All the winners and losers of the 2020 Formula One season

14 December 2020 - 09:18 By Reuters
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The F1 drivers pose for the Class of 2020 photo on the grid before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The F1 drivers pose for the Class of 2020 photo on the grid before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Image: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

The Formula One season ended in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, with 17 races in a season disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Here's a look at some of the winners and losers of 2020:

The Winners:

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Great Britain during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Great Britain during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Image: Peter Fox/Getty Images

Mercedes:

Winners of both titles for an unprecedented seventh year in a row, Mercedes passed Williams in the list of all-time race winners with 115. The team won 13 of the races and started all but two on pole.

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP arrives at the circuit before practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP arrives at the circuit before practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton:

 The Briton became the most successful Formula One driver of all time with a record 95 race wins and a seventh championship that equalled Ferrari great Michael Schumacher's record haul. He won 11 of the races and beat team mate and overall runner-up Valtteri Bottas by 124 points.

Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Scuderia AlphaTauri AT01 Honda leaves the garage during practice before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Scuderia AlphaTauri AT01 Honda leaves the garage during practice before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Image: Peter Fox/Getty Images

Honda:

The only engine manufacturer apart from Mercedes to win races, Honda powered Red Bull's Max Verstappen to two wins, including Sunday's at Yas Marina, and also Pierre Gasly to an emotional victory at Monza for AlphaTauri.

Sergio Perez of Mexico and Racing Point and his wife Carola Martinez Salido walk in the paddock before practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020.
Sergio Perez of Mexico and Racing Point and his wife Carola Martinez Salido walk in the paddock before practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020.
Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Sergio Perez:

The Mexican won in Bahrain on his 190th start, becoming his country's first race winner in 50 years and handing Racing Point a first success under that name. He finished fourth overall in a fine year for a driver shown the door by his team and with no seat secured for 2021.

Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive on the grid before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive on the grid before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Peter Fox/Getty Images

Pierre Gasly:

A standout season for the Frenchman who has rebuilt his reputation at AlphaTauri after being dropped by sister team Red Bull. His win at Monza, the first French winner since Olivier Panis in 1996, was a highlight of the season.

Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren F1 Team MCL35 Renault during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren F1 Team MCL35 Renault during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

McLaren:

Third overall, their highest position since 2012. The former champions made steady progress in their last season with Renault before entering a new phase with Mercedes power.

Drivers pose for an end of year photo during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020.
Drivers pose for an end of year photo during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020.
Image: Peter Fox/Getty Images

Formula One:

Successfully staged a season at a time of pandemic, reviving races that had fallen off the calendar and inventing some new ones. Safety also triumphed, with Frenchman Romain Grosjean walking away from a fiery crash that split his car in two in Bahrain.

THE LOSERS:

Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF1000 makes a pitstop during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF1000 makes a pitstop during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Ferrari:

The sport's oldest and most successful team suffered their worst season since 1980, when they finished 10th overall. Ferrari failed to win a race and ended up a distant sixth after suffering a drop in engine performance. Departing Sebastian Vettel had a lacklustre year but team mate Charles Leclerc at least provided hope for the future.

Nicholas Latifi of Canada driving the (6) Williams Racing FW43 Mercedes on track during final practice before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on December 12 2020.
Nicholas Latifi of Canada driving the (6) Williams Racing FW43 Mercedes on track during final practice before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on December 12 2020.
Image: Hamad I Mohammed - Pool/Getty Images

Williams:

The former champions failed to score for the first time since the 1970s. The team was sold in August and the founding family departed. George Russell, though a Williams driver, ranks as a winner for his exceptional performance at Mercedes as stand-in for Covid-hit Hamilton.

Second placed Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Mercedes GP stands on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Second placed Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Mercedes GP stands on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Image: Hamad I Mohammed - Pool/Getty Images

Valtteri Bottas:

Being Hamilton's team mate is a thankless task but Bottas ended up further away than ever. He won two races but the points gap to Hamilton was a chasm.

Kevin Magnussen of Denmark driving the (20) Haas F1 Team VF-20 Ferrari during practice before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Kevin Magnussen of Denmark driving the (20) Haas F1 Team VF-20 Ferrari during practice before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 11 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Haas:

Another tough year for the US-owned team, who finished ninth and cleared out both their drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean.

Lance Stroll of Canada driving the (18) Racing Point RP20 Mercedes during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Lance Stroll of Canada driving the (18) Racing Point RP20 Mercedes during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on December 13 2020 in Abu Dhabi.
Image: Giuseppe Cacace - Pool/Getty Images

Racing Point:

Despite Perez's stirring win, the Canadian-owned team missed chances and were docked 15 points for breaking the rules with a car closely modelled on last year's Mercedes. They finished fourth ultimately, seven points behind McLaren.

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) Renault Sport Formula One Team RS20 as spectators look on during the F1 Grand Prix of Portugal at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on October 25 2020 in Portimao, Portugal.
Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) Renault Sport Formula One Team RS20 as spectators look on during the F1 Grand Prix of Portugal at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on October 25 2020 in Portimao, Portugal.
Image: Joe Portlock/Getty Images

Spectators:

The pandemic meant most races were staged without spectators. The highlight races of Monaco and Singapore were cancelled entirely along with all races in Asia and the Americas. Vietnam's planned debut never happened.


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