Despite the ongoing struggles of the 2020 Formula 1 season, the Tuscan GP is a chance to celebrate for Scuderia Ferrari. The weekend marks the Prancing Horse's 1000th entry in the Championship, confirming its record as the longest standing F1 team in history.
Straight into action
The drama begins even before the lights go out. A mere minutes before the green flag, Max Verstappen faces a software issue. Starting P3, the Dutchman is later sent in the gravel and prompts the first Safety Car less than a lap in. The chain reaction was started by multiple collisions between Sainz, Gasly, Grosjean and Raikkonen. The Italian GP winner is forced to retire, along with Verstappen, while a poor start from Hamilton means Bottas leads the way.
In the melee, two different faces for Scuderia Ferrari: Vettel is forced to a very early pit stop with a broken wing, while Leclerc is up in P3. An unbelievable mess ensues right as the Safety Car enters the pits (going out immediately after), as Sainz, Giovinazzi and Magnussen are all stranded on the main straight. As the SC is not enough, the session is red flagged.
Back at it again
Right before the race restart, Renault confirms Ocon's retirement, making it a mere 13 cars on the grid for a second standing start. Lewis Hamilton quickly gets away, as Alex Albon seemingly stalls just like Verstappen earlier. As the Red Bull driver catches up, Leclerc inevitably drops back before pitting for hard tyres. While Lance Stroll had successfully progressed up to P3, Daniel Ricciardo goes on the hunt for that first Renault podium and proceeds to build a gap.
Despite everyone been given a free pit stop with the red flag, another pit carousel brings the entire grid on either Medium or Hard. Just as the positions start to settle down, Stroll crashes out at the Arrabbiata turn bringing out yet another Safety Car and free stop for softer compounds. Crazy as it sounds, the race is stopped again: all drivers return to the pits on Lap 46. It's yet another bad restart for Bottas, just briefly losing P2, as Russell falls back out of the points. After a long and hard fight, Albon catches Ricciardo to get his first podium in F1. Just P8 and P10 for Ferrari, but the entertainment made up for it.
Written by Aurora Dell'Agli
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