Coronavirus couldn't beat Formula 1 in 2020
Formula 1, of course, was very much affected. Instead of starting in March it started in July. 17 Grand Prixs instead of the planned 22. And big health socks.
But thanks to the efforts of organizers, FIA and teams, it was possible to celebrate a more than decent calendar after the terrible consequences of the Covid-19.
The main objective was to hold at least 15 races in order to fulfil the TV contracts.
The races in America were suspended, there were no races in Brazil, Mexico, the United States and Canada. F1 preferred not to risk international travel.
The season was held in compliance with all the necessary Covid-19 measures: behind closed doors to avoid crowding, teams with fewer members, reduced media and interviews conducted with social distancing measures. Of course the mask became an essential element for all the people who make up the formula1 circus and the meetings were held through video calls and video conferences.
There was one detail that did not change with respect to previous years: the victory of Lewis Hamilton. The Briton won his seventh world title and managed to win his 95th Grand Prix by breaking Michael Schumacher's record at 91.
In this 2020 there were two drivers who won a Grand Prix for the first time. They were Pierre Gasly in Monza and Checo Perez in Sakhir. And three got their first podium: Norris in Austria, Alex Albon in Tuscany and Esteban Ocon in Sakhir.
There were also five new circuits: Mugello, Portimão, Imola, Nürburgring and Istanbul.
But what made the biggest impact was Grosjean's brutal accident on the first lap of the race in Bahrain.
The Frenchman saved his life thanks to the Halo device. It seems incredible that after what it took him to get out of the car in a sea of flames he only had burns on his hands. The blow was terrible and the intensity of the flames made us foresee the worst, but miraculously the driver got out on his own. The Halo kept him conscious and allowed him to break free and get away from the burning car.
The podium in the general stand besides Hamilton went to Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.
The three drivers were all in the top positions of the championship with the supremacy of the British. There were only nine points difference between second and third which gave more emotion.
Further away were Sergio Perez, Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz. These three pilots realizing a great championship occupying the places that in theory should occupy pilots of Ferrari as Vettel and Leclerc.
There were three debutants in this 2020: Nicolas Latifi and Jack Aitken in Williams Pietro Fittipaldi in Haas.
Hamilton missed the second race in Bahrain because he tested positive at Covid, Sergio Perez missed the two races at Silvertone and Lance Stroll at the Nurburgring for the same reason.
The provisional calendar for the championship in 2021 has already been released. If the Covid-19 does not prevent it will start in Australia on March 21 and end on December 5 in Abu Dhabi.
21 March Australia Albert Park
28 March Bahrein Sakhir
11 April China Shanghai
25 April To be confirmed
9 May Spain Montmeló
23 May Monaco Montecarlo
6 June Azerbaijan Baku
13 June Canada Montreal
27 June France Paul Ricard
4 July Austria Spielberg
18 July Great Britain Silvertone
1 August Hungary Hungaroring
29 August Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
5 September Netherlands Zandvoort
12 September Italy Monza
26 September Russia Sochi
3 October Singapore Marina Bay
10 October Japan Suzuka
24 Octobe USA The Americas
31 October Mexico Brothers Rodriguez
14 November Sao Paulo Interlagos
28 November Saudi Arabia Yeda
5 December Abu DhabiYas Marina
Although the racing schedule for 2021 is not confirmed, the formula 1 grid is confirmed.
Starting with the winners, Mercedes repeats drivers: Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Red Bull continues with Max Verstappen and signs Sergio Perez who replaces Alexander Albon.
Ferrari continues with Charles Leclerc, but changes Sebastian Vettel for Carlos Sainz.
McLaren continues with Lando Norris and the replacement of Carlos Sainz will be Daniel Ricciardo.
Renault continues with Esteban Ocon and brings back Fernando Alonso to the formula 1 in substitution of Ricciardo.
Racing Point /Aston Martin continues with Lance Stroll and will have a world champion, Sebastian Vettel.
Alfa Romeo confirms its two drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Willians continues with George Russell and confirms Nicholas Latifi.
Escuderia AlphaTauri, known until 2019 as Escuderia Toro Rosso, continues with Pierre Gasly and incorporates Yuki Tsunoda to replace Daniil Kvyat.
The Haas team will have Mick Schumacher, son of the German champion, and Nikita Mazepin to replace Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen
It will be a season with 23 grand prizes. Never have so many races been held in a single season. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be held on a street circuit in the city of Jeddah.
The Vietnamese Grand Prix was dropped from the calendar due to political issues. Last season was cancelled due to the pandemic. This Grand Prix has not finished yet.
The budget limit will be $145 million per year.
The Montmeló circuit in Barcelona has been chosen for the pre-season tests. McLaren will leave the Renault engines to be supplied again by Mercedes.
Let us hope that by March the evolution of the pandemic will be positive. Let's recover normality and stop more people from dying. Then we will be able to celebrate, in all their fullness, the sporting events including Formula 1.