[ad_1]
Mugello’s debut on the Formula 1 calendar featured an eventful race today, with an unprecedented podium for Alexander Albon, major accidents, which were nothing more than scares for those involved, and two reruns. The victory, however, was not a novelty: Mercedes one-two. Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix and increased his leadership in the World Drivers’ Championship.
Valtteri Bottas pushed hard throughout the weekend, including the final laps of the race, but had to settle for second place. Rounding out the podium came Alexander Albon’s Red Bull, who took third place for the first time; Until then, the Thai had the fourth place in the GPs of Japan-2019 and Styria-2020 as the best results.
With another victory, Hamilton reached 190 points and increased his lead in the F1 World Championship. Valterri Bottas is in second place, with 135 points, and Max Verstappen is chasing the Mercedes duo, in third place, with 110 points.
Two accidents, six drivers out
Max Verstappen ended up being the big name from the first of the day’s three starts. The Red Bull Dutchman started third, but, lacking power, was swallowed up by the grid on the first lap. Lagging behind, he was involved in Sunday’s first major accident: a collision between Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) and Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) ended up also reaching Verstappen, who was ahead of the duo. Gasly and Verstappen abandoned. Romain Grosjean (Haas), who was nearby, escaped.
It wasn’t just that. At the same time, a little further on, Carlos Sainz (McLaren) mounted and Sebastian Vettel could not escape, touching the opponent with his Ferrari. The two, however, continued in the test.
With all that, the safety car hit the track. Valtteri Bottas had taken first place from Lewis Hamilton, with Charles Leclerc in third place. The godmother’s car only returned to the pits on the sixth lap, but with more confusion.
At the restart, Bottas zigzagged and accelerated to gain distance from the rest of the group. The maneuver annoyed whoever was behind. Kevin Magnussen slowed Haas, but Antonio Giovinazzi was quick behind and tucked his Alfa Romeo into the rear of the Dane. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) and Carlos Sainz were also injured.
Romain Grosjean followed, but braked and escaped the blow. “That was stupid to c … whoever was in charge. Do they want to kill us or what? It was the worst I’ve ever seen,” Haas’s Frenchman snapped over the radio. With the beating at the start line, the organization gave a red flag and stopped the race.
Hamilton gives change and Leclerc stays behind
In the fresh start, Hamilton ranked first from Bottas. Without blows, Leclerc took third place, ahead of Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez and Daniel Ricciardo. Renault’s Esteban Ocon had trouble with the brakes and was out of the race.
The Ferrari Monegasque, however, began to be chased by the Canadian from Racing Point, and with Daniel Ricciardo’s Renault close by, watching the fight. After so much pressure, Stroll took third place at the start of lap 18, while Alexander Albon took sixth place from Sergio Pérez.
On the next lap, it was Ricciardo who took fourth place from Leclerc. On lap 20, the Monegasque was overtaken by Albon, falling to sixth place. On lap 21, it was Pérez’s turn to outrun Ferrari.
In tire changes for the following laps, the Australian Renault was in third place, ahead of Stroll, Albon and Pérez. And on lap 44, when he seemed to be approaching third place, the Racing Point Canadian escaped provoking a new safety car.
The one who did well was Valtteri Bottas, who took the opportunity, almost immediately, to enter the pits to bet on a new set of tires and try to seek victory. And the organization announced a new red flag, paralyzing the race for the second time.
Third exit: Albon comes with everything
On the second restart, on lap 47, Daniel Ricciardo took second place from Valtteri Bottas. Alexander Albon was behind, with Sergio Pérez in fifth place. On the next lap, however, Bottas made the switch, regained second place and was behind Lewis Hamilton again.
Worse for Ricciardo, who was pressured by Albon. And the Thai took third place on lap 51, eight laps from the checkered flag.
It wasn’t just that. In the final laps, the Thai kept pushing to try to reach second place from Bottas. He failed, but secured his place on the podium behind the Mercedes one-two.
Check the classification:
1st Lewis Hamilton (ING / Mercedes)
2nd Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Mercedes) – +4,880
3rd Alex Albon – (TAI / Red Bull) – +8.064
4th Daniel Ricciardo (AUS / Renault) – +10,417
5th Sergio Pérez (MEX / Racing Point) – + 15,650
6th Lando Norris (ING / McLaren) – +18,883
7th Daniil Kvyat (RUS / AlphaTauri) – +21,756
8th Charles Leclerc (MON / Ferrari) – +28,345
9th Kimi Raikkonen (FIN / Alfa Romeo) – +29,770
10th Sebastian Vettel (ALE / Ferrari) – +29,983
11th George Russell (ING / Williams) – +32,404
12th Romain Grosjean (FRA / Haas) – +42,036
Did not complete:
13th Lance Stroll – (CAN / Racing Point)
14th Esteban Ocon (FRA / Renault)
15th Nicholas Latifi (CAN / Williams)
16th Kevin Magnussen (DIN / Haas)
17th Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA / Alfa Romeo)
18th Carlos Sainz (ESP / McLaren)
19th Max Verstappen (HOL / Red Bull)
20th Pierre Gasly (FRA / AlphaTauri)
