Yes, the F1 season start was delayed, and the race card may not be as full as unusual, but 2020 may still end up being a great season.
Finally, after much delay and uncertainty, the 2020 Formula One season will begin on the 5th of July in Austria, and fans will be treated to eight races in just over ten weeks.
Hopefully, more races will be announced soon–to make a 15-18 race season–but by announcing eight races to star, there is now the minimum number of races required for an official championship season.
After waiting so long, no doubt all F1 fans are excited by the prospect of being able to see so many races run in quick succession–including back-to-back race weekends in Austria and at Silverstone. But what effect might that schedule have on teams and drivers?
Here’s something to watch. We all know that Formula One is a sport where small margins can have big impacts, and teams are always tweaking their cars to find that critical extra tenth of a second.
But with very little time between the first eight races, it’s likely that the car a team brings to Austria will be the car it will have over the first eight races. That means teams must arrive in Austria with the very best car possible.
There is also no doubt that drivers’ fitness and mental state will be tested to the maximum. After a long period without the sport, drivers need to ensure they are in tip-top physical condition. Mental fatigue will need to be managed, too, as drivers and teams race frequently during a compressed timeframe.
Then, there’s the matter of how driver changes in 2021 will play out this year at Ferrari, McLaren, and Renault. It’s anybody’s guess, really, but will there be a fall-out at Ferrari at some point? We saw that happen last year with numerous disagreements playing out in public between Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel–most notably during Monza qualifying, at the Russian Grand Prix, and in Brazil. And now that Vettel has announced he’s leaving after this year, that positions Leclerc as the heir to Ferrari’s #1 seat.
I just don’t see 4-time World Champion Vettel going out quietly. He will be determined to leave on a high, especially because it may be his last year in F1. And because Leclerc is the team’s future, I think he’ll race that way this year. So as a fan, I say: Let battle commence!
There’s even more intrigue in store. With Carlos Sainz already confirmed as Vettel’s replacement and Danny Ricciardo confirmed to be moving to McLaren in 2021, both drivers and their current teams may face similar issues to Ferrari’s. But one thing is definitely for sure: Sainz and Ricciardo will be going all out to make positive impressions on their new employers and future teammates.
Finally, what does 2020 and beyond hold for current six-time Constructor and Driver world champion, Mercedes?
Bottas had his finest year in 2019, finishing 2nd in the driver’s world championship and winning four races. However, he lagged behind Hamilton (by 87 points) as Hamilton secured 11 race victories. With Mercedes-contracted drivers George Russell and Estaban Ocon ready and eager to step up to the top team, Bottas will need to prove himself as a consistent race winner and championship contender.
Will we see a more determined and robust Bottas in 2020? Or will Bottas slip back into what Totto Wolf once described as “the perfect wingman for Lewis”?
This story is about more than Bottas, though. It is also very much about sustaining Mercedes’ dominance. With Max Verstappen at Red Bull and Leclerc at Ferrari improving, Mercedes needs Bottas to up his game.
Yes, the F1 season start was delayed, and the race card may not be as full as unusual, but 2020 may still end up being a great season.
