2020 Russian Grand Prix

This race was Scuderia Ferrari's 1000th start in a World Championship event as a team.Privateer Ferrari entry in 1950 French Grand Prix, which is often a source of incorrect count for their races as a team (as opposed to as a manufacturer) doesn't count towards the team's participations.

{{See also|2020 Formula One World Championship#Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19 pandemic in Russia}}

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. However, the Russian Grand Prix kept its original date. Up to 30,000 fans were expected to attend the race with social distancing measures in place.{{Cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Luke|last2=Karpov|first2=Oleg|date=12 August 2020|title=Sochi targeting 30,000 F1 fans for Russian Grand Prix|url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/russian-gp-sochi-tickets-fans/4854634/|access-date=2020-09-25|website=Motorsport.com|language=en}} Haas driver Romain Grosjean expressed discomfort over the handling of the pandemic situation at his hotel.{{Cite web|last1=Vinel|first1=Benjamin|last2=Smith|first2=Luke|date=2 October 2020|title=Small rise in F1 COVID cases not linked to fans attending Russian GP|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/152563/small-rise-in-f1-covid-cases-not-linked-to-sochi-fans|access-date=4 November 2020|website=Autosport.com}}{{expand section|date=November 2020}}

{{Further|2020 Formula One World Championship#Entries}}

Ten teams (each representing a different constructor) each entered two drivers. The drivers and teams were the same as those on the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for either the race or practice.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2020%20Russian%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Entry%20List.pdf|title=2020 Russian Grand Prix – Entry List|date=24 September 2020|publisher=Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|access-date=24 September 2020}}

{{See also|Formula One tyres}}

Sole Formula One tyre manufacturer Pirelli supplied their C3, C4 and C5 compound tyres for teams to use in the race, the three softest compounds available.{{Cite web|date=22 July 2020|title=2020 Tuscan and Russian Grands Prix - Tyre compound choices|url=https://press.pirelli.com/2020-tuscan-and-russian-grands-prix---tyre-compound-choices/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Pirelli|language=en}}

The first free practice session ended with Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas quickest, followed by Daniel Ricciardo of Renault and Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The session was disrupted first by McLaren driver Carlos Sainz Jr.'s spin in turn seven, which caused damage to his rear wing and triggered a virtual safety car. Nicholas Latifi of Williams spun in turn ten causing severe damage to his car and triggering another red flag.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-25|title=FP1: Bottas quickest, Latifi brings out the reds|url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/fp1-report-russian-gp-2020/|access-date=2020-09-25|website=PlanetF1|language=en}}

The second practice session ended with Bottas ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Ricciardo.{{Cite web|last=Kalinauckas|first=Alex|date=2020-09-25|title=F1 Russian GP: Bottas beats Hamilton to Sochi FP2 top spot|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/152399/bottas-beats-hamilton-to-sochi-fp2-top-spot|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Autosport|language=en}} The third practice session ended with Hamilton fastest ahead of Bottas and Sainz Jr.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-26|title=FP3: Hamilton blitzes Bottas in final practice|url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/fp3-report-russian-gp-2020/|access-date=2020-09-26|website=PlanetF1|language=en}}

Hamilton took pole, 0.563s ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Valtteri Bottas finished 3rd with Sergio Pérez in 4th for Racing Point. Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo qualified 5th followed by Carlos Sainz Jr., Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon.

Out in Q1 (the first part of qualifying) were Romain Grosjean, Antonio Giovinazzi, Kevin Magnussen, Nicholas Latifi and Kimi Räikkönen. In Q2, Charles Leclerc finished 11th, missing out on Q3 after his teammate Sebastian Vettel crashed, bringing out the red flag and Hamilton making it to the line to set his final lap in Q2 seconds before the chequered flag came out to end the session. Daniil Kvyat was 12th followed by Lance Stroll, whose engine overheated preventing him from going out for a second run in Q2, Williams driver George Russell and Vettel.{{Cite web|date=26 September 2020|title=Hamilton survives Q2 scare to beat Verstappen to Russia pole, as Vettel crashes heavily|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamilton-survives-q2-scare-to-beat-verstappen-to-russia-pole-as-vettel.3C2DLw7zDhbOD9e2E3T7qA.html|access-date=2020-09-26|website=formula1.com|language=en}}

• {{note|1|1}} – Alexander Albon and Nicholas Latifi both received a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change.{{Cite web|date=27 September 2020|title=Albon and Latifi take grid penalties for Russian GP after gearbox changes|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.albon-and-latifi-take-grid-penalties-for-russian-gp-after-gearbox-changes.2NeKmYJEI1JPsVhMYcvkkr.html|access-date=27 September 2020|website=formula1.com|language=en}}

Kimi Räikkönen started his 322nd Grand Prix, tying Rubens Barrichello's record. Carlos Sainz Jr. took to the run off area and hit the wall trying to rejoin the circuit at the race start. Charles Leclerc collided with Lance Stroll causing the latter to hit a wall. The safety car was sent out to clear the debris at the second turn.

Lewis Hamilton was handed down two 5-second penalties for doing practice starts outside the designated areas, which he served on his first pitstop. Hamilton was also initially given two penalty points on his FIA Super Licence which would have left him on 10 penalty points for the last 12 months period, only two penalty points short of a race ban. However, these penalty points were rescinded after stewards received information that team radio communications had advised Hamilton about where he could or could not do a practice start and the team was fined instead for their error.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/54318727|title=Hamilton penalty rescinded by F1 bosses|work=BBC Sport}}{{Cite web|date=2020-09-27|title=Hamilton's penalty points rescinded, Mercedes fined instead|url=https://the-race.com/formula-1/hamiltons-penalty-points-rescinded-mercedes-fined-instead/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=The Race|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2020-09-27|title=Why FIA went back on 'inappropriate' Hamilton penalty points|url=https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-fia-went-back-on-inappropriate-hamilton-penalty-points/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=The Race|language=en-GB}} Both Daniel Ricciardo and Alexander Albon were given a 5-second penalty for exceeding the track limits at turn 2.

The race was won by Valtteri Bottas ahead of Max Verstappen and Hamilton. The result left Hamilton leading the championship with 205 points from teammate Bottas on 161 points.{{Cite web|title=Russia 2020 - Championship|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/2020/russie/championnat.aspx|access-date=28 September 2020|website=www.statsf1.com}}{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/sep/27/formula-one-russian-grand-prix-race-report-valtteri-bottas-lewis-hamilton|title = Valtteri Bottas wins Russian GP as time penalty denies Hamilton's record bid|date= 28 September 2020 |work=Guardian|access-date=1 October 2020}}

; Notes

• {{note|3|1}} – Includes one point for fastest lap.
• {{note|4|2}} – Daniel Ricciardo and Alexander Albon both received a five-second time penalty for failing to follow the race director's instructions at turn 2.

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;Drivers' Championship standings

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;Constructors' Championship standings

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• Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

• 2020 Sochi Formula 2 round

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{{F1 race report|Name_of_race=Russian Grand Prix|Year_of_race=2020|Previous_race_in_season=2020 Tuscan Grand Prix|Next_race_in_season=2020 Eifel Grand Prix |Previous_year's_race=2019 Russian Grand Prix |Next_year's_race=2021 Russian Grand Prix}}

{{F1GP 2020–29}}

Russian Grand Prix

Russia

Category:2020 in Russian sport

Category:September 2020 sports events in Russia

Category:Russian Grand Prix