“Gentleman, start your engines” is finally back this weekend. Formula 1 starts the season with a delay of almost four months. It remains to be seen whether it will be a full-fledged battle for the world title or just a heavily shrunk version of the Corona. At least with the postponement of the start, the global racing circuit was struggling. In mid-March, Formula 1 was caught cold by the looming corona pandemic – like all other sports around the world. But those in charge have long defiantly refused to accept the power of the factual or the virus and to cancel the first race of the season in Melbourne, Australia. Only three hours before the start of the first training session did the inevitable bow and cancel the race weekend after hours of crisis meetings had been held and more and more teams had pleaded for the cancellation.
Since then, Formula 1 has been trying to manage crises. The Grands Prix of Bahrain, Vietnam, China, Spain, Monaco, Azerbaijan, Canada, France and the Netherlands were either canceled or postponed. A bitter loss for Formula 1, especially financially. But then Red Bull ventured out of cover with its home circuit in Spielberg, Austria, and developed a hygiene concept that was approved by the local authorities: For Formula 1, it was a relief. Now, under exceptional circumstances, the first two races of the season take place in one place – another novelty.
Formula 1 needs 15 races to make no losses
Six more races have been promised, but Formula 1 needs at least 15 Grand Prix to largely save the TV and sponsorship money, if need be until the end without a spectator. That is why the two races in Austria are so important. They serve as a blueprint for the others. The security concept must be implementable internationally. But even if things go smoothly in Spielberg, the corona situation, especially in South America and the USA, is unpredictable. Infection numbers are currently exploding. Grands Prix in the USA, Mexico and Brazil were planned for October and November. Given the situation, it is uncertain whether they will take place.
But races in Mugello, Italy and Portimao in Portugal are said to be safe. There is also speculation about Sochi and Shanghai, and Hockenheim is still considered a replacement candidate. The season is to end with races in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.
From a sporting point of view, not much has changed. We give an overview about the main protagonists and teams and who are the biggest challengers of world champion Lewis Hamilton:
The defending champion and Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton can claim his seventh world title and catch up with Michael Schumacher. The Mercedes driver is the top favorite. Mercedes has dominated for years and that won’t change much in the Corona season if you take the winter tests in Barcelona as a benchmark, where Mercedes once again made the fastest car.
But something has changed – optically: the fastest car in the racing circuit is no longer a silver arrow, but a black arrow. This is due to number 1 pilot Hamilton, who found a new role in the brutal arrest of US policemen after the death of African American Georg Floyd. Hamilton has since been a committed advocate of the “Black Lives Matter” movement and has criticized his sport as “dominated by whites”. In solidarity with “BLM” Mercedes repainted his car. This will not change the speed of the Mercedes, on the contrary, Hamilton should now be even more motivated than it already is.
The degraded and Ferrari
Sebastian Vettel will only play a role in the title race in the wildest dreams of his fans, but not in the hard reality for him. First, his company car is too slow. From the Italian racing team it can be heard that the FS1000 is even slower than the previous model despite several revisions during the lockdown. Secondly, despite his four world championship titles, Vettel is only driver number 2. Monegasse Charles Leclerc is the man of the future at Scuderia. Vettel received no new contract and was demoted to an assistant. As a precaution, he brought himself into play at Mercedes, he has not yet got a contract for the next year.
One of the exciting questions is whether Vettel will take on the role of helper for the Reds. He has officially stated that he will join the team, but whether that is compatible with a Vettel’s big ego is another matter. The last German Formula 1 driver would have reason to step sideways. Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto had presented the separation as consensual, which is probably not entirely true. Vettel recently announced that he had no new contract at all while Binotto was talking about an offer. It could be uncomfortable for the Reds. But without Vettel’s support, Leclerc would have a chance against Hamilton. Exit open.
The Uncompromising and Red Bull
The third large team could benefit from the tensions at Ferrari. At Red Bull they do a lot of calculations, even if the car was unable to keep up with Mercedes’ speed during the tests in Barcelona. But the first two races on the home track in Spielberg are playing in the hands of the bulls. Driver number one, Max Verstappen, won the last two races in Spielberg and has matured noticeably, from “bumpy to uncompromising”, as the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” judged. This year, Verstappen has the last chance to enter the history books as the youngest Formula 1 world champion and to replace Vettel as the record holder. Team boss Christian Horner firmly believes that the Bulls will have the best season since 2013. Red Bull became world champion for the last time – with Sebastian Vettel.
Swell: DPA, “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, “Auto Motor Sport”, “Total Motorsport”, “N-TV”
