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F1: Round 1 – Preview & Starting Grid of 2020 Rolex F1 Austrian Grand Prix

Race starts at 3:10 pm in Austria | 9:10 pm in Malaysia

After a delay of almost 16 weeks, the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship at last gets going this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. The return to racing takes Formula 1’s teams into the green heart of Austria, and to a venue that, despite being one of the sport’s shorter circuits, packs quite a punch.

The Red Bull Ring’s compact configuration, made up of just 10 corners and a sequence of short, fast straights, results in it having one of the quickest laps in the sport. One circuit in a F1 car is regularly below 68 seconds and more than 70% of the lap will be spent at full throttle.

However, the circuit is situated in mountainous country and its altitude at 660 metres above sea level puts power units under more stress than at many venues. The creates issues with cooling of engines, often a headache for teams at this circuit.

It’s a similar tale with brakes. While braking events are few at Spielberg, there are three in particular, at Turns 1, 3 and 4, that arrive in quick succession and that can lead to troublesome overheating.

“It’s great to be back! The new car obviously feels different than the 2018 car we got to test at Silverstone a few weeks ago, but I think we have also been able to continue to improve the car compared to last year, so that’s a big positive,” said reigning World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.

“The track was a little bit greasy and while the grip will pick up, it feels like the track only improved a very small amount. It was looking good out there today (Friday), but you can never take too much from practice. You never know what power and fuel other teams are running. So we will take today’s result with a pinch of salt, try and improve the car tonight and come back for the fight tomorrow,” he said.

The 20 cars, in action for the first time this season, will take to the Austrian track more than 4 months after the end of pre-season testing in Barcelona. 6-time Constructors’ Champion Mercedes-AMG remained the benchmark, though Red Bull Racing looked to have gained ground on the Silver Arrows. Ferrari, meanwhile, had an inconclusive test phase and left the Spanish track with more questions to ask than were answered during testing.

“We didn’t have any trouble with the cars. It was good for us all to be back at the track and it was good to see that the team got up to speed fairly quickly and had no problems running through all the procedures. In terms of speed and competitiveness, it was an interesting day. I think we’ve seen that we are not at the top, that we are not the favourites,” said Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. “It’s up to us to develop and work so that the car gets faster. We’re lacking grip and downforce compared to others. So it’s a mix of all these things.”

Ferrari — *Not taking chances – all participants have to observe safety measures which means face masks whenever possible, and social distancing. Constant testing takes place to ensure no one is infected.*

However, the world has changed immeasurably since and the teams have been though the longest shutdown in the sport’s history. Work resumed on this season’s cars only at the beginning of June and in Austria, things could be very different. The 2020 championship may well be the most unpredictable in recent memory.

This will be the 33rd World Championship Austrian Grand Prix. The first was held in 1964 on a circuit at an airbase. Constructed close by, the Osterreichring made its calendar debut 50 years ago in 1970 and hosted the race until 1987. A shortened version of the circuit, named the A1-Ring, was used between 1997 and 2003, and now called the Red Bull Ring, the track has hosted the race since 2014.

This will be the first time a Formula 1 season has started in Austria. It is also the latest start to a season in the history of the championship, beating the previous record holder, the 1951 season, by 37 days. That year, the first race of the season took place on May 27, in Monaco.

Alain Prost has been the most successful driver at the Austrian Grand Prix with victories for Renault in 1983 and then McLaren in 1985 and 1986. Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, who won in 2019, can this weekend match Prost’s record and become the first driver to take 3 consecutive wins in Austria.

As for teams, McLaren has been the most successful constructor at the Austrian Grand Prix with 6 wins. Niki Lauda won for the British team in 1984, while Prost’s double was followed by victory for Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 2000. David Coulthard took the team’s last win in Austria, which was 19 years ago.

2020 F1 championship to start in July with up to 18 races planned in 6 months

The F1 Safety Car will have a new look for the first F1 race of 2020 this Sunday

It’s a familiar sight at the Formula 1 World Championship – the car that is in the lead when there’s been an accident on the track, or the weather conditions are very bad. It’s a Mercedes-AMG and it leads the field of F1 cars around the track while emergency work is being done or to await weather conditions improving.

It’s been this way for 25 years, and for 20 of those years, Bernd Maylander has been at the steering wheel of the Official FIA F1 Safety Car provided by Mercedes-AMG. Even the colour scheme of the car with its silver paint and black decor has stayed the same.

But for the 2020 season, things will change. The AMG GT R will take its position at the racetrack with a new look this weekend. The car will prominently support the Formula 1 campaign ‘WeRaceAsOne’ by featuring its rainbow key visual on the flanks and on the bonnet of the car. The eye-catching design symbolizes the sports commitment for diversity and inclusion.

Formula 1’s return to racing this weekend in Austria – the start of the 2020 season – will be used as an opportunity to thank people all over the world for their strength and resilience in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic. The sport will also show its unity in the fight against racism and its commitment to do more to address inequality in Formula 1.

As a sign of this commitment, rainbow visuals and the hashtag #WeRaceAsOne will feature on all Formula 1 cars and around the racetrack. The rainbow was chosen as it has become a symbol that is used internationally to bring communities together.

In addition to the ‘WeRaceAsOne’ campaign, the call to ‘Drive Safely’ will be visible on the bonnet the Official FIA F1 Safety Car, addressing fans at home who are watching the race on TV or via livestream and reminding them to always drive in a careful and considerate way.

Maylander’s ‘company car’ also uses the hashtag #PurposeDriven to promote the FIA’s commitment to safety, sustainability, gender equality and diversity, and points out the FIA Action for Road Safety with mentions on the roof and tailgate of the car.

From a technical perspective, the Official FIA F1 Safety Car remains unchanged. It is still powered by a 4-litre 595-bhp V8 biturbo engine, and it has sophisticated active aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight construction. The installed AMG Track Package provides roll-over protection and the ceramic high-performance composite brake system ensures strong stopping power.

The FIA requirements for the Official FIA F1 Safety Car have always been. It must be able to maintain a high minimum speed so that the tyres and brakes of the Formula 1 cars do not lose too much temperature and the engines do not overheat. With a top speed of 318 km/h and 3.6 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h, the AMG GT R has enough performance to qualify for the role at the front.

Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate Official FIA F1 Medical Car — In addition to the Safety Car, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate is also on stand-by at every race for emergencies. The Official FIA F1 Medical Car of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship will also have the new design.

In addition to the Safety Car, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate is also on stand-by at every race for emergencies as the Official FIA F1 Medical Car of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. It will also sport the new design.

This weekend’s race will be the first of two that will be held in Austria’s Red Bull Ring. The second round will be held the following weekend. The weekend after that will see a round run in Hungary and then on August 2, the F1 teams will cross over to England for a race at the Silverstone Circuit. The British circuit will also host a second race the following weekend (August 9), after which will be events in Spain, Belgium and Italy.

The series of races in Europe will end on September 8, by which time the organisers should have been able to schedule additional races. The plan is to have races resuming in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas and finish in the Middle East venues of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. In total, it is hoped that 15 to 18 races can be run before the year ends.

It will be a new environment for the participants as there won’t be spectators. The risks of close proximity of crowds spreading the coronavirus have led to an agreement that races can be run, but spectators cannot be present in the stands. The events will therefore rely entirely on TV broadcasts and livestreaming over the internet.

Participants will have to go through strict screening and minimise their numbers in the pits. The organisers say that should anyone show a positive result when tested for COVID-19, it should not affect the race which will go on. Hopefully, there will be no evidence of the event causing transmission of the coronavirus so that governments in other countries will have more confidence to allow races to be run in their countries.

2020 F1 championship to start in July with up to 18 races planned in 6 months

2020 Formula 1 World Championship will finally start in July with first 8 rounds confirmed

By this time last year, at least seven rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship would already have run. But in 2020, not a single round has taken place due to the global pandemic that forced many countries to have lockdowns, preventing most activities from taking place, including motorsports.

The severity of the pandemic and its rapid spread was unexpected and although initially, the F1 organization expected to be able to start the championship in the second quarter, the continued lockdowns made that impossible. There were proposals to run races without spectators but then travel between countries was also becoming increasingly difficult and the organizers started to look at the second half of the year with a reduced number of rounds to fit the 6 months left.

European rounds start first
There were to be 22 races to be run in this year’s championship. Clearly, the organizers had to find a way to run the events with so much sponsorship money at stake, and the teams too wanted to race as the financiers had put in so much money. The FIA (the body governing motorsports) worked closely with the teams and organizers and finally agreed to begin the championship from July. This is on the assumption that the continued lifting of restrictions in many European countries with improving situations continues and there isn’t a massive wave of new infections.

“Over the past two months, Formula One has been working closely with all partners, authorities, the FIA and the 10 teams to create a revised calendar that will allow a return to racing in a way that is safe for the communities visited and the entire Formula 1 community,” the FIA said in a statement.

“The opening 2020 schedule will begin in Austria on July 3 – 5, with an expectation of having a total of 15 -18 races before the completion of the season in December. It is currently expected that the opening races will be closed events,” the FIA said. “But it is hoped fans will be able to join events again when it is safe to do so.

Strict procedures at track
Strict procedures will be observed at the circuits with personnel to be tested for COVID-19 before traveling and regular testing will also take place during the race weekend. Interaction will be minimized and travel arrangements as well as other activities for each team and other groups involved will be ‘self-contained’.

Remembering the opening round that was to be held in Australia in March when one member of the McLaren team had a positive result for the coronavirus and eventually saw the event being cancelled, the organizers say that this should not happen again. Even if someone is tested positive and the team decides not to take part, the race will still go on.

New challenges for teams
Commenting on the resumption of races, Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, said: “This new calendar and the coronavirus throws some new challenges at us. I think reliability is going to be a fundamental part of the opening races. The cars have come out of the container straight from Australia. There is not a lot of time for them on the dynos. We will be using every session to learn. The reduced race calendar is a challenge for everybody and again, I think that the team that has the quickest car and the most reliable package will win the Championship.”

Of the 22 races that were scheduled this year, four have been confirmed as cancelled – the Australian GP, Monaco GP, French GP and Netherlands GP. For now, 8 rounds in Europe are confirmed and listed which leaves 10, of which six had been postponed. There is hope that between the last European round in Italy in early September and the end of the year, the other venues can be slotted in.

COVID-19 pandemic disrupts motorsports around the world

2020 F1 championship to start in July with up to 18 races planned in 6 months

While the World Rally Championship managed to run its first three rounds this year before the rest of the series was suspended, the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship was not so lucky. Just as the opening round in Australia was about to start on March 15, a member of one of the teams was found to be infected with the COVID-19 virus. Earlier, some of the drivers had already been unhappy about proceeding with the race but flew to Australia anyway. And as things turned out, the Australian government clamped down on gatherings which forced the race to be cancelled.

Earlier, the organizers of the Chinese GP had already informed the FIA that they had to postpone their event scheduled for April. The pandemic was at its height in Wuhan and running a race was not a good idea. Bahrain also announced that it would run a race but not allow spectators into the circuit, relying on TV and internet to broadcast the race that was to run on March 22.

F1 China — *The 2020 Chinese GP, to have been held this month in Shanghai, was the first round to be postponed as the pandemic worsened.*

As the pandemic worsened globally, Bahrain and then Vietnam announced that their events would be postponed. Eventually, the first 7 races of the season would not be run as lockdown conditions in the European venues made them impossible. There was hope that the races could start in Canada but earlier this month, the organizers of that event also said they had to postpone.

Next on the list was the French GP, scheduled for June 28. However, this too won’t be possible as the French government will not allow major events until at least the middle of July. So that’s 10 events that have not been run. While accepting that safety issues are a priority, the teams must not only be frustrated by also under financial pressures with their sponsors and partners also facing challenges.

The eleventh round is scheduled to be held in Austria at the Red Bull Ring on July 5. Chase Carey, the CEO of the F1 Group which manages the business side of the sport, has expressed confidence that racing in Europe will start from July in Austria. Rescheduling will see the other races resuming in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas and finish in the Middle East venues of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. It total, he expects 15 to 18 races to be run by December.

Red Bull Ring Austria — The first race is planned to be held at the Red Bull Ring in Austria but it will be a closed event, so there won’t be the huge crowds that usually turn up to watch. The same condition has also been planned for the British GP at Silverstone.

“We expect the early races to be without fans but hope fans will be part of our events as we move further into the schedule. We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country. The health and safety of all involved will continue to be priority one and we will only go forward if we are confident we have reliable procedures to address both risks and possible issues,” said Carey.

“While we have been moving forward with our 2020 plans, we have also been working hard with the FIA and the teams to strengthen the long term future of Formula 1 through an array of new technical, sporting, and financial regulations that will improve the competition and action on the track and make it a healthier business for all involved, particularly as we engage the issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.

On the part of the FIA, the governing body of motorsport, the only statements have been that they are ‘closely monitoring the evolving situation with its Member Clubs and relevant authorities including Governments and WHO, under the direction of FIA Medical Commission President’.

COVID-19 pandemic disrupts motorsports around the world

Covid-19 — *Fighting COVID-19 is our joint responsibility. Protect yourself and others: make these 6 simple precautions your new habits.*

F1 (Round 21/Final round) – 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Results and Highlights

♦ Lewis Hamilton, already the 2019 World Champion Driver, finished off the season with another win at Yas Marina. It is his fifth victory at the event.

♦ Although Charles Leclerc finished third overall, his position is not confirmed as there is an investigation into the amount of fuel that was actually in the Ferrari.

♦ Valtteri Bottas finished finished the race in 4th after having started from the back of the grid.

♦ In the closing stages of the race, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, Jr. gave one last push and moved into 10th place to finish 6th overall in the Driver’s Championship.

♦ Alex Albon is the only one of the four rookies this year who had not driven an F1 car at Yas Marina (although he is familiar with it, having raced in GP3 and F2 events there).

2019 F1 World Championship — *The champion driver and champion team of 2019*

Click here for the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship Calendar

The 2020 Formula 1 World Championship Calendar

Vietnam will host a round in 2020 and is creating a street circuit in Hanoi for the race which will be held at the beginning of April

*The Belgium GP, held at Spa-Francorchamps, will again have the longest circuit in the calendar*

Singapore GP — *Singapore, which has hosted a night race every year since 2008, will continue to do so for another 4 years.*

Monaco Circuit — *The Monaco street circuit has been a regular venue for decades and has the shortest length of all circuits in the calendar.*

F1 (Round 21/final round) – 2019 Abu Dhabi Starting Grid

Race starts at 5:10 pm in Abu Dhabi/9:10 pm in Malaysia on Sunday

*Final assignment for the F1 Safety Car and driver Bernd Maylander.*

F1 (Round 20) – 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix Results and Highlights

♦ Max Verstappen took a well-deserved third win of the 2019 season, starting from pole position all the way to the chequered flag.

♦ In the closing stages of the race, the two Ferrari drivers made contact and knocked themselves out of the race.

♦ Lewis Hamilton finished third but was deemed by the stewards to be at fault for an incident with Alexander Albon Ansusinhan, Red Bull Racing’s Thai-British driver, As a result, Hamilton received a 5-second penalty which dropped him to 7th in the official classification.

♦ Hamilton’s demotion gave Carlos Sainz the third position – his first ever F1 podium. He had started from 20th and fought hard to move up the field. The podium finish was also McLaren’s first one since 2014 in Australia.

♦ Pierre Gasly also had a great day with his first podium, having gotten ahead after the Hemilton-Albon incident. Although the Mercedes-AMG driver tried to out-accelerate him to the finish line, Gasly pulled ahead to cross first and claim second position.