The formula 1 circus arrived at the exciting Mugello circuit for the first time, and the Tuscan Grand Prix produced drama aplenty as crashes safety cars and a host of retirements produced a thrilling race.
Frenchman Pierre Gasly, shock winner of last Sundays Italian Grand Prix at Monza for Alpha Tauri, bought out the first safety after a crash that also took out Red Bulls Max Verstappen.
The first major incident came after a safety car period as, during the restart, a host of cars crashed in a huge pile-up that forced the race to be stopped. As Valtteri Bottas led the field around for the restart, some of the drivers further down the field attempted to get on the gas early to get a jump on the cars ahead, but it prompted a massive crash as Antionio Giovinazzi, Carlos Sainz, Kevin Magnussen and Nicholas Latifi all ended up destroying their cars in a huge incident that left the start-finish straight covered in debris.
The incident brought a red-flag and the cars restarted, but there was a second red flag stoppage with just 13 laps to go when Canada’s Racing Point diver Lance Stroll suffered a puncture or a suspension failure and careered off the track and into the barriers at high speed.
Only 12 cars finished the race from the normal 20 cars, with world Champion Lewis Hamilton taking the victory ahead of Mercedes teammate Bottas and Red Bull’s Alex Albon.
The race marked the occasion of Ferraris 1000th Grand Prix, but they were unable to challenge at the front, with Charles Leclerc’s eighth-place finish the best they could provide on another disappointing weekend for the Italian marquee.
Wild as it has been Lewis Hamilton kept his cool winning the Tuscan Grand Prix for the 90th win of his career to move one behind Michael Schumacher’s record. As he stood on the Podium on Sunday wearing a t-shirt featuring the words: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.”
It’s been 6 months since Breonna Taylor was murdered by policemen, in her own home. Still no justice has been served. We won’t stay silent. #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/7zinVHiYcH
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) September 13, 2020
His Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas came second and a first-time podium finisher for Alex Albon of Red Bull who came third.
SBONSI|SHUTTERSTOCK
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