The verdict on Racing Point and more British GP talking points

2020 British Grand Prix

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F1 returns after one weekend off as seven teams and two drivers take part in their home race, albeit without fans. Here are the British Grand Prix talking points.

Renault versus Racing Point

During the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, the FIA’s head of single-seater matters Nikolas Tombazis said Renault’s protest of Racing Point’s brake ducts should be resolved before the British Grand Prix. As well as the legality of the pink team’s brake ducts, their points scores from the last two race weekends also hang in the balance.

However any decision the stewards may be could be subject to appeal in which case the row could rumble on for another month at least.

Can Red Bull regain its Austrian form?

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Hungaroring, 2020
Verstappen seized his chance to beat Bottas in Hungary
Red Bull was Mercedes’ closest rival throughout the first three races of the season but the gap was significantly greater in Hungary than it was in Austria. This surprised many, including Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who expected Red Bull to be a bigger threat in Hungary.

“I’m very surprised because Red Bull has always been a bank on the Hungaroring,” Wolff explained. “It’s a high downforce circuit that suited the car. I don’t think they had a fundamental problem in the car. I think they probably took the wrong junction somewhere in between setting up the car and bringing upgrade kit. I don’t know what it is but they are our best enemy.”

Christian Horner believes it is only a matter of ‘unlocking’ the pace within their car to narrow the gap to Mercedes. If they can’t get on terms with them this weekend, we can probably forget about anyone challenging Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas for this silverware this year.

Will it feel like the British Grand Prix?

The British Grand Prix is one of the most well-attended races of the season. It will have a very different atmosphere this weekend with the typically packed stands devoid of spectators.

Daniil Kvyat described how it feels to compete at a largely empty track. “For sure it’s different,” he said. “When you have spectators the atmosphere changes and it’s different.

“The pre-race, it’s more like a gladiator sort of show. It’s cooler, for sure, from that respect. But once I drive the car, I see only the track, there’s nothing else any more.”

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Hamilton keeps up the pressure over racism

Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton criticised FOM and the FIA’s handling of the pre-race ‘End Racism’ statement. Hamilton planned to speak with FIA president Jean Todt, who said last week he supports the six-times world champion’s impassioned stance on the subject, but has stressed the FIA must remain apolitical.

Whether the sport and its governing body have gone far enough is a question Hamilton is likely to face. The spotlight will also be on whether the sport gives drivers adequate space and time to make pre-race protests if they choose to.

Can F1 keep its closed show on the road?

Formula 1’s first three races on the road during a pandemic had to be considered a success overall. The opening rounds ran smoothly, and two positive Covid-19 tests did not disrupt proceedings.

This weekend will mark the first time the F1 ‘bubble’ has reconvened following a one-week break. Once again all personnel will be tested prior to attending the event and protocols such as wearing masks and social distancing will still be in effect. This is against a backdrop of rising Covid-19 infection rates in someone European countries where most teams are based.

F1 race director Michael Masi said he was pleased with F1’s record so far but emphasised that all involved must remain vigilant against the threat of an outbreak. “The fact that we have got through the three events with only the two cases, but effectively outside of the paddock, one thing that we all need to be conscious of is that Covid-19 is very much around us and everywhere globally,” he said.

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Over to you

Who do you think will be the team to beat in the British Grand Prix? Have your say below.

And don’t forget to enter your predictions for this weekend’s race. You can edit your predictions until the start of qualifying:

Quotes: Dieter Rencken

2020 British Grand Prix

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Author information

Josh Holland
USA-based Josh joined the RaceFans team in 2018. Josh helps produce our Formula 1 race weekend coverage, assists with our social media activities and...

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18 comments on “The verdict on Racing Point and more British GP talking points”

  1. @josh5holland Where is TV Times on The Brake Duct trial? A live coverage would be great too.

    1. @ruliemaulana It isn’t going to be televised

  2. Bad headline and misleading and para 2 of “Renault versus Racing Point” is badly written, didn’t bother reading any further.

    1. Probably due to your @foggy written comment I don’t have a clue what you are referring to.

    2. Sush Meerkat
      30th July 2020, 11:52

      Shame foggy, you missed a good article

    3. That’ll teach them, @foggy

  3. Only 2 Brits?

    1. @ginnerchris No, three + one who is effectively also a Brit.

      1. That’s what I was confused by. Opening para needs correcting

  4. Who do you think will be the team to beat in the British Grand Prix? – Mercedes, of course, followed by RBR.

  5. Whatever the outcome maybe, Renault is fast becoming a laughing stock, see RP had nothing to loose because they are prepared for the situation, Merc clone is just a roll of a dice for them, their bigger aim is 2021 regulation change where they need to design their car again, so they wanted a faster route, so they went with copying the Merc, now with the new regulation pushed back due to COVID-19 they have nothing to loose they will anyway come back stronger it’s the same team underneath the same Jordan, aka force India now RP, So it’s more about Renault face value.

    1. Wouldn’t call Renault a laughing stock for pursuing clarity on what the intentions and legal boundaries are of the technical regulations.
      Regardless of the outcome, everyone will have a greater understanding of what they can get away with – design-wise – in the future.

    2. No, its not about face. It is about whether it is worthwhile for Renault to invest as a constructor team when you can buy and copy most of the car from Mercedes and Ferrari.

      If a team is allowed to this, there is no longer a incentive for Renault to invest the amount of money they have been in F1. Which F1 would turn F1 into a glorified spec series between Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. And then it probably won’t be long till F1 follows DTM.

  6. @keithcollantine the predictions entry form isn’t working. For me at least. Can’t select a race.

  7. Will any neutral fan still bother to turn the tv on?
    Will any media-outlet finally address the reality that the sport is now on official life support thanks to the god-forsaken hybrid era?

    1. Eventually we are moving towards electric anyway.

    2. If the sport were on life support right now (hint: now that we’re racing again, it isn’t), it wouldn’t have anything to do with the hybrids. But go on.

    3. It has been 6 years with these engines, get over yourself

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