Lewis Hamilton encabezó a Mercedes reclamando su séptimo título consecutivo de constructores en el Gran Premio de Emilia Romagna, liderando a su compañero de equipo local Valtteri Bottas y un encantado Daniel Ricciardo, pero hubo un drama tardío cuando Max Verstappen de Red Bull se retiró de la P2 después de parecer sufrir una problema de los neumáticos, sacando un coche de seguridad que llevó a un final de carrera culminante.
Bottas había disfrutado de un fuerte comienzo en la carrera de Imola desde la pole position, liderando la curva 2 cuando Hamilton perdió ante Verstappen en la carrera hacia Tamburello en la vuelta 1 y pasó a la tercera.
Pero la decisión de Mercedes de darle a Hamilton una larga primera temporada pagó dividendos cuando Esteban Ocon de Renault se retiró al costado de la pista en la vuelta 29, el coche de seguridad virtual resultante le permitió a Hamilton entrar en boxes desde el líder: Bottas y Verstappen habían boxeado antes en la carrera. – y retener P1.
Pero con 12 vueltas para el final, el retiro de Verstappen en Villeneuve condujo a un coche de seguridad completo, preparando unas pocas vueltas finales sin aliento de la carrera, que finalmente vieron a Hamilton aguantar para ganarle a Bottas, mientras que Ricciardo aseguró su segundo podio de la temporada. para Renault después de aguantar una carga tardía de Daniil Kvyat de AlphaTauri, quien terminó en un cuarto brillante mientras lucha por su futuro en la F1.
FÓRMULA 1 EMIRATES GRAN PREMIO DELL’EMILIA ROMAGNA 2020
Resultados de la carrera
PUNTOS DE TIEMPO DE POSICIÓN
1 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes 1: 28: 32.430 26
2 Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes + 5.783s 18
3 Daniel RICCIARDO Renault + 14.320s 15
4 Daniil KVYAT AlphaTauri + 15.141s 12
5 Charles LECLERC Ferrari + 19.111s 10
Lewis Hamilton spearheaded Mercedes claiming their record seventh consecutive constructors’ title at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, leading home team mate Valtteri Bottas and a delighted Daniel Ricciardo – but there was late race drama as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen retired from P2 after appearing to suffer a tyre issue, bringing out a Safety Car that led to a climactic race ending.
Bottas had enjoyed a strong start to the Imola race from pole position, leading into Turn 2 as Hamilton lost out to Verstappen on the run down to Tamburello on Lap 1 and moved to third.
But Mercedes’ decision to give Hamilton a long first stint paid dividends when Renault’s Esteban Ocon retired at the side of the track on Lap 29, the resultant Virtual Safety Car allowing Hamilton to pit from the lead – Bottas and Verstappen having boxed earlier in the race – and retain P1.
But with 12 laps to go, Verstappen’s retirement at Villeneuve led to a full Safety Car, setting up a breathless final few laps of the race, which ultimately saw Hamilton hold on to win out from Bottas, while Ricciardo secured his second podium of the season for Renault after holding off a late charge from AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat, who finished a brilliant fourth as he fights for his F1 future.
FORMULA 1 EMIRATES GRAN PREMIO DELL’EMILIA ROMAGNA 2020
Race results
| POSITION | TIME | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes | 1:28:32.430 | 26 |
| 2 Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes | +5.783s | 18 |
| 3 Daniel RICCIARDO Renault | +14.320s | 15 |
| 4 Daniil KVYAT AlphaTauri | +15.141s | 12 |
| 5 Charles LECLERC Ferrari | +19.111s | 10 |
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came home fifth, holding off the Racing Point of Sergio Perez, who’d gambled with a late stop under the Safety Car. The McLaren duo of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris claimed P7 and P8, while it was a fantastic day for Alfa Romeo, who took their first double points finish of the year, Kimi Raikkonen leading Antonio Giovinazzi in P9 and P10, the Finn having made a 49-lap stint work to his advantage.
Meanwhile, after a brilliant effort to qualify P4, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly suffered a coolant leak that forced him to retire from the race on Lap 8 – while in a bizarre incident, Williams’ George Russell spun into retirement under the Safety Car on Lap 53.
For Mercedes, though, there were scenes of jubilation, as they continued to re-write the F1 history books with an amazing seventh consecutive constructors’ title.
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