2020 Spanish Grand Prix

The **2020 Spanish Grand Prix** was a Formula 1.5 motor race held on 16 August 2020 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. The race was the sixth round in the 2020 Formula 1.5 World Championship, and took place one week after the previous round, the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

## Background

### **Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic**

The opening rounds of the 2020 championship were heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several Grands Prix were cancelled or postponed after the planned opening round in Australia was called off two days before the race was due to take place; prompting the FIA to draft a new calendar. The Spanish Grand Prix was originally intended to be held on 10 May.

### **Championship standings before the race**

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc lead the Drivers Championship by by 10 points from McLaren driver Lando Norris. Four points behind Lando Norris was Canadian Driver of Lance Stroll. In the Constructors Championship, Ferrari lead by 1 point from Racing Point. In third place, just 1 point behind was McLaren who were also 34 points ahead of Renault in 4th.

### **Entrants**

The drivers and teams were the same as those on the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race. Roy Nissany took part in the first practice session for Williams in place of George Russell.

### **Tyres**

The C1, C2 and C3 tyre compounds were made available for teams to use by Pirelli, the hardest three tyre compounds available. These were the same compounds used at the 2019 event.

## Practice

Charles Leclerc topped FP1 ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel by 0.011 seconds. Romain Grosjean finished FP1 in third place for Haas. Roy Nissany finished FP1 in 16th, with a time just over 3 tenths slower than teammate Nicholas Latifi in 15th. In FP2, Daniel Ricciardo topped for Renault, ahead of Romain Grosjean in 2nd and Charles Leclerc in 3rd. In FP3 Carlos Sainz for McLaren topped the session just 0.053 seconds ahead of Racing Point's Sergio Perez. Charles Leclerc finished the session in 3rd, just over a tenth off of Carlos Sainz's time. FP3 was ended early as Esteban Ocon (driving for the Renault team) spun into the wall while attempting to avoid a collision with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen.

## Race

### **Race Report**

Lance Stroll won the race ahead of Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jr. Sergio Perez crossed the line first but was given a 5 second time penalty for ignoring blue flags. Lance Stroll finished behind Perez by 2.260 seconds meaning he took the win. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc retired from the race with a mechanical problem after he span at the chicane. Leclerc's teammate Sebastian Vettel finished 4th after driving for more than half the race distance on one set of soft tyres. Daniil Kvyat also was awarded a 5 second penalty for ignoring blue flags, but this did not effect his final position.

## Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

 -1
 -1
 +/-
 +1

Constructors' Championship standings

 -2
 +/-
 +/-

## External links

1. ↑  Sergio Pérez finished fourth on the track, but received a five-second time penalty for ignoring blue flags.
2. ↑  Daniil Kvyat received a five-second time penalty for ignoring blue flags.
3. ↑  Racing Point was deducted 15 points after a protest from Renault was upheld regarding the legality of their car.