F1 - 2020 - Silverstone 1st August - Spolier Alert

[FIVEDOOR]

Sergio Perez has tested positive to the Covid virus and will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg at Racing Point. Small number of team members are also out for the weekend and self isolation along with Sergio Perez

Vettel was forced to sit out FP1 with inter-cooler issue. He took to the track in FP2 only to return to the pits with something loose in the footwell. It appears the pedal box may have suffered from loose mounting. He was able to take to the track but managed only 25 laps and muffed his only chance of a qualifying lap.

Leclerc had a better day ending up in P4 in FP2. Apparently the Ferrari is difficult to drive at the moment.

Renault were forced to break curfew to replace Ricciardo's chassis after a hairline crack was found. Teams are permitted 2 curfew breaks in 2020. No penalty. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...fractured-chassis.38Ukw8OkPOvgy99kDmCE0Q.html

 

[FIVEDOOR]

Practice report -

 

[FIVEDOOR]

Starting grid

1/ Hamilton
2/ Bottas
3/ Verstappen
4/ Leclerc
5/ Norris
6/ Stroll
7/ Sainz
8/ Ricciardo
9/ Ocon
10/ Vettel
11/ Gasly
12/ Albon
13/ Hulkenberg
14/ Magnussesn
15/ Giovinazzi
16/ Raikkonen
17/ Grosjean
18/ Latifi
19/ Kvyat
20 Russell

Hamilton was on fire in Q3 and put in couple of cracker laps.

Bottas was approx .3 s behind Hamilton. Verstappen was 1 s slower than Hamilton. As the race is 52 laps and a lap times are in the 1.20's, Hamilton shouldn't be able to lap Verstappen
Must hurt Vettel (10) to be qualifying so far behind his young team mate(4)

If this is going to be an exiting race, I fail to see where the excitement is going to come, other than bit of biff & barge perhaps, or Bottas perhaps beating Hamilton to the first corner. If he does it will be time for a lottery ticket.

 

[FIVEDOOR]

Race results

Mostly a dull race with the exception for some action midfield between Norris and Sainz and the excitement caused by series of tyres failures on the last 3 laps.

NB Ricciardo finished 4th.

1/ Hamilton
2/ Verstappen
3/ Leclerc
4/ Ricciardo
5/ Norris
6/ Ocon
7/ Gasly
8/ Albon
9/ Stroll
10/ Vettel
11/ Bottas
12/ Russell
13/ Sainz
14/ Giovinazzi
15/ Latifi
16/ Grosjean
17/ Raikkonen
18/ Kvjat - DNF
19/ Magnussen - DNF
20/ Hukenberg - Did not start due to technical problems


Hamilton led the race with Bottas comfortable distance behind in second, until Bottas' front tyre delaminated (?3 laps) near the end of the race. Bottas ended 11th, while Hamilton won. This win gives Hamilton lead of 30 points and it may well be too much for Bottas to make up. Should we give the title trophy to Hamilton already of wait until the end of the series? When Bottas' tyre deflated, we had just passed the pits and had to complete almost full lap which resulted in 11th place.

Raikkonen's left front wing failed during the race. Apparently Hamilton was behind him and the sequence of front tyre problems started after the wing failure. Hamilton felt that the wing failure was the reason for the front tyre failures.

Verstappen came for tyre change near the end of the race. His team found over fifty small cuts in his tyres adding to the theory that the damage was from Raikkonen's failed front wing particles.

Vettel started 10th and finished 10th. His young team mate finished commendable 3rd on the podium. That is the seconds time Vettel is being over shadowed by a younger team mate. Last time being Ricciardo at Red Bull. He must be past his prime, it happens to all of us. After the race a cut was also found in Vettel's tyre.

Kvjat's rear tyre blew and he ended in the wall backwards at high speed. Near the end of the race both Mercs and Sainz' McLaren's left front tyres delaminated within laps of each other. Hamilton managed to eke out a win even though his left front tyre delaminated on the last lap (??)

Ricciardo managed to avoid the tyres dramas finishing brilliant fourth.

Tension between Raikkonen and team due to the failure of this years car design. On track team stuff ups didn't help. Raikkonen was called into the pits during safety car, only to be told to stay out after it was too late. Apparently the radio traffic turned blue. Rumours suggest that Raikkonen will tell his team in the coming week that he will not renew his contract at the end of the season.Some finish sources suggest he may well quit before the end of the season. Young Schumacher is being touted as a possible replacement if this happens.

Magnussens race ended after contact with Albon.

Nico Hülkenberg did not make the start line due to car problems

Edit:- The team failed to get Hulkenbergs car started in time.