GPFans Formula 1 Awards 2020

Formula 1

GPFans Formula 1 Awards 2020

GPFans looks back at an enthralling Formula 1 season

Ewan Gale & Sam Hall

Friday 1 January 2021 16:30

The 2020 Formula 1 season will go down as one of the most memorable in history as Lewis Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher's record haul of seven world drivers' championships.

Something that seemed a fantasy at best in March, F1 managed to successfully complete a 17-race calendar which proved to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory.

With exciting racing, surprise victories and records being broken on a race-to-race basis, there was plenty of cause for celebration.

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Without further ado, here are the 2020 GPFans awards, where we recognise so of the greatest, most surprising and also disappointing moments of the year.

Race of the season

Nominees

Italian Grand Prix - Pierre Gasly makes most of Hamilton's penalty to take shock win.

Turkish Grand Prix - Hamilton clinches his seventh championship in a chaotic race.

Winner - Sakhir Grand Prix

The Formula 1 hierarchy couldn't have hoped for a more exhilarating display to christen the Outer Circuit in Bahrain.

George Russell's dream Mercedes turned into a nightmare with a pit-stop mishap and a puncture, whilst Sergio Perez recovered from being spun and dropped to the back of the pack on the first lap to take his maiden victory at the 190th attempt.

It will take something truly spectacular to prevent this race from taking the race of the decade award!

Moment of the season

Nominees

Hamilton guides Mercedes to British Grand Prix victory on three wheels.

Kimi Raikkonen overtakes 10 on the opening lap of Portuguese Grand Prix.

Hamilton's Styrian Grand Prix Black Power salute

Winner - Romain Grosjean's miraculous escape in Bahrain

The moment that made millions of hearts around the world stop. Television images showed a fireball in the background and then the F1 community waited for what seemed an eternity.

Through the combined efforts of medical car crew Alan van der Merwe Dr Ian Roberts, the marshals and everybody who has devoted time and research into making F1 cars the safest they can be, Grosjean escaped with only burns to his hands.

The injuries may have ruled him out of the final two races of the year, but as recently as 2017 before the introduction of the halo, the ramifications could have been so much worse.

Disappointment of the season

Nominees

Ferrari.

Alex Albon.

Winner [if you can call it that!] - Sebastian Vettel

This award sparked much debate but, ultimately, Vettel scored only 33 points this year. Despite the undeniably poor machinery from Ferrari, the team finishing in its lowest position since 1980, team-mate Charles Leclerc registered 98 points - one short of three times the total of Vettel.

Granted, Vettel secured a memorable podium in the Turkish Grand Prix but, this bright moment aside, the German spent the year looking like a man who couldn't wait for the year to end and begin his new chapter with Aston Martin.

Surprise of the season

Nominees

Nico Hulkenberg qualifying third at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

Pierre Gasly's victory in the Italian Grand Prix.

Winner - Sergio Perez's victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix

While an honorary mention must go to Lance Stroll for his Turkish Grand Prix pole position, it is his Racing Point team-mate that scoops this award for, finally, securing his first F1 victory.

This effort was ranked ahead of Gasly's Monza win largely because, while Gasly benefitted from a red flag and a penalty handed to Lewis Hamilton, Perez battled back from a lap one collision, which dropped him to last, to snatch an improbable win.

Mercedes had problems, yes, but Perez was undeniably brilliant and, arguably, secured his 2021 Red Bull drive with this performance.

Most improved

Nominees

Renault.

Pierre Gasly.

Winner - Williams

Williams may not have troubled the scoreboard in 2020 but the progress was clear to see, especially in qualifying.

George Russell made nine Q2 appearances for the team across the year and Nicholas Latifi added to this total at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Four times the team would finish one place short of the top 10 and a point, but this year saw Williams significantly close the gap to the rest of the pack and, with progress like this, Haas and Alfa Romeo could be worried about dropping behind the former championship-winning team in 2021.

Unsung heroes

Winners - All associated with F1 2020

It is a miracle that we got a season this year at all and, as such, it would be unfair to single out the efforts of any individual for praise over another.

the teams, the FIA, Liberty Media - everyone associated with the sport has pulled out all the stops this year in the name of sport and entertainment.

Of course, we also thank all the volunteers, marshals and medical staff, all of whom have played significant roles across the year.

For their efforts in Bahrain, as mentioned earlier, we give special thanks to Dr Ian Roberts, Alan van der Merwe and the fire marshal who assisted in the life-saving extraction of Romain Grosjean.