Hamilton wins a chaotic GP, Albon 3rd, Ricciardo at the foot of the podium

Safety cars in spades, 2 red flags, 3 standing starts: the first arrival of the Formula 1 on the Mugello circuit will not have lacked spice! Under the checkered flag of an unprecedented Tuscan Grand Prix, there were only 12 drivers still in the running after 2h30 of intense but choppy action. 

At the top of the ranking, we find a very familiar name since Lewis Hamilton wins his 90th career success. Author of pole position, the driver Mercedes However, he had to spit in his hands to achieve his 6th success of the season in front of his teammate Valtteri Bottas et Alexander albon (Red Bull) who signs his first career podium. 

Daniel Ricciardo comes very close to snatching the first Top 3 of Renault since his return as a team-builder in 2016 but the valiant Australian must be content with 4th place. Followed by Sergio Pérez (Racing Point), Lando Norris (McLaren), and Daniil Kvyat (Alpha Tauri). 

For its 1000th Grand Prix in the premier category, Ferrari must be content with modest 8th and 10th positions, Charles Leclerc before Sebastian Vettel. Despite a 5-second penalty, Kimi Räikkönen  (Alfa Romeo) manages to interfere between the SF1000s, depriving the Williams by George Russell for a first career Top 1. The Briton finished 10th. 

From the original start, we understood that the race was going to be tumultuous. Installed on pole, Hamilton slipped too much when the lights went out and his teammate Bottas took advantage immediately to take control of the race. 

Verstappen, who had been the victim of an engine alert on the grid, also made a good start to get the better of the poleman but his Honda propeller then stopped delivering its usual power and the Red Bull driver began to fall in ranking. 

If the first turn was negotiated correctly, the rest was simply chaotic. Carlos Sainz went into a spin while trying to overtake Lance stroll (RacingPoint). Behind them, gasly found himself sandwiched between Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean (Haas). 

The three cars collided and the Finn went to hit the Red Bull of Verstappen in front of him, before narrowly avoiding the McLaren of Sainz in distress just a little further on. Vettel was unable to do the same and damaged his front wing in the process. 

This mess was, however, nothing compared to the recovery which followed the Safety Car which intervened in the first moments of the race. As leader, Bottas then dictated the pace knowing that no overtaking is allowed before the start/finish line. The Finn therefore waited until the last moment before hitting the gas again to surprise his competitors. 

The problem is that some pulled their guns too early behind and caused a massive pile-up. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) thus arrived with a bullet in the exhausts of Kevin Magnussen. Under the effect of the shock, the Haas collided with the Williams of Nicholas latifi, while Sainz, who was behind everyone, could not avoid the carnage and Giovinazzi.

Faced with the pile of damaged cars on the start straight, the race management chose to wave the red flag for the second time in as many competition weekends. All the cars still in contention then returned to the stands. Unfortunately that was the end of the story for Esteban Ocon, forced to abandon due to overheating of the brakes on his Renault. 

While the 13 surviving cars returned to the grid for the second start, Hamilton also had his brakes on fire, with thick smoke escaping from the front tires of the W11. The Briton did not flinch, and 571 meters later, he regained control of the race at the cost of an authoritarian overtake on Bottas on the outside. 

Brilliant 5th in qualifying, Charles Leclerc maintained a brief hope for the some 2 fans present at Mugello this Sunday and the millions of Prancing Horse lovers around the world. The Monegasque actually rose to 880rd place at the start of the race before inexorably falling in the ranking after the race restarted.

Taking advantage of an early stop, Ricciardo gained the upper hand over Lance Stroll and climbed into 3rd position. The positions then seemed frozen when the Canadian from Racing Point suffered mechanical damage and violently left the track, fortunately without seriousness. Repairs required to the safety barriers led to another half-hour red flag. 

At the 3rd start, Hamilton got off to an impeccable start, while Ricciardo temporarily snatched 2nd place from a poorly starting Bottas, before the Finn responded a lap later. The Australian tried everything he could against Albon but he had to bow down to the speed of the Red Bull. 

The tattoo of Cyril Abiteboul will wait a little longer but Renault still concludes a great week for French motorsport, after Pierre Gasly's historic victory at Monza last weekend and the honorary title of FIA vice-champion F3 for Theo Pourchaire. 

Where do we start?! #TuscanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Cf3eSjnrdh

- Formula 1 (@ F1) September 13, 2020