One word to describe the first-ever Tuscan Grand Prix? Chaos.
Two red flags, three huge crashes and three standing starts. It was complete and utter madness on F1’s first ever race visit to Mugello.
Today gave many of the drivers a chance to shine and capitalise on the attrition of others, and certain drivers certainly grabbed that opportunity with both hands, while others had a race to forget.
Here are our winners and losers from the inaugural Tuscan Grand Prix..
Winner: Alex Albon
Alex Albon needed a good race today, and a good race he had! A superb maiden podium for the Anglo-Thai driver would’ve provided the confidence boost he has so desperately craved after a difficult season.
It wasn’t the easiest of races for Albon who struggled with the standing restarts, but a sublime charge to the finish and a brave and perfectly judged overtake on a speedy Daniel Ricciardo earned the Anglo-Thai his moment on the rostrum.
Whilst he did verge close to Valtteri Bottas towards the end of the race, the Mercedes driver was able to pull away and extend the gap.
Regardless, what a way to take your first podium!
Alexander Albon (THA) Red Bull Racing celebrates his third position in…
It is becoming a recurring theme for Valtteri Bottas that when given the chance to capitalise on Lewis Hamilton’s rare blemishes, the Finn fails to take advantage.
A slow start for Hamilton at the start of the race provided Bottas with the opportunity to storm past Hamilton, before the Briton made amends at the second start by sweeping back into the lead at Turn 1.
From there on, it was Hamilton’s race to lose and unfortunately for Bottas he could never quite catch his teammate.
Another blow to his 2020 title hopes as he falls back to 55 points behind Hamilton.
Second placed Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W11 in parc ferme.
Lewis Hamilton is arguably the biggest winner from Mugello today.
Despite a slow initial race start, Hamilton redeemed himself by reclaiming the lead back from Valtteri Bottas at the second restart and he held on to record his 90th career win.
Hamilton described the Tuscan GP as being like “three races in one day” and said it was one of his “most challenging” F1 wins.
He reaped the rewards of a faultless drive to extend his championship lead as his seventh world title looms even closer.
Race winner Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 celebrates in parc ferme.
It was an unfortunate race end for Max Verstappen who picked up a slight engine issue on the formation lap which then led to his mechanics and engineers having another last-gasp fix moment on the grid.
What at first seemed a fast start for Max turned into a slow one as he faded down into the chasing pack with a loss of power.
Sadly it was not meant to be for Max, who would be taken out in the first lap collision, hit by Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.
A downcast Verstappen later admitted he most likely would have had to retire the car irrespective of the crash due to the issues experienced.
The Dutchman will be looking forward to Russia after two consecutive DNFs, both caused by Honda-related engine issues.
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB16 crashed out of the race.
Kimi’s return to Mugello after first testing at the circuit 20 years prior for Sauber was an eventful one.
Lucky to navigate a crash with Pierre Gasly and Kevin Magnussen, Raikkonen pushed on and would take the chequered flag ahead of Leclerc in eighth.
A five-second time penalty for an illegal pit entry when the final Safety Car was deployed dropped him to ninth after the flag, but the Finn still claimed his first points of the season.
Raikkonen appeared to be the fastest Ferrari powered car in the race as Alfa Romeo capitalised on misfortune for others to take a points finish that has proved hard to come by in 2020.
Ferrari’s 1000th race in Formula 1 should’ve been a race to remember. It was, but not for the Italian team, despite a rare double points score.
Leclerc had a brilliant start at the beginning of the race, leapfrogging both Verstappen and Albon into third place, but sadly it was an unrealistic standing for the Monegasque driver, who would later fall back to 8th.
Meanwhile, Vettel was unlucky to tag a spinning Carlos Sainz at the chaotic race start and lost his front wing in the process.
From then on, Vettel had to battle with the Williams of George Russell and eventually took 10th.
Witnessing Mick Schumacher in his father’s F2004 driving around Mugello was probably Ferrari’s highlight of yet another woeful weekend.
(L to R): Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari with team mate Charles Leclerc …
Daniel Ricciardo nearly delivered a first podium finish for Renault since its return to F1 in 2016 and with it a chance to carry out his tattoo bet with team boss Cyril Abiteboul.
Despite a sterling effort and brilliant performance, Ricciardo was left to settle with a strong fourth place after Red Bull’s Alex Albon swept by to snatch the final spot on the rostrum.
The Australian ultimately conceded he had ‘no answer’ to Albon’s superior pace but must come away from a hectic race pleased with a result that was definitely earned on merit.
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Renault F1 Team RS20 and Valtteri Bottas (FIN)…
What might have been for George Russell. The Williams driver turned in a great drive on Sunday and was in contention for his first points in F1 amid a battle with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
Russell was left to rue wheelspin at the second standing restart which saw him drop a handful of positions and ultimately cost him the chance of claiming a first top-10 appearance.
It was a missed opportunity in a situation Williams really needed to take advantage of on a crazy day it could well have ended up in the points.
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
