2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

## Lap Leader

The **2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix** was a Formula 1.5 motor race held on 13 December 2020 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The race was the seventeenth and final round of the 2020 World Championship. McLaren driver Lando Norris won the race from pole position. Ricciardo clinched his first Formula 1.5 title and McLaren won the constructors title for the 2nd year in a row.

## 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 aborted opening round in Australia, prompting the FIA to draft a new calendar. The Bahrain Grand Prix was moved to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix's original date, delaying the race by two weeks. Due to a surge of COVID-19 cases in the country, organisers announced that the Grand Prix would take place behind closed doors.

### **Entrants**

The drivers and teams were the same as the pre-season entry list with the only exception being Romain Grosjean, who was replaced by Pietro Fittipaldi at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Mick Schumacher drove for Haas in the first practice session, in place of Kevin Magnussen, while Robert Kubica drove for Alfa Romeo Racing, in place of Antonio Giovinazzi. Robert Shwartzman, who competed in Formula 2, was also due to appear in the first practice session, driving for Haas. However, he did not appear on the entry list. Lewis Hamilton returned to F1, meaning George Russell returned to Williams in F1.5 for the final round.

### **Championship Permutations**

In the Drivers Championship, Sergio Perez was just 9 points behind leader Daniel Ricciardo. The table below shows what Perez and Ricciardo had to do to win the championship:

In the constructors championship, Racing Point lead on 358 points over Renault on 334 and McLaren on 330. All the 3 teams could still win the championship. In order for Renault to win the championship they would have to out-score Racing point by 20 points, whilst McLaren would have outscore Renault by 5 points and Racing Point by 28 points.

### **Tyres**

Pirelli provided the C3, C4 and C5 tyre compounds (the softest selection available) for use in dry conditions. Pirelli tested the 2021 tyre compounds during the second practice session.

### **Penalties**

Charles Leclerc incurred a three-place grid penalty for the race after causing a collision with Sergio Pérez at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Pérez and Kevin Magnussen were required to start from the back of the grid for exceeding their quotas of power unit elements.

## Practice

The first practice session ended with Esteban Ocon fastest ahead of Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez. The second practice session was red-flagged for 10 minutes after Kimi Räikkönen's Alfa Romeo Racing C39 caught fire, and ended with Norris fastest ahead of Ocon and Perez. Ricciardo set the fastest time in the third practice session, followed by teammate Esteban Ocon and McLaren driver Lando Norris.

## Race

Norris finished 1st ahead of his team mate Sainz in 2nd, with McLaren securing the Constructors' Championship for the 2nd year in a row, which was helped by the fact that Racing Point's Sergio Pérez retired with a technical problem on lap 9. This meant Ricciardo won the Drivers Championship.

## Championship Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

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Constructors' Championship standings

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## References

1. ↑  Charles Leclerc received a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision at the Sakhir Grand Prix.
2. ↑  Sergio Perez was required required to start from the back of the grid for exceeding their quotas of power unit elements
3. ↑  Kevin Magnussen was required to start from the back of the grid for exceeding their quotas of power unit elements
4. ↑  Includes one point for fastest lap.
5. ↑  Racing Point was deducted 15 points after a protest from Renault was upheld regarding the legality of their car.