For the eighth time in his career, Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix. Victory was secured with at ease and in a manner matching his stature of being a six times world champion. Teammate Valtteri Bottas ensured Mercedes had the front row locked out. However, Bottas suffered a stuttering start under damp conditions as his Mercedes glitched its getaway which allowed Max Verstappen into second. Bottas fell down the order and spent much of the race battling back to the podium.
However, it was a tough day at the office for Bottas who struggled at times to battle his way back into contention. By the end, he managed to claw back to third just over 1 second behind Verstappen and if the race had been 1 lap longer he may have gotten past the stubborn Red Bull. As for Verstappen, a distant second to Hamilton was the best he could manage.
The Red Bull is no match for the Mercedes, yet Verstappen counted himself lucky to finish the race at all. As he joined the grid for pre-race preparations, the Red Bull driver slid of the track and hit the barriers. The impact damaged the left front suspension which was successfully repaired at breakneck speed on the grid.
Beyond third, there was plenty of activity to witness. Ferrari has improved considerably, the team is now able to challenge Racing Point scraps. They are unable to challenge Red Bull and are significantly behind the Mercedes. Vettel ended the race 5th and had to endure the indignity of being lapped by Hamilton.
The 2020 Hungarian Grand Prix rubber-stamped just how dominant Mercedes are at the moment. In the Hands of Lewis Hamilton man and machine are seemingly one of the same. Valterri Bottas needs to respond to assert his desire to be crowned the driver’s world champion. He will win a few more races as the season progresses.
But the formula one world championship is as much about mental fortitude as it is physical strength or even driver talent. On every front, Hamilton delivers consistently and this is what Bottas has to match.
2020 Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest:
Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/Retired | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 44 | Mercedes | 70 | 1:36:12.473 | 26 | |
2 | 33 | Red Bull Racing Honda | 70 | +8.702s | 18 | |
3 | 77 | Mercedes | 70 | +9.452s | 15 | |
4 | 18 | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 70 | +57.579s | 12 | |
5 | 23 | Red Bull Racing Honda | 70 | +78.316s | 10 | |
6 | 5 | Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap | 8 | |
7 | 11 | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 69 | +1 lap | 6 | |
8 | 3 | Renault | 69 | +1 lap | 4 | |
9 | 55 | McLaren Renault | 69 | +1 lap | 2 | |
10 | 20 | Haas Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap | 1 | |
11 | 16 | Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
12 | 26 | AlphaTauri Honda | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
13 | 4 | McLaren Renault | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
14 | 31 | Renault | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
15 | 7 | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
16 | 8 | Haas Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
17 | 99 | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
18 | 63 | Williams Mercedes | 69 | +1 lap | 0 | |
19 | 6 | Williams Mercedes | 65 | +5 laps | 0 | |
NC | 10 | AlphaTauri Honda | 15 | DNF | 0 |
Note – Hamilton scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race. Magnussen and Grosjean received 10-second time penalties for use of driver aids during the formation lap. The classification of both Racing Point cars is provisional, subject to the outcome of any decision concerning a protest over their legality from the Renault team.