The 2020 Formula 1 season delivered an unprecedented doubleheader in Bahrain, offering two distinct and equally thrilling Grand Prix weekends. First, the traditional Bahrain Grand Prix on the Sakhir International Circuit, followed by the unique Sakhir Grand Prix on the shortened, high-speed Outer Track layout. These back-to-back races provided a dramatic spectacle of high-octane racing, unexpected victories, heart-stopping crashes, and career-defining moments for several drivers. From championship contenders cementing their dominance to midfield heroes defying expectations and temporary stand-ins seizing their chance, the Sakhir double-header was a true rollercoaster of emotions, forever etched into the annals of Formula 1 history for its sheer unpredictability and the raw talent on display.
Stars: Bahrain Grand Prix
Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez delivered a performance of sheer brilliance during the opening Bahrain Grand Prix, truly solidifying his status as one of Formula 1’s most consistent and underrated talents. Having comprehensively out-qualified his teammate Lance Stroll by a significant margin in Q2, Perez secured a commendable spot within the top 10 on the grid. From the moment the lights went out, he showcased exceptional race craft and strategic awareness, expertly managing his tires and holding a convincing third position for the majority of the evening. His pace was relentless, effortlessly keeping some of the sport’s biggest names behind him. He appeared destined for a well-deserved podium finish, a testament to his and Racing Point’s strong package. However, fate had a cruel twist in store: an MGU-K fault tragically led to a fiery engine failure in the closing laps, forcing him to retire. This devastating DNF robbed Perez and his team of a substantial haul of valuable championship points and an almost certain podium, leaving a bitter taste after an otherwise flawless drive. Despite the unfortunate outcome, his raw speed and unwavering consistency throughout the weekend firmly established him as a standout performer.
Carlos Sainz Jnr
It is indeed a rare occurrence for a driver who starts and finishes behind their teammate to earn a ‘star’ accolade, yet Carlos Sainz Jnr’s performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix was nothing short of remarkable, showcasing his resilience and exceptional race pace. Sainz battled bravely against a string of poor luck that began in qualifying, where a persistent brake-by-wire problem severely hampered his progress, forcing him to start a lowly 15th on the grid. Undeterred by the setback, he embarked on a superb recovery drive, climbing through the field with a series of decisive and well-executed overtakes, ultimately securing an impressive fifth-place finish – his second consecutive top-five result. For much of the race, his pace was demonstrably better than his McLaren teammate Lando Norris’s, highlighting his ability to extract maximum performance from the car under pressure. His passes on both Renault drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, were particularly noteworthy, executed with precision and aggressive intent, further underlining his skill and determination to fight his way up the order. Sainz’s ability to overcome adversity and deliver such a strong result truly marked him as a star of the weekend.
Strugglers: Bahrain Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel
While some drivers like Sergio Perez continued to shine brightly in the challenging 2020 season, Sebastian Vettel’s arduous final campaign with Ferrari seemed to prolong its difficult trajectory at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The four-time world champion’s struggles were evident throughout the weekend, manifesting in a distinct lack of pace and confidence behind the wheel of the SF1000. During the race, he found himself locked in battles far from where a Ferrari driver typically expects to be, ultimately trailing George Russell’s Williams across the finish line. This outcome was particularly telling, highlighting the chasm between his performance and the team’s expectations, and indeed his own illustrious past. The inability to extract competitive performance from his machinery, coupled with persistent difficulties in adapting to the car’s characteristics, continued to plague Vettel, making the Bahrain weekend another frustrating chapter in what was a profoundly challenging farewell season with the Scuderia. His struggles stood in stark contrast to the heroics seen from other drivers, placing him firmly among the strugglers of the first Sakhir race.
Nicholas Latifi
As his debut full season in Formula 1 neared its conclusion, Nicholas Latifi continued to demonstrate a significant performance gap compared to his highly-rated Williams teammate, George Russell, at the Bahrain Grand Prix. While the subsequent Sakhir Grand Prix would cast Russell’s abilities in an entirely new and extraordinary light, even by the standards of the first Bahrain race, Latifi was notably off the pace. The raw speed deficit was stark in qualifying, where he was almost nine tenths of a second slower than Russell – a considerable margin in Formula 1 terms. While his race performance showed some improvement, as he managed to benefit from the misfortunes of other drivers who attempted ambitious long final stints and subsequently had to pit, his overall speed and competitive rhythm remained a concern. Latifi’s consistent lag behind Russell underscored the steep learning curve of Formula 1 and the immense challenge of extracting consistent top-tier performance from the demanding machinery. The weekend served as a reminder of the raw talent benchmark set by his teammate and the ongoing development required for Latifi to close that gap.
And the Rest: Bahrain Grand Prix
The Bahrain Grand Prix will forever be remembered, not for a race victory, but for the horrifying crash involving Romain Grosjean on the opening lap. The sheer force of the impact, the car piercing the barrier, and the terrifying fireball that erupted cast a profound pall over the entire race weekend. Grosjean’s miraculous escape from the inferno, thanks in large part to the Halo device and the rapid response of the marshals and medical team, transcended sport and became a testament to the incredible safety advancements in Formula 1. His survival was truly all that mattered, and it sent a wave of relief through the paddock and the wider world. Daniil Kvyat, who was involved in the initial contact with Grosjean, deserved no blame for the unavoidable collision that led to the incident, as he was simply caught in a chain of events on a frantic opening lap.
However, the stewards dealt a somewhat harsh penalty to Kvyat for a subsequent tangle with Lance Stroll, which saw the Racing Point car inverted. While Kvyat had certainly been aggressive, having gained momentum on his rival from the previous corner, he arguably had reason to expect Stroll to afford him more space and not take the apex so uncompromisingly on the very first lap of the race. It was a marginal call, but one that further complicated Kvyat’s day.
At the front of the field, Lewis Hamilton once again demonstrated his unparalleled mastery, particularly in qualifying. His exceptional tire management throughout the Q2 and Q3 sessions earned him a brilliant pole position, leaving his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas visibly mystified by the Briton’s ability to extract such pace. Bottas, however, suffered a luckless race, picking up not one but two punctures, which utterly derailed his challenge and sent him tumbling down the order. Max Verstappen, as ever, did his utmost to give chase to Hamilton, but the dominant Mercedes driver was in a class of his own, collecting his fifth consecutive victory and further cementing his already legendary status.
Alexander Albon, who had trailed Sergio Perez for much of the night, found himself fortunate to inherit the final podium position due to Perez’s late retirement. This stroke of luck was particularly poignant given that many in the paddock were already tipping Perez to take Albon’s Red Bull seat for the following season. Lando Norris also moved up to a commendable fourth place as a result of Perez’s misfortune, having earlier executed a decisive overtake on the one-stopping Pierre Gasly, showcasing McLaren’s strong race pace.
The AlphaTauri driver, Pierre Gasly, ultimately came home in sixth position, fortunate to hold off the charging Daniel Ricciardo. Without the late Safety Car period that neutralized the field, Gasly, on his well-worn tires, was in serious danger of being passed by Ricciardo’s fresher-shod Renault. The Safety Car also unfortunately halted Valtteri Bottas’s determined recovery drive, preventing him from salvaging more points.
Daniel Ricciardo had earlier lost valuable time stuck behind his Renault teammate Esteban Ocon, before the team issued orders for Ocon to move aside. Ricciardo eventually crossed the line in 10th place, just ahead of Charles Leclerc, whose Ferrari struggled with severely wilted tires in the latter stages of the race, causing him to lose several positions.
George Russell, despite his humble Williams machinery, once again extracted the absolute maximum from the FW43, delivering another excellent qualifying performance. However, his Achilles’ heel remained his struggle to get the car off the line at the start, costing him valuable early positions. Under incredibly difficult circumstances, Kevin Magnussen bravely brought his Haas home, albeit in last place, a testament to his perseverance. He finished behind the Alfa Romeo pair, with Antonio Giovinazzi managing to pass his veteran teammate Kimi Raikkonen in the closing stages after pitting for fresh rubber, demonstrating a late surge of pace.
Stars: Sakhir Grand Prix
George Russell
It’s difficult to argue with George Russell’s poignant assessment that victory was cruelly snatched from him not once, but twice, during his sensational debut race as Lewis Hamilton’s stand-in at Mercedes. From the moment he stepped into the W11, Russell displayed astounding natural talent and adaptability. He very nearly beat his experienced teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole position, a remarkable feat for someone making their debut in the car. At the start of the race, the newcomer emphatically passed Bottas and proceeded to lead the Grand Prix with a commanding and convincing pace, managing his tires brilliantly and never looking out of place. The first blow came during a Safety Car period, where a shambolic and unprecedented Mercedes pit stop saw him drop from the lead to fifth place at the restart, due to a mix-up with tires. Even then, demonstrating incredible composure and aggression, Russell used his fresh tires to launch a blistering comeback, rapidly passing Bottas, Lance Stroll, and Esteban Ocon to put himself back in contention for the win. However, as he closed in on the race leader Sergio Perez, another cruel twist of fate struck in the form of a slow puncture, necessitating yet another unplanned pit stop. This final misfortune relegated him to ninth position, denying him a truly historic victory that was unquestionably within his grasp. Despite the heartbreaking outcome, Russell’s performance was a definitive statement of his championship potential, utterly eclipsing his teammate and announcing his arrival on the world stage.
Sergio Perez
The Sakhir Grand Prix delivered a career-defining moment for Sergio Perez, culminating in his maiden Formula 1 victory after an extraordinary display of resilience and strategic brilliance. True to form, Perez was once again Racing Point’s top qualifier, setting the stage for what would be an eventful race. He made a brilliant start, immediately gaining positions and finding himself up to third place. However, his race was nearly over on the opening lap when Charles Leclerc, making an ill-judged move, sent Perez spinning, dropping him to a seemingly insurmountable 18th position. Undeterred, Perez unleashed a sensational recovery drive. After the Safety Car restart, he aggressively ripped past the slower cars, displaying superior pace and exquisite car control. By lap 11, the number 11 car had incredibly climbed back to 11th place. A pivotal moment in his charge was his decisive pass on Alexander Albon 10 laps later, which allowed him to close within striking distance of the leading group. This positioning proved crucial, as it enabled him to capitalize on the subsequent pit stop calamities that befell the leading Mercedes cars. Utilizing a significant tire life advantage, Perez meticulously worked his way past Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon, ultimately inheriting the lead of the race amidst Mercedes’ unexpected errors. From that point, he drove flawlessly, managing his pace and tires to perfection, holding off all challengers to secure an emotional and thoroughly deserved first Grand Prix victory – a momentous achievement that undoubtedly strengthened his case for a future F1 seat.
Strugglers: Sakhir Grand Prix
Alexander Albon
After showing a glimmer of promise and inheriting a podium at the previous Bahrain Grand Prix, the Sakhir Grand Prix proved to be a profoundly disappointing weekend for Alexander Albon, significantly increasing the pressure on his Red Bull seat. The faster, shorter Outer Track layout appeared to be less suited to his driving style or perhaps the specific setup of his car, as he was notably far off his teammate Max Verstappen’s qualifying pace. This deficit led to an early exit in Q2, a clear underperformance for a Red Bull driver. In the race, Albon’s struggles continued; despite starting ahead, he was unable to contain the recovering Sergio Perez, who had started from the back of the grid. While he did manage to pass both AlphaTauri cars after making a strategic switch to fresher tires, he failed to make any further significant gains through the field. He ultimately finished the race in sixth place, a result that, while not terrible in isolation, paled in comparison to the leading performances and further highlighted his inconsistency and the persistent gap to his teammate, casting serious doubts over his future with the team.
Kimi Raikkonen
The most experienced driver on the Formula 1 grid, Kimi Raikkonen, seemed to struggle to find his rhythm and gel with the unique characteristics of the Bahrain Outer Circuit during the Sakhir Grand Prix weekend. This shorter, high-speed layout presented a different challenge compared to the traditional circuit, and it appeared not to suit the veteran Finn or the Alfa Romeo C39 particularly well. The deficit to his teammate Antonio Giovinazzi in qualifying was stark, with Raikkonen over four tenths of a second slower – a considerable margin on such a short track where every tenth counts. This lack of single-lap pace put him on the back foot for the race. His weekend was further compounded by an early race incident, as he spun at the start, losing valuable positions and making his task of recovering even more difficult. While Raikkonen is renowned for his cool demeanor and ability to extract performance, the Sakhir weekend proved to be one where he simply couldn’t unlock the necessary speed or avoid early mistakes, cementing his place among the strugglers.
And the Rest: Sakhir Grand Prix
Valtteri Bottas’s Sakhir Grand Prix weekend was plagued by misfortune and a cruel twist of fate. An error early in Friday practice led to significant damage to his car’s floor, forcing him to run what he aptly described as a “Frankenstein floor” for the remainder of the day, compromising his pace while George Russell topped the timesheets. Despite this setback, Bottas managed to take pole position, but he quickly lost the lead to his temporary teammate Russell at the start. Bottas was gradually edging closer to Russell when the fateful and utterly shambolic Mercedes pit call occurred, effectively spoiling both their races. Left with old, worn tires after the chaotic stop, Bottas was powerless to defend against a series of cars passing him in the closing laps, culminating in a deeply frustrating and unrepresentative performance.
Max Verstappen’s race came to an abrupt and premature end, taken out by an over-ambitious move from Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari driver’s judgment at turn four was so poorly executed that it resulted in a multi-car collision, eliminating both himself and Verstappen from the race. Leclerc’s move was so costly and ill-advised that it would undoubtedly have placed him firmly on the ‘Strugglers’ list, had it not been for his absolutely sublime qualifying effort on Saturday, where he extracted astonishing pace from the only set of new tires he had available for Q3.
Esteban Ocon delivered a strong performance, finding a way past Lance Stroll to secure a commendable second-place finish. Ocon benefited from being able to run a longer first stint on his tires, a strategic advantage gained by not making the cut for Q3, which allowed him to start on fresh rubber. Stroll also lost out to his teammate but still managed to bag his second podium finish of the season, a solid result for the Racing Point team.
Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo, despite competitive drives, fell to fourth and fifth respectively, unable to match the pace or capitalize on the chaos as effectively as those ahead. Daniil Kvyat arguably deserved better than his seventh-place finish after putting in one of his better and more aggressive drives of the year, showcasing his raw speed. His AlphaTauri teammate, Pierre Gasly, unusually slipped out of the points-scoring positions over the final laps, a rare off-day for the Frenchman.
Lando Norris recorded his worst qualifying performance of the season on Saturday, which saw him start from a lowly 19th position on the grid after taking a new engine. However, he made excellent use of his soft tires at the start, charging through the field to rise to 10th place. Despite this impressive initial recovery, he was unable to make any further significant progress by the end of the race, highlighting the challenges of the midfield.
A poor pit stop further compounded Sebastian Vettel’s difficult weekend, relegating him to 12th place. He was followed closely by the Alfa Romeo pair, with Antonio Giovinazzi, who had previously expressed doubts about the car’s potential beyond 13th, finishing ahead of his veteran teammate Kimi Raikkonen, indicating a slight edge in performance that weekend.
The race also saw two debutants make their Formula 1 bows, experiencing mixed fortunes. Pietro Fittipaldi, substituting for the injured Romain Grosjean at Haas, qualified last. However, due to his engine change, he primarily served the purpose of giving his teammate Kevin Magnussen a tow in qualifying, sacrificing his own lap. He found himself 25 seconds behind the main pack when the Safety Car was deployed, enduring a challenging but vital learning experience.
Jack Aitken’s first F1 race, standing in for George Russell at Williams, was a more eventful and “peakier” affair. He impressively got within a tenth of a second of his teammate Nicholas Latifi in qualifying, showcasing his raw speed. In the race, Aitken engaged in a spirited tussle with Kimi Raikkonen, holding his own against the vastly more experienced Alfa Romeo driver. However, his race ended in disappointment on lap 60 when he spun into a barrier, damaging his front wing. Despite this incident, he was able to recover and pass Pietro Fittipaldi before the finish, completing his debut Grand Prix. Of their respective teammates, Kevin Magnussen found the Haas a less competitive prospect than usual, finishing 15th, while Nicholas Latifi was unfortunately forced to retire from the race due to an oil leak, bringing an early end to his difficult weekend.
Over to you
We’ve analyzed the highs and lows from F1’s thrilling Sakhir double-header. Now it’s your turn to have your say! Vote for the drivers who impressed you most in these two unforgettable race weekends and find out whether other RaceFans share your view:
- Vote for your 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Driver of the Weekend
- Vote for your 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix Driver of the Weekend
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