Our great and grape preview of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Result is here, and it was another race by Lewis Hamilton, but was overshadowed by the enormous fiery crash on the first start involving the Haas of Romain Grosjean. The Frenchman was OK but airlifted to hospital where unbelievably he suffered some burns to his hands as the worst of it.
A generation ago he could have been killed three different ways by that impact and aftermath, but thankfully safety has improved every season
As for the race itself, aside from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen socially distancing the field from themselves and each other, there was some decent racing from most of the teams all in the battle for best of the rest.
Just a few races to go for the 2020 season, and the next one is a variation of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
So sit back and enjoy the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Result Review
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Result – THE LAPS THAT MATTERED
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Well here are the top laps where stuff happened. Normally it is five or ten, so you know it was a good race if there’s more than ten.
We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football. But not as good. But hey, if you missed the race how can you complain.
Lap 1 – A poor start from Bottas from second on the grid, a broken front wing for Lando Norris and various movement up and down the field felt massively unimportant after the sight of one of the midfield cars hitting the barrier just after the first two corners and exploding into flames like a scene from an action movie. It was later discovered to be Romain Grosjean who appeared OK getting into the Ambulance.
The aftermath of the accident showed his Haas car split in half, the rear looking slightly charred and broken but not too bad and the front half of the car simply disintegrated. There was also a barrier which looked second hand, as in completely trashed. Thankfully it looked the barrier needed a lot more work than the driver.
Replays shows that the accident was just a racing incident, arguably caused by Grosjean himself, after he veered right to avoid trouble ahead of him on the second straight, and cut in front of Kvyat who clipped his right rear wheel, and now out of control, the Haas driver went head on into the barrier.
Replays also show just how lucky he was. A crash like that a generation ago would not have seen Grosjean survive. The sight of the driver leaping over the barrier and away from the flames is truly shocking.
It was a long delay for the restart due to barrier repairs.
Lap 2 – The race finally restarts, with Lewis Hamilton well ahead of Max Verstappen. Behind Ricciardo had the worst of the starts of the front runners. Bottas made progress after his first poor start, but the overtaking seemed to have caused a puncture.
But there is another incident further back which brings out the safety car. Footage shows the Racing Point of Lance Stroll upside down. Replays show that once again Kvyat was involved, and again not quite his fault as Stroll appeared to chop across him to claim the corner. Safety Car is out, and this brings another delay to an already delayed Grand Prix. The middle of the night start in Australia starting to really hurt.
ORDER – HAM VER PER ALB NOR OCO LEC RIC GAS SAI (Bottas 16th)
Lap 8 – Safety Car in, surely the drivers can behave themselves this time. The bunching of the field behind Hamilton throws a doubt. But no incidents. Some good racing between Leclerc and Ocon
Lap 9 – First racing lap completed nearly two hours after the start time.
Lap 12 – Some great racing between Sainz and Leclerc for 7th. The future Ferrari team mates swapping positions, and then a closely following Ricciardo takes advantage of Leclerc nearly losing it. So does Gasly a lap later.
ORDER – HAM VER PER ALB NOR OCO SAI RIC GAS LEC
Lap 17 – Daniel Ricciardo makes first tactical pit stop of the top ten cars. He is last. Renault team mate follows next lap. Just to prove that it is not just the midfield pitting at the right time, race leader Lewis Hamilton pits too.
Lap 23– All the major pitstops done now, and it is getting harder and harder to stay awake. Hamilton four seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, who is 13 more ahead of third placed Sergio Oerez.
ORDER – HAM VER PER ALB GAS BOT NOR RIC SAI
Lap 28 – Good racing between the McLarens and Renaults trying to keep interest in the race. On a personal note, the blinks are getting longer and longer, it’s a bloody late night now.
Lap 35 – Verstappen pits in an attempt to produce an exciting finish, but is slowed by his pitstop taking a lifetime of five seconds. Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes punish the Red Bull driver a lap later with a pitstop a full three seconds faster. Everyone else pits soon enough.
Lap 38 – Renaults fighting each other for 10th. Eventually the Australian gets past. More pitstops for top ten drivers. Albon passes Sainz for 4th.
ORDER – HAM VER PER ALB GAS NOR SAI RIC OCO BOT
Lap 47 – Max Verstappen pits again for fresh tyres, likely to try and get the fastest lap point. And why not, his pitstop was enough to stay awake for now.
Lap 54 – Sergio Perez is denied another podium when his engine blows. Safety Car comes out and looks likely to see out the race.
Lap 57 – Another win for Lewis Hamilton who looked to do it easy today. Max Verstappen kept him honest too, but had to settle for second. A rare 2021 podium for Alex Albon is a good result for him, but still doesn’t guarantee a seat for next year. Midfield battle was interesting enough, with McLaren taking the crucial midfield points.
FINAL ORDER – HAM VER ALB NOR SAI GAS RIC BOT OCO LEC
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix – RACE RATING
We rate the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 6 /10
The drivers championship is done, but behind Lewis Hamilton is the battle for second best officially this season between Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver taking a big chunk out of the Finn’s lead at this race. The next important battles for third best car and fourth best driver continued. Perez denied by his car’s engine.
ON TRACK ACTION – 7 /10
You don’t get much bigger than the first lap crash of Grosjean for action, followed by Lance Stroll’s upside down retirement. The front runners were out in front, but McLarens, Renaults, Ferrari, Bottas produced some good racing in the middle.
ENDING 3 / 10
Pretty dull ending, Sergio Perez’s blown engine was a newsworthy incident for the race. But given the firs lap issues, a quiet ending wasn’t a bad thing.
OVERALL RATING 16 / 30
The race will live in F1 fans memories for a long time due to that Grosjean crash, more than the other on track action.
RACE RATINGS SO FAR
Austrian Grand Prix – 28/30
Styrian Grand Prix – 23/30
Hungarian Grand Prix – 15/30
70th Anniversary Grand Prix – 15/30
Eifel Grand Prix 11 / 30
Portuguese Grand Prix – 20 / 30
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – 22 / 30
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Result – Great & Grape
Here we go through the field and highlight the three drivers we think deserve a little extra love, and one driver whose had the grapest weekend of all.
These points get added to our Driver of the Season. 3-2-1 for the Great and minus one point for the Grapest races.
It used to be called the good, bad and ugly, but everyone is using that now. And who doesn’t like grapes.
THE GREAT – 1. Alan van der Merwe
The medical driver will rarely win a driver of the race, but you can’t really argue with his speed to be at the crash site as quickly as he was, and the bravery of diving in there to help. Unless you argue that he is not an F1 driver, and therefore shouldn’t win the title of the greatest driver for this race.
THE GREAT – 2. Lando Norris
Decent race from the McLaren driver, heading a welcome big bag O points for his team. Some good overtaking and positive signs
THE GREAT – 3 Sergio Perez
Can’t do too much more to win himself a seat for next season. A blown engine with a few laps to go won’t hurt his chances, as he had already impressed enough already.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Carlos Sainz – almost as good as his teammate Norris, and pulled off a few great overtakes during the race.
Lewis Hamilton – almost forgotten about at the front, but another weekend where he takes it all.
Max Verstappen – stayed with Hamilton for most of the race, and took new tyres to get fastest lap at the end, and entertain the masses.
Alex Albon – qualified 4th, finished 3rd. Just what he needs.
Daniel Ricciardo – takes 4th in the World Championship with good points haul on Sunday.
Romain Grosjean – surviving that crash is good enough reason to be having a good weekend,
THE GRAPE – DANI KVYAT
Involved in both opening crashes,. neither his fault we think, but still to be involved in the Grosjean is bad enough. His team mate scored valuable points while he did not.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
Lance Stroll – not long ago Lance Stroll was taking poles and leading races. Not today.
Sebastian Vettel – amazing how a Ferrari battling a Williams at the back has become the new new norm. Vettel down in 14th when the race ended.
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Result – 2020 Driver of the Year – The Martini Trophy
A feature on this website is determining the driver of the year.
This recognises not just the driver with the most amount of points at the end of the year, but factoring performance against their team mate, possibly outperforming the car, and a nod to our Great and Grape above. A full explanation is below the results.
The Martini Trophy is named after one of our favourite F1 drivers of all time, the underrated Pierluigi Martini.
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Results – Martini Trophy
Top qualifiers are awarded 3-2-1
Top finishes are awarded 5-4-3-2-1
Out-Race team mate only applies if they both cars finish or unless the other driver was a complete dick.
Best of Rest is the top driver not from Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari in race and qualifying
FirstLap is 0.2 / -0.2 for every position gained / lost on the first lap.
Good and Grape points are award 3-2-1 and -1 for drivers.
2020 Driver of the Year Points so far
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Result – Stats and Stuff
Here is a selection of our favourite stats from the season so far.
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