Originally posted on my old blog 04/07/2020
Our first serving of on track action has certainly not disappointed! Whilst a Mercedes front row lockout was predictable, it will be a question of whether Bottas can retain first place once the lights go out. Hamilton seemed a little disappointed during the socially distanced post-qualifying interviews, which is no surprise since he will be exposed to the threat of Verstappen, provided the Dutchman gets a better start than his disastrous get away last year. Norris really impressed me, managing to split the Red Bulls and out qualifying his teammate. It will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure of starting the race on the second row – he seems to have a newfound confidence this season so my expectations are high. It was a good result for Racing Point, their pink Mercedes taking 6th and 9th. The biggest story by far though was just how off the pace the red cars were. I can’t really believe I’m typing this but Vettel could only manage 11th (11th!!!), his lowest ever qualifying for Ferrari based on pace alone. Leclerc made it into Q3 but 6th place was the best he could do, both drivers sounding genuinely shocked with their car’s performance. The Ferrari didn’t look great in testing or practice, but not many could have predicted it would be this far back. Whilst its wholly possible the Mercs will sail away into the sunset leaving the rest of the field behind, the midfield promises plenty of action and it will be especially intriguing to see if the prancing horses can claw their way towards the front.
