2020 Eifel Grand Prix

## Lap Leader

The **2020 Eifel Grand Prix** was a Formula 1.5 motor race held on 11 October 2020 at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany on the 5.1-kilometre (3.2 mi) GP-Strecke layout. It was the first Formula 1.5 race held at the Nürburgring since 2013. The race was the eleventh round of the 2020 World Championship and the first running in history of the **Eifel Grand Prix**. The race was won by Daniel Ricciardo from second on the grid.

## Background

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

The 2020 championship was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the originally planned Grands Prix were cancelled or postponed, prompting the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile to draft a new calendar. This was the first time since the 2013 German Grand Prix that the GP-Strecke layout hosted a Grand Prix. Up to 20,000 fans were expected to attend the race with social distancing measures in place.

### **Entrants**

The drivers and teams were initially the same as the season entry list. Ferrari Driver Academy drivers Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott were due to make their debuts in the first practice session, driving for Alfa Romeo Racing in place of Antonio Giovinazzi and for Haas in place of Romain Grosjean respectively. The first practice session was ultimately cancelled, meaning that Schumacher and Ilott were unable to participate. Nico Hülkenberg replaced Lance Stroll as he felt unwell before the third practice session and tested positive for the coronavirus on the day of the race.

### **Tyres**

Pirelli supplied their C2, C3 and C4 compound tyres for teams to use in the race, the middle range of compounds available in terms of hardness.

## Practice

The first practice session on Friday began at 11:00 CEST (UTC+2). However, rain and fog prevented the cars from leaving the pit lane as conditions were unsafe for the medical helicopter to fly. With 30 minutes of the session left to go, first practice was abandoned, and no running was completed. The second practice session was due to start at 15:00 CEST on Friday, but was likewise cancelled. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was fastest in third practice ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel and McLaren driver Lando Norris. Racing Point driver Lance Stroll sat out the session due to COVID-19, and later withdrew from the rest of the weekend.

## Race

### **Race Report**

At the start Esteban Ocon fell back from 3rd to 5th. On Lap 9 Ricciardo overtook the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc at turn two for the lead. On lap 11, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, running in 7th place, spun at turn one during an overtake attempt on the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi. He returned to the track but the spin dropped him to 10th.

On Lap 13, Alfa Romeo's Kimi Räikkönen attempted an overtake on the 19th-placed Williams of George Russell at turn one, but understeered into the side of Russell. This caused a puncture and suspension damage for Russell, who was forced to pull over to the side of the track at the exit of turn six and retire from the race. Räikkönen was later issued a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision, which he served during his pit stop. The virtual safety car (VSC) was deployed whilst Russell's car was recovered.

The VSC period ended on lap 17. AlphaTauri's Daniil Kvyat locked up his brakes and went straight on at the turn 13-14 chicane, allowing Forumla One driver Albon to pass him for 10th place. However, Albon made contact with Kvyat's front wing whilst completing the overtake, breaking it off and forcing Kvyat to complete a full lap without it before returning to the pits.

Ocon entered the pits at the end of lap 22 to retire with a hydraulics issue. McLaren's Lando Norris began to report power loss on lap 26. Leclerc passed the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly for fith place on lap 28, and was later promoted to second after cars ahead made their pit stops. He then battled with Racing Point's Sergio Pérez on lap 33, losing second place, regaining it on the following lap and then dropping to fourth again on lap 35.

At this point, drivers began to make their second pit stops, with Williams' Nicholas Latifi being the first, followed by Haas' Kevin Magnussen, Leclerc, Giovinazzi and Vettel. Norris, who was running in sixth place, suffered total power unit failure on lap 44 and pulled over to the side of the track after turn six. The safety car was deployed and those drivers who had not yet made a second pit stop did so, with the exception of Haas' Romain Grosjean who was promoted to fith place. The safety car remained out until lap 50 to allow lapped cars to pass. Grosjean quickly fell to sixth place after the restart, and Gasly passed Leclerc for fourth place on the following lap.

Räikkönen broke the record for most race starts with 323, held by Rubens Barrichello since the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix.

## Championship Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

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Constructors' Championship standings

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## External Links

1. ↑  Includes one point for fastest lap.
2. ↑  Leclerc had more wins on countback, so was classified 4th in the championship
3. ↑  Leclerc had more wins on countback, so was classified 4th in the championship
4. ↑  Racing Point was deducted 15 points after a protest from Renault was upheld regarding the legality of their car.