Mercedes perfectly spent the season. By building a perfect car, the champion team immediately captured the advantage and the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna in the seventh times in a row ahead of time won the designer Cup, and Lewis Hamilton became the world champion in the seventh time, equal to Michael Schumacher. In the 2020th they did not have real rivals.
Racer Grand Prix Lewis Best Start Best Finish Lewis Hamilton 16 1 347 1 1 Valterry Bottas 17 2 223 1 1 George Russell 1 18 3 2 9 Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Grand Point Glasses Best Start Best Finish 2020 17 1 573 1 1 1 2019 21 1 739 1 1 1 2018 21 1 655 1 1 2017 20 1 668 1 1 2016 21 1 765 1 1The unexpected progress of Ferrari in the 2019 season hurt Mercedes pride. It's a shame to get a tangible blow from rivals after several years of domination. The main thing, no one understood, at the expense of which in the scuderier so quickly and seriously added in the power of the power plant. Well, if this happened over the years of hard work with gradual progress, but everything changed in a few months.
In Mercedes, they set a difficult task in front of their engineers - to recoup the 2020 to be ahead. Engineers coped with the task, and when in FIA, there were strict restrictions on working with a fuel consumption sensor and Ferrari lost its advantage, Mercedes were far ahead.
The cars of 2020 were the fastest in the history of formula 1, and the Mercedes car is the fastest of them. In just six years after the transition to hybrid turbo engines, they played ten seconds on Hungarring on a fast circle.
On winter tests in Mercedes surprised rivals in the innovative DAS steering system. It seemed that the steering wheel was so long and well studied that it was impossible to come up with something new, but in Mercedes were able to mechanically change the angle of convergence of the front wheels using the longitudinal steering movement. This made it possible to more effectively warm the tires in front of a quick circle in qualifying or before restarting after car care, compensate for the manifestation of insufficient turning and ensured a small advantage in speed on some tracks.
Rivals rated a brilliant idea. Some tried to challenge her legality with FIA, but in Mercedes all agreed in advance - the first version in the Federation was rejected, but the second was recognized as legal. True, to avoid another arms race, the FIA immediately banned the use of DAS in 2021.
The fact that the Grand Prix did not take place, the role of Mercedes was key. When the analysis on COVID-19, one of McLaren mechanics turned out to be positive, this team starred from the competition. The following refused to participate Ferrari, Renault and Alfa Romeo. Williams and Haas abstained, and in Red Bull, Alphatauri, Racing Point and Mercedes were offered to conduct a stage without viewers.
After consulting with the headquarters of Mercedes Toto Wolff at the request of the leadership, was forced to change his position. It is rumored, it became one of the reasons for the Toto conflict with the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of Daimler AG and the head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Oloa Callinius. The voice turned out to be decisive, then the statement was made by the Minister of Health Australia - and the stage was canceled.
After stopping the season, the British teams combined efforts within the Program of Project Pitlane, engaged in the production of artificial ventilation devices for the National Health System.
Red Bull Racing, Racing Point, Haas, McLaren, Renault, Williams and Mercedes distributed tasks, and on the basis of the championship team, the release of bulk ventilation systems.
Even before the beginning of the season, several riders announced the upcoming change of teams. There were rumors about a possible transition to Mercedes Sebastian Vettel, but the German contract with Aston Martin quickly stopped.
But in Mercedes it was not without change. Managing Director of Mercedes High Performance PowerTrains (HPP) Andy Kauell, who created the famous hybrid turbo cities Mercedes, decided to leave the company - four specialists replaced him at once.
The first stage confirmed the advantage of Mercedes. Valtterter Bottas won the race, Lewis Hamilton after the fine for the incident with Elbon turned out to be the fourth, but most importantly - the car was noticeably faster than rivals. The team immediately occupied the first line in the Cup of the designers and no longer inferior.
It is incorrect to talk about the most successful race in this case - Mercedes successes were not explained by luck. The team won five victorious doubles, Lewis Hamilton broke many records, ahead of Michael Schumacher in the number of podiums and wins for his career - and caught up with him by titles.
In the course of the season, the FIA banned the "qualifying mode", depriving the command to change the settings of the power plant. All believed that the success of Mercedes in qualifications is due to the possibility of incorporating in several circles the mode of high power - and waited for the results of the results, but in reality, this prohibition has not changed anything.
Valtter Bottas Against the background of the Briton spoke weakly - only two victories for the season against eleven Lewis - and this is despite the fact that Hamilton's one race missed due to coronavirus.
Lewis tried to adhere to all restrictions as much as possible, but the day after the victory in the Grand Prix of Bahrain felt ailment, the test for COVID-19 was positive, and for the Grand Prix, the team had to quickly seek replacement. In Mercedes, the participant was invited by the participant of his youth program George Russell, who spent in Williams, setting up a young rider "Combat" tests behind the wheel of the championship car.
George inspected, although it should be noted that the external version of the route in Sakhir was new to all - and the most simple in the calendar of 2020. In the qualifications, Russell showed the second time, giving the Bottas three hundredths, and in the race ahead of the partner and led a long time, while Mercedes did not allow one of the rare errors, confusing the kits of the tires of their riders. Then there was a puncture - as a result, George finished the ninth, earning the first glasses in his career.
After a successful speech, Russell Some said that it could indirectly influence the extension of the contract with Lewis, that behind the wheel of the championship car, any racer could act successfully - then why pay so many Hamilton in the conditions of the declared Mercedes reducing sports budget. That's just Lewis and made this car the championship - the young Briton remained only to prevent mistakes behind the wheel not quite suitable for him because of the high growth of the machine, and with Hamilton's contract the question was drawn since spring.
A contract with Valtterter Bottas was extended back in August, although on this occasion many had doubts - Valtterter played the role of the second pilot, without providing real competition Hamilton. But Mercedes such an alignment of forces quite satisfied.
But about the future Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton, suddenly arose questions. And many believe that they are interconnected - and severely for all the death of Niki Lough, and with the conflict of Toto with Callinius.
In the spring in Mercedes, they said that negotiations with Lewis will begin after the start of the season, in the summer of Callinius stated that the team will keep the composition, in the winter season ended, the Briton won the seventh title, the New Year holidays passed, the 2021th, and the contract was not signed.
Wolff during that time became co-owner Aston Martin, many even said that he could lead the company, but in public statements Toto always emphasized the loyalty to Mercedes, and in December, the team shares were divided into three. British INEOS company received one third of the shares, two other equal shares from the Concern Daimler AG and Toto Wolff.
There is no doubt that the team will keep the composition, and this year Hamilton and Mercedes will again be favorites. Rivals are counting on progress, ultimately, only depends on them, will the Mercedes have real competitors.
Source: Formula 1 on F1news.ru