F1 2020: Hungarian Grand Prix Winners And Losers

Lewis Hamilton winning the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix was only slightly in doubt before today’s race thanks to Valtteri Bottas being just a tenth behind his Mercedes teammate in qualifying. All doubts were erased as Hamilton was triumphant in emphatic fashion. With the Hungarian Grand Prix, F1 concluded its season opening triple header. Round four in Silverstone is two weeks away, but first let’s take a look at winners and losers from today’s race.

Winners

Mercedes - Bottas’ mistake at the start of the race where he triggered anti-stall on his car pretty much ended the defending world champions’ quest for a second consecutive 1-2 finish. However, their dominance was very much on display as Bottas almost stole second place at the end of the race, as he had done in the Styrian Grand Prix. Both cars on the podium for Mercedes means a points tally that is more than double that of second placed Red Bull Racing-Honda in the constructors’ championship. A bonus point for fastest lap was also scooped up by Lewis Hamilton. The six-time champion had built up a big enough lead by lap 66 of the 70 lap race that he could afford to dive into the pits for the soft compound tyres and go for the fastest lap. 

Red Bull Racing-Honda - It was tempting to single out Max Verstappen for this but Red Bull truly put in a team effort that has seen them leapfrog McLaren in the constructors’ championship for second. Both Verstappen and teammate Alexander Albon had a wretched time in qualifying - seventh and 13th, respectively. In that context, Verstappen finishing second and Albon taking fifth was a testament to the team making the best of a bad situation. That second place for Verstappen would also not have been possible without the mechanics who repaired the Dutchman’s car in time after he crashed on the way to the grid. 

Lance Stroll - The Canadian responded in the best way possible to the rumours of being replaced by Sebastian Vettel in 2021 when Racing Point-BWT Mercedes turns into the works Aston Martin team. A solid fourth place finish after starting third was a big pick-me-up for the 21 year old. Even more so when one considers that his more experienced and highly rated teammate Sergio Perez only managed seventh. 

Sebastian Vettel - Being lapped and finishing just sixth hardly seems like a win for a former four-time world champion with over 50 F1 career wins to his name. Given how far off Ferrari is to the front of the field, it was the best the German could manage. Not to mention, teammate Charles Leclerc was only 11th on the day. Vettel’s final year with Ferrari is going to be rough, so results like this will be a welcome boost.

Losers

Williams-Mercedes - After celebrating 12th and 15th in qualifying, which was held on a drying track, reality bit the third most successful F1 team of all time in the race. They dropped to their usual position at the tail of the grid behind the Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari. The team’s all-time tally of 114 wins in F1 is also likely to be eclipsed by Mercedes this year. 

Charles Leclerc - A scrappy race for the Monegasque driver whose opportunistic second place in the season opening race seems like a distant memory now. After retiring in the second round of the season, Leclerc failed to score any points this time around as well. It was ironic to see him get beaten to the last points scoring position by his future teammate Carlos Sainz. One has to wonder if Sainz is looking at the mess Ferrari is in and kicking himself for leaving McLaren. 

Esteban Ocon - A retirement in round two and a non-points scoring 14th place finish in Hungary means the 23 year old Frenchman’s return to F1 has been going through a rough patch. Outgoing Renault teammate Daniel Ricciardo finished eighth for the second race in a row, which rubbed it in. 

Ferrari - Scuderia Ferrari, the oldest and most successful F1 team on the grid is officially a midfield team. They lie fifth out of the ten F1 teams in the constructors’ championship with just 27 points scored so far. Racing Point have moved into fourth with 40 points and are tied with McLaren-Renault. The only consolation for Ferrari is that they are likely to be safe from Renault, who are in sixth place. Although, you never know how deep the bottom is for Ferrari at the moment. 

Romain Grosejan - One has to wonder why the F1 grid has a place for the hapless Frenchman and not a driver like Nico Hulkenberg. While Haas-Ferrari teammate Kevin Magnussen finished ninth, Grosjean was way down in 15th place. Magnussen gave Haas its first points of the 2020 season, while Grosjean sits on a duck. It is a fitting state of affairs as Magnussen has comfortably outperformed Grosjean over the last two seasons.