2020 Formula One Season

The 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship, otherwise known as the 2020 Formula One Season, was the 71st season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, originally held between 22 March and 29 November 2020. The season would have been the longest in F1 history, with twenty-two Grand Prix to be staged after the inclusion of the Dutch and Vietnamese Grand Prix.
The start of the season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic which originated from China, which resulted in the being postponed. As Italy was one of the worst affected countries from the outbreak, both and have expressed concerns from attending races. Organizers of the have also banned spectators from attending the weekend. On 13 March, the FIA announced that the would be cancelled following 's withdrawal from the event after one of their members tested positive for the virus.
Following the cancellation, subsequent races have been postponed, with another six races announced to be canceled. Several circuit venues that are yet to be canceled have announced their races as closed-door events, meaning spectators are not allowed to attend. On June 2nd, the first eight races of the revised race calendar were announced, which for the first time in F1, had a single race venue to hold two consecutive race weekends, the Silverstone Circuit being the first one to confirm so. Subsequent races were eventually announced, with Formula One racing at Mugello for the first time, the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix being held at Portimao instead of Estoril and the return of classic venues such as Nürburgring, Imola and Istanbul Park. The season only officially got underway at Austria on 5 July, and ended on 13 December at Abu Dhabi.
 became Constructors' Champions at the , followed by Lewis Hamilton becoming Drivers' Champion at the , his seventh overall, equaling Michael Schumacher's record.
==Background==
==Teams and Drivers==
===Car launch dates===
Source
Team	Car 	Date 	Where
 	SF1000	11 February	Reggio Emilia, Italy
 	RS20 	12 February	Paris, France
 	RB16 	12 February	Online
 	MCL35 	13 February	MTC, Woking, UK
 	W11 	14 February	Silverstone Circuit, UK
 	AT01 	14 February	Salzburg, Austria
 	FW43 	17 February	Online
 	RP20 	17 February	Mondsee, Austria
 	C39 	19 February	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
 	VF-20 	19 February	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
===Changes from last season===
* Esteban Ocon will take over Nico Hülkenberg's seat at .
* Nicholas Latifi is promoted from test and reserve driver to race driver, replacing Robert Kubica, who moved to as a reserve driver.
====Team changes====
* Scuderia Toro Rosso will be renamed as Scuderia AlphaTauri, a clothing brand owned by Red Bull GmbH.
====Driver Changes====
===Mid-season Changes===
====Team changes====
====Driver changes====
*Before the , Sergio Pérez was tested positive for COVID-19, thus he had to miss the race in order to self-isolate. Nico Hülkenberg took his place for the Grand Prix and thus also the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix due to government regulations in the United Kingdom requesting victims of COVID-19 to self-isolate for ten days.
*Lance Stroll suddenly fell unwell on Saturday morning of the , meaning Hülkenberg drove in his car for the remainder of the weekend. It was later announced after the race that Stroll had tested positive for COVID-19.
*Following his fiery accident in the , Romain Grosjean was replaced by Pietro Fittipaldi for the . Grosjean later confirmed on the weekend of that race that he would miss out on the , so Fittipaldi shall race there again for him.
*Two days after the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was announced to have tested positive for COVID-19, so had to miss the Sakhir Grand Prix. George Russell was his replacement whilst Jack Aitken made his debut for . Having tested negative in time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton returned to Mercedes, thus Russell rejoined Williams.
==Season calendar==
Vietnam was set to host a Grand Prix, set on a street circuit in Hanoi. The Dutch Grand Prix was also set to return to the Circuit Zandvoort. Both races were ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
===COVID-19 pandemic===
The 2020 Chinese Grand Prix is announced to be postponed on February 12, due to the outbreak of COVID-19.. As both teams based in Italy, which is one of the seriously-affected countries outside China, and expressed concerns on attending races, managing director Ross Brawn announced that Grands Prix may not go ahead should teams were unable to attend.
Organizers of the Bahrain Grand Prix have banned spectators from attending the race weekend. 
McLaren announced their withdrawal from the Australian Grand Prix on 12 March after one of their team members tested positive for the virus. The following day, the FIA announced that the Grand Prix would be cancelled after a meeting with the nine other teams concluded with a majority stating that the race should not go ahead. 
Following the cancellation, the FIA has also decided to postpone both the Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix. Later, on March 19, the Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix are also announced to be postponed. On the same day, the Monaco Grand Prix was later cancelled, with no plans to host it at all in the year, marking the first time since 1954 that there was no Monaco Grand Prix. Although plans were made to start the season with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, that race was later postponed on 23 March. On 7 April, Canadian Grand Prix organisers announced that their race would also be postponed. On 27 April, the French Grand Prix was announced to be cancelled, while organizers of the Silverstone Circuit announced that the British Grand Prix will take place behind closed doors. The Silverstone Circuit later confirmed that they will host two races together. On 28 May, the Dutch Grand Prix was announced to be cancelled. On 12 June, the Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix were all announced to be cancelled.
===World Championship Schedule===
====Original schedule====
Outlined below was the originally scheduled full calendar for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship:
====Updated Schedule====
On 2 June, a revised calendar was released by FOM and the FIA, featuring eight races at six circuits from the provisional calendar. This was further edited on 10 July, with the addition of the Tuscan Grand Prix at the Mugello Circuit in Italy, while the Russian Grand Prix was restored to the schedule. Three more races were announced on July 24, with Formula One returning to Portugal at the Portimao Circuit, and also the return of the Nürburgring and Imola circuits, replacing the circuits in the Americas. On August 25, four more races were announced, with Formula One racing in Istanbul for the first time since 2011. It was later announced that the second Bahrain race, called the Sakhir Grand Prix will be using the oval layout of the circuit.
===Testing===
Testing for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship would begin with a tyre test at the end of the season, before two three day pre-season tests staged at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in February 2020.'F1 RULES & REGULATIONS: What’s new for 2020?', formula1.com, (Formula One World Championship Limited, 08/01/2020), https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.f1-rules-and-regulations-whats-new-for-2020.6bjmeHbyNBKVA70f4ntN64.html, (Accessed 19/02/2020) That, however, would be all the testing there would be for the 2020 Season, with no in-season tests scheduled in a bid to reduce running costs, as well as the fact that the rulebook was identical to how it had been in 2019. It would also free up resources for teams to develop their cars, while every team would have to field a young driver in the post-season Pirelli tyre test.
Outlined below is the full testing schedule for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship:
No.	Test 	Circuit 	Date 	Report
1 	2019 Pirelli Tyre Test	Yas Marina Circuit 	3-4 December 2019 	Report
2 	2020 Pre-Season Test 1	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya	19-21 February 2020 	Report
3 	2020 Pre-Season Test 2	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya	26 February-28 February 2020	Report
It was also announced that teams could no longer block off vision from the front of the garage during testing, meaning rival teams could see into each other's garages and their 2020-spec cars during tests when they were being worked on.
==Regulations==
===Technical===
====Tyres====
Outlined below is the full range of compounds used by Pirelli, as they were marked during the 2019 Barcelona Tests:
Pirelli Tyres 2020	Pirelli Tyres 2020	Pirelli Tyres 2020	Pirelli Tyres 2020	Pirelli Tyres 2020	Pirelli Tyres 2020	Pirelli Tyres 2020
 	 	 	 	 	 	
C1 - Hyperhard 	C2 - Hard 	C3 - Medium 	C4 - Soft 	C5 - SuperSoft 	Intermediate 	Full Wet
The Intermediate and Wet tyre compounds and tread patterns were identical to those used in 2018.
===Sporting===
Outlined below is a full breakdown of the point scoring system for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship:
2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table	2020 FIA Formula One World Championship Championship Points Table
1st 	2nd 	3rd 	4th 	5th 	6th 	7th 	8th 	9th 	10th 	FL
25 	18 	15 	12 	10 	8 	6 	4 	2 	1 	1
The fastest lap is only awarded to a driver who finishes in the top ten.
==Season Results==
===Drivers' World Championship===
|- 
! 
| Hamilton
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
! 347
|- 
! 
| Bottas
|||||||11th||||||||||||||||||||14th||||||
! 223
|- 
! 
| Verstappen
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
! 214
|- 
! 4th
| Pérez
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||18th||||
! 125
|- 
! 5th
| Ricciardo
|||||||||14th||11th||||||||||||||||||||||
! 119
|- 
! 6th
| Sainz
|||||||13th||13th||||||||||||||||||||||||
! 105
|- 
! 7th
| Albon
|13th||||||||||||||15th||||||||12th||15th||||||||
! 105
|- 
! 8th
| Leclerc
|||||11th||||||||14th||||||||||||||||||||13th
! 98
|- 
! 9th
| Norris
|||||13th||||||||||||||15th||||13th||||||||||
! 97
|- 
! 10th
| Gasly
|||15th||||||11th||||||||||||||||||13th||||11th||
! 75
|- 
! 11th
| Stroll
|||||||||||||||||||||||||13th||||||||
! 75
|- 
! 12th
| Ocon
|||||14th||||||13th||||||||||||||||11th||||||
! 62
|- 
! 13th
| Vettel
|||||||||12th||||13th||||||13th||11th||||12th||||13th||12th||14th
! 33
|- 
! 14th
| Kvyat
|12th||||12th||||||12th||11th||||||||15th||19th||||12th||11th||||11th
! 32
|- 
! 15th
| Hülkenberg
| || || |||||| || || || || |||| || || || || ||
! 10
|- 
! 16th
| Räikkönen
|||1th||15th||17th||15th||14th||12th||13th||||14th||12th||11th||||15th||15th||14th||12th
! 4
|- 
! 17th
| Giovinazzi
|||14th||17th||14th||17th||16th||||16th||||11th||||15th||||||16th||13th||16th
! 4
|- 
! 18th
| Russell
|||16th||18th||12th||18th||17th||||14th||11th||18th||||14th||||16th||12th||||15th
! 3
|- 
! 19th
| Grosjean
|||13th||16th||16th||16th||19th||15th||12th||12th||17th||||17th||14th||||||||
! 2
|- 
! 20th
| Magnussen
|||12th||||||||15th||17th||||||12th||13th||16th||||17th||17th||15th||18th
! 1
|- 
! 21st
| Latifi
|11th||17th||19th||15th||19th||18th||16th||11th||||16th||14th||18th||11th||||14th||||17th
! 0
|- 
! 22nd
| Aitken
| |||| || || || || || || || || || || || || ||16th||
! 0
|- 
! 23rd
| Fittipaldi
| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||17th||19th
! 0
|}
===Constructors' World Championship===
|- 
! rowspan=3 
| rowspan=3| 
| Hamilton
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| rowspan=3| 573
|- 
| Russell
| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||||
|- 
| Bottas
|||||||11th||||||||||||||||||||14th||||||
|- 
! rowspan=2 
| rowspan=2| 
| Verstappen
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| rowspan=2| 319
|- 
| Albon
|13th||||||||||||||15th||||||||12th||15th||||||||
|- 
! rowspan=2 
| rowspan=2| 
| Sainz
|||||||13th||13th||||||||||||||||||||||||
| rowspan=2| 202
|- 
| Norris
|||||13th||||||||||||||15th||||13th||||||||||
|- 
! rowspan=3| 4th
| rowspan=3| 
| Pérez
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||18th||||
| rowspan=3| 195
|- 
| Stroll
|||||||||||||||||||||||||13th||||||||
|- 
| Hülkenberg
| || || |||||| || || || || |||| || || || || ||
|- 
! rowspan=2| 5th
| rowspan=2| 
| Ocon
|||||14th||||||13th||||||||||||||||11th||||||
| rowspan=2| 181
|- 
| Ricciardo
|||||||||14th||11th||||||||||||||||||||||
|- 
! rowspan=2| 6th
| rowspan=2| 
| Vettel
|||||||||12th||||13th||||||13th||11th||||12th||||13th||12th||14th
| rowspan=2| 131
|- 
| Leclerc
|||||11th||||||||14th||||||||||||||||||||13th
|- 
! rowspan=2| 7th
| rowspan=2| 
| Kvyat
|12th||||12th||||||12th||11th||||||||15th||19th||||12th||11th||||11th
| rowspan=2| 107
|- 
| Gasly
|||15th||||||11th||||||||||||||||||13th||||11th||
|- 
! rowspan=2| 8th
| rowspan=2| 
| Räikkönen
|||1th||15th||17th||15th||14th||12th||13th||||14th||12th||11th||||15th||15th||14th||12th
| rowspan=2| 8
|- 
| Giovinazzi
|||14th||17th||14th||17th||16th||||16th||||11th||||15th||||||16th||13th||16th
|- 
! rowspan=3| 9th
| rowspan=3| 
| Grosjean
|||13th||16th||16th||16th||19th||15th||12th||12th||17th||||17th||14th||||||||
| rowspan=3| 3
|- 
| Fittipaldi
| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||17th||19th
|- 
| Magnussen
|||12th||||||||15th||17th||||||12th||13th||16th||||17th||17th||15th||18th
|- 
! rowspan=3| 10th
| rowspan=3| 
| Russell
|||16th||18th||12th||18th||17th||||14th||11th||18th||||14th||||16th||12th|| ||15th
| rowspan=3| 0
|- 
| Aitken
| |||| || || || || || || || || || || || || ||16th||
|- 
| Latifi
|11th||17th||19th||15th||19th||18th||16th||11th||||16th||14th||18th||11th||||14th||||17th
|}
===Head-to-Head: Teammate Comparisons===
|}
===Pole Position Trophy===
The driver who scores the most pole positions over the course of the season will win the pole position trophy:
Rank	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Poles	Events
1 	44 	Lewis Hamilton 	 	10 	STY · HUN · GBR · ESP · BEL · ITA · TUS · RUS · POR · BHR
2 	77 	Valtteri Bottas	 	5 	AUT · 70A · EIF · EMI · SAK
3 	18 	Lance Stroll 	 	1 	TUR
3 	33 	Max Verstappen 	 	1 	UAE
===Super Licence Penalty Points===
For more information, see Penalty points.
== See also==
==References==
Videos and Images:
*
References:
Category:Formula One Seasons
Category:2020 Formula One Season