For a seventh year in a row, Mercedes were the class of the field. The team reached new heights, unveiled technical ingenuities and aided Lewis Hamilton on his quest to become the sport’s greatest driver. Here are all the facts and statistics from Mercedes’ 2020 F1 season!
Will Mercedes’ domination of Formula 1 ever end? In 2020, the team celebrated an unprecedented seventh consecutive Constructors’ Championship victory, having also won the Drivers’ Championship in every season since 2014. But their unparalleled success has not stopped the team from striving to be better, or finding new ways to dominate. Their innovative Dual Axis Steering system unveiled during winter testing was one of major engineering talking points of 2020 (though the system will be banned from 2021 onwards).
The team notched up another thirteen wins and fifteen poles during the 2020 season, recording five 1-2 finishes. They secured their seventh successive title win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, before Lewis Hamilton sealed the title at the Turkish Grand Prix. The team ultimately scored almost double the points of closest rivals Red Bull.
While the Sakhir Grand Prix – and Mercedes’ pit stop blunders – proved that even the best in the business can have off days, it also proved that George Russell, who replaced coronavirus-stricken Hamilton, would be a capable pair of hands to replace either current driver in the future. With minimal rule changes for 2021, you can expect Mercedes to be the class of the field once again next year.
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RACE STATISTICS
- Championship Position: 1st
- Total Points: 573
- Points Scoring Races: 17
- Double Points Finishes: 14
- Best finish: 1st (x13)
- Number of DNFs: 1
- Number of DNSs: 0
- Laps Led: 860
- Laps Complete: 2031
- Total Laps Raced in the Top 10: 1924
- % of Laps Complete: 97.93%
- Distance Covered: 10,241km (1st)
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QUALIFYING STATISTICS
- Both cars in Q3: 17
- Q3 Appearances: 34
- Q2 Exits: 0
- Q1 Exits: 0
- Best Qualifying Position: 1st (x15)
- Worst Qualifying Position: 9th (Bottas, Turkey)
- Average Gap to Ultimate Pace: 0.27% (2019: 0.28%, 2018: 0.28%)
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A STATISTIC FROM EVERY GRAND PRIX
Austria: Valtteri Bottas ensured Mercedes won the first race of the delayed 2020 season. Bottas recorded Mercedes’ fifth pole at Austrian Grand Prix and, while the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix was set to be the first time since the 2019 British Grand Prix that both Mercedes lined up on the front row, a three-place grid penalty for Lewis Hamilton meant that this was the second race in a row that Mercedes set the two fastest qualifying times but only one car lined up on the first row. Mercedes maintained their record of reaching Q3 with both cars every year at the Austrian Grand Prix since its return to the calendar in 2014.
Styria: At the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix, Mercedes equalled the number of races started by Force India. The Force India name appeared in 212 races between the 2008 Australian Grand Prix and the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In the race, Mercedes recorded their first 1-2 finish in Austria since 2015. This was the team’s sixth win at the circuit, equalling McLaren’s record tally of Grand Prix wins in Austria. Mercedes power equalled Ford as the most successful engine manufacturer in Austria. Both marques have now powered nine victories at the Spielberg circuit.
Hungary: Lewis Hamilton provided Mercedes with their sixth pole position at the Hungaroring and with Valtteri Bottas qualifying in second, it was their fourth front row lockout in Hungary. It was the first time that the team have locked out the front row since the 2019 British Grand Prix, despite qualifying in first and second at the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix and the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix. Their front row lock-out saw them equal Ferrari’s record tally of 65 front row lock-outs. In the race, Mercedes became the first team to win three World Championship Formula 1 Grands Prix on three consecutive weekends.
Britain: Mercedes became the first team to take pole position on eight consecutive visits to a circuit at the 2020 British Grand Prix. There have been only three occasions where a team has taken seven consecutive poles at a track, but Mercedes are the first to record eight in a row. Mercedes’ pole position was their ninth at Silverstone and with Valtteri Bottas qualifying second, this was the fifth time that the team have locked out the front row at the British Grand Prix. Mercedes recorded their seventh victory at Silverstone, as well as their thirteenth podium at the track. The 2020 British Grand Prix marked the team’s 90th win from pole position in Formula 1, equalling the tally of McLaren’s wins from pole. Only Ferrari have won having started from pole position on more occasions.
70th Anniversary: Mercedes recorded their ninth consecutive pole position at Silverstone, becoming the first team to have taken nine consecutive poles at any track. They become the third team to have taken ten poles at Silverstone. The race marked the end of Mercedes’ streak of five consecutive wins. However, with Hamilton second and Bottas third, this was the fifth time that both Mercedes drivers have finished on the podium at Silverstone. Strangely, the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix was the first time that Red Bull have won a race with Mercedes finishing 2nd and 3rd.
Spain: For the first time since 2015, Mercedes took pole position in all of the first six races of the season. This was the eighth consecutive Spanish Grand Prix in which Mercedes took pole. Prior to 2020, no team had previously taken eight consecutive poles at a circuit – but Mercedes have now completed the feat at both Silverstone and Catalunya. Mercedes now have more poles at Catalunya than any other team, having previously been tied with Ferrari on seven. Mercedes became the third engine manufacturer to have recorded 200 pole positions in Formula 1. The only other manufacturers to have done so are Ferrari and Renault. Ferrari were first to reach the milestone at the 2008 French Grand Prix, while Renault reached 200 at the 2012 Korean Grand Prix. Mercedes won the Spanish Grand Prix for the sixth time, winning for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
Belgium: Mercedes locked out the front row for the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix. This was the team’s third front row lock out at the circuit, their first since 2015. Lewis Hamilton recorded Mercedes’ fifth victory at Spa Francorchamps, equalling Lotus’ tally of victories at the circuit and putting them third in the all-time list of most team wins at the track. With Hamilton winning and Bottas second, Mercedes recorded their third 1-2 finish at the Belgian Grand Prix. Their other 1-2 finishes here were in 1955 and 2015. This was Mercedes’ 50th 1-2 finish since their return to the sport. With both drivers finishing on the podium, Mercedes notched up their fourteenth and fifteenth podium finishes at Spa Francorchamps, overtaking Williams for third most podium finishes at the circuit.
Italy: Hamilton secured Mercedes’ eighth pole position at Monza, meaning that the team overtake Lotus for third most poles at the circuit. It was the team’s first pole at the Italian Grand Prix since 2017. Juan Manuel Fangio and Hamilton remain the only two Mercedes drivers to have taken pole position at this circuit. Bottas recorded his first front row start at Monza, making this the fourth time that Mercedes have locked out the front row at the Italian Grand Prix. The German manufacturer also locked out the front row in 1955, 2014 and 2016. This was the first race since the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix to not feature a Mercedes driver on the podium.
Tuscany: Mercedes took pole position for the 120th time, becoming the fourth team to have taken pole position on 120 occasions. Ferrari were first to do so at the 1997 French Grand Prix, Williams did so at the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix and McLaren reached 120 poles at the 2005 Turkish Grand Prix. This was Mercedes’ tenth consecutive pole position. It’s the tenth time that a team have taken pole at ten successive races, Mercedes having done so four times. The last time Mercedes took ten consecutive poles was between the 2015 Japanese and 2016 Spanish Grands Prix. Mercedes locked-out the front row for a seventh consecutive race – their longest streak of front row lock outs since a streak of eight front row lock outs between the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix and the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix. This was the sixth time a team have taken pole at all of the first nine races of the year; Mercedes were the last team to achieve this, in 2015. The 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix marks Mercedes’ 100th victory since re-joining the sport as a constructor in 2010. Ferrari, McLaren and Williams are the only teams who have had more than a century of wins in Formula 1’s 70 year history.
Russia: For the fifth time in the seven Russian Grands Prix held since 2014, a Mercedes driver started from pole position. For only the second time in 2020, Mercedes failed to lock out the front row. It was the first time that the team has failed to do so since the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix. In that race, it was also Bottas who failed to qualify on the front row. On their 220th appearance, Mercedes recorded their 110th win, meaning that the team had won half of the races which they have entered: the highest winning percentage for any team in Formula 1 history. Mercedes are the fourth team to have recorded 110 wins. Ferrari were first to do so at the 1997 Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren recorded their 110th win at the 1998 San Marino Grand Prix and Williams took their 110th victory at the 2003 European Grand Prix. For a third race in a row, a Mercedes driver recorded the Fastest Lap of the race. It was the first time the team have recorded the Fastest Lap at three consecutive events since the 2018 United States, Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix. With both Bottas and Hamilton finishing on the podium, Mercedes have now taken twelve podium finishes at the Russian Grand Prix. That’s twice as many as any other team has recorded at the event.
Eifel: Mercedes started on pole position for a twelfth consecutive race, making this only the seventh time in F1 history that a team has taken twelve successive poles. Lewis Hamilton also took pole position for Mercedes on F1’s last visit to the Nurburgring in 2013. Mercedes therefore became the fifth team to have taken consecutive poles at the circuit. Ferrari, Lotus, Williams and Red Bull are the other teams to have done so. Mercedes are the first team to lock out the front row at the Nurburgring since Williams in 2002. Hamilton won the race, taking Mercedes’ first victory at the circuit in 64 years. Juan Manuel Fangio was the last Mercedes driver to win at this venue, in 1954. Mercedes equalled a 37-year old record at the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix. This was the 228th consecutive race in which a Mercedes-powered car scored, equalling the record for most consecutive races in which an engine manufacturer has scored. Ford Cosworth set the record between the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix and the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix. The last race in which no Mercedes-powered cars scored was the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix.
Portugal: Mercedes became the eighth different constructor to take pole in Portugal and the first Mercedes-powered team to take pole at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Mercedes continued their pole streak, taking pole at all of the first twelve races for only the second time. It’s a feat which they’ve previously achieved in 2015. This was only the fourth time that a team has taken pole at all of the first twelve races of the year. Only Williams and Red Bull – who took pole at all of the first fifteen races in 1993 and 2011 respectively – have a record longer than Mercedes’. Hamilton’s victory marked the first time that a Mercedes-powered car had won the Portuguese Grand Prix. They are the eighth different engine manufacturer to be victorious in the country, and Mercedes became the eighth different team to have won the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Emilia Romagna: For the first time, Mercedes took pole position in all of the first thirteen races of a season, bettering their previous run of twelve poles in the first twelve races of 2015. This is only the third time that a team has taken pole at all of the first thirteen races of the year. While this was Mercedes’ first pole at Imola – making them the ninth different constructor to have taken pole at the circuit – a Mercedes-powered car has now taken pole in six of the last ten races here. The Brackley-based team also took pole at Imola in 2004, with Jenson Button driving for BAR. With their 1-2 result, Mercedes secured their seventh consecutive Constructors’ Championship victory. This is the first time in history that a team has won the title in seven consecutive years, breaking Ferrari’s former record of six successive titles between 1999 and 2004. Mercedes became the first team to secure a Constructors’ Championship at Imola since Williams did so at the 1980 Italian Grand Prix. As well as winning the Constructors’ Championship, they became the seventh team to have scored points in 200 Grands Prix. Mercedes’ victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was their 100th victory since the V6 hybrid era began in 2014.
Turkey: The Turkish Grand Prix marked the first time neither Mercedes driver qualified in the top four since the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix, as well as the first time neither Mercedes driver qualified in the top five since the 2013 Italian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton won the race, providing the 200th Grand Prix victory for a Mercedes-powered car. Ferrari are the only other engine manufacturer to record 200 wins, having done so at the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix. This was the Brackley-based team’s second win at the Turkish Grand Prix. Jenson Button won for Brawn GP in 2009. Hamilton’s title win ensured Mercedes would be the first team to win both titles in seven successive seasons.
Bahrain: Mercedes recorded their sixth pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix, overtaking Ferrari as the team with the most poles at the event. With Valtteri Bottas second, Mercedes locked-out the front row in Bahrain for the fourth time. It was the twelfth time in 2020 that both Mercedes qualified on the front row. Mercedes recorded their 115th Grand Prix victory, surpassing Williams for third in the all-time list of most Grands Prix won by a team. Prior to this race, Williams had sat third in the list since winning their 80th race at the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix. This was Mercedes’ fifth victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Bottas’ eighth place ended a six year streak of both Mercedes drivers finishing on the podium at the event.
Sakhir: With Lewis Hamilton unable to compete after testing positive for coronavirus, George Russell became the twelfth driver to start a Grand Prix for Mercedes. This was the first race in the team’s 226 race history in which they have started a race without a World Champion driving one of their cars. Bottas recorded Mercedes’ seventh pole in Bahrain, extending the team’s record of most pole positions at the circuit. With Bottas on pole and Russell second, Mercedes recorded their fifth front row lock out in Bahrain. It was their thirteenth front row lock out of the 2020 season. This was the first time since the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix that neither Mercedes driver finished on the podium at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Abu Dhabi: For the first time since 2013, Mercedes failed to set the fastest two times in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Mercedes reached Q3 with both cars at every race in 2020, making it the eighth time that a team has achieved the feat. They became the first team to have achieved the feat three times, and the first team to do it in two consecutive seasons. For the first time since 2013, Mercedes failed to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This was also the first race in which the team has not led a lap since the 2018 Mexican Grand Prix. This was, however, the first time that both Mercedes drivers have finished on the podium at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2017.
