particular layout and the only running of the Sakhir Grand Prix to date.

Sergio Perez claimed his first Formula One win, Racing Point’s only win as a constructor. His win also made him the first Mexican driver to win a Grand Prix since Pedro Rodriguez’s 1970 victory in Belgium. Esteban Ocon finished second, earning his first podium for Renault, while Perez’s teammate Lance Stroll took third, giving Racing Point their first and only double podium finish.

Notably, this was the first Championship race without Lewis Hamilton since the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix, as he tested positive for COVID-19 the week before. It was also his replacement George Russell‘s misery. Filling in for Hamilton at Mercedes, Russel looked set for a breakthrough victory, leading much of the race. However, a pit stop error led to Mercedes fitting him with the wrong tyres, forcing an additional stop to correct the mistake. Not long after, a slow puncture forced Russell to pit again, dropping him down the order and costing him a near-certain win. He ultimately finished ninth, scoring his first F1 points but missing out on what could have been a spectacular debut victory.

Round 17: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Race date: Sunday, 13 December 2020
Race start time: 17:10 local time
Circuit: Yas Marina Circuit
Laps: 55
Circuit length: 5.554km

The 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the seventeenth and final race of the season, with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen dominating the event, securing victory from pole and leading every lap. Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in second and third, respectively.

Post-race McLaren secured third place in the Constructors’ Championship, their best finish since 2012. This was the first time since 2015 that a team outside of Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull finished in the top three of the Constructors’ standings.

Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the region, the race was held behind closed doors, with no fans in attendance. Although Verstappen was pleased with his victory, he downplayed Red Bull’s chances of mounting a title challenge in 2021. Ironically, he went on to claim the Drivers’ Championship the following year.

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  2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Full Weekend Report & Highlights

2020 Formula 1 Race Results

2020 Formula 1 Standings

Driver standings

Team standings