Valtteri Bottas began on the pole at the Red Bull ring in the 2020 running of the Austria Grand Prix. His Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was set to start second but was given a three spot penalty and dropped to fifth to start the race.
The 2019 winner of the event, Max Verstappen would have trouble with his Red Bull machine on lap 11 while running in the second position. He would be the first retiree from the race.
Verstappen would not be the only driver to retire before midway. Daniel Ricciardo’s Renault car would have a mechanical problem leaving the race shortly thereafter. Lance Stroll would also pull himself from the race on lap 22.
On lap 26 Kevin Magnussen would spin and bring out a caution. The lap 31 restart would prove to be problematic for Sebastian Vettel who made contact with Carlos Sainz and spun, dropping back to 15th.
With the Mercedes of Bottas and Hamilton dealing with gearbox issues, a caution for the car of Romain Grosjean going off the track would allow Alex Albon to cut the lead but fall back to fourth with his pitstop. Kimi Raikkonen would lose a tire on the restart bringing out a caution on the restart.
On the restart Albon would make a move to get around Hamilton but contact between the two would send Albon off track and into last among the cars still in the race denying him again of a podium. The contact would also result in a five second penalty for Hamilton.
That would not be the only contact in the closing laps. Albon would retire with a mechanical issue while Daniill Kvyatt would have a tire explode with two laps to go.
Bottas would win the season opener with Hamilton crossing the line second prior to his penalty being applied. Norris would turn the fastest lap of the race on the last lap of the race earning his first career podium knocking Hamilton off.
Austrian Grand Prix Results
- Valtteri Bottas
- Charles LeClerc
- Lando Norris
- Lewis Hamilton
- Carlos Sainz
- Sergio Perez
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Antonio Giovinnazzi
- Sebastain Vettel
- Nicholas Latifi
- Danill Kvyat
- Alexander Albon
- Kimi Raikkonen
- George Russell
- Romain Grosjean
- Kevin Magnussen
- Lance Stroll
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Max Verstappen
