Mercedes have become the longest-running holders of Formula 1’s constructors championship title, breaking the record previously held by Ferrari.
With this year’s constructors’ championship still undecided, Mercedes still hold the crown they first won at the Russian Grand Prix 2,178 days ago.The previous longest reign as constructors champions belonged to Ferrari. They won the 1999 title at Suzuka, and held it until Renault took the crown in the 2005 season finale in Shanghai, 2,177 days later.
Mercedes have won six titles in a row, as Ferrari did during that period, but are poised to extend that record to seven this year. With seven races left this season they are 174 points ahead of their closest rivals, Red Bull, who are the only other team to have won the title in the past decade:
Hamilton’s two penalties for pre-race practice start violations were a first. It temporarily handed him two more penalty points, which would have left him just two shy of of a one-race ban, until they were rescinded – also a first.
The penalties cost him his chance of beating Valtteri Bottas, who took his second victory in the Russian Grand Prix. Bottas had to hand victory to Hamilton at this track two years earlier, so he may well feel there’s a degree of payback in his victory.
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Bottas took the ninth win of his career, meaning he has now won as many races as Max Verstappen – who he was tied with on eight before the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix – and Mark Webber. He also grabbed the fastest lap for the 15th time in his career, which puts him level with Jackie Stewart, Clay Regazzoni and Felipe Massa.
Mercedes’ win extended their undefeated streak in the Russian Grand Prix. They have won all seven races at Sochi Autodrom since it was added to the calendar in the same year they won their first constructors championship.
It was a race of milestones. Sebastian Vettel started his 250th grand prix, becoming the 10th driver to reach that landmark.
Ahead of him lies Kimi Raikkonen, who tied with Rubens Barrichello to become the most experienced driver in the sport’s history. Both have started 322 races, which is 31.3% of all world championship races ever held, though when Barrichello bowed out of the sport at the end of 2011 that figure stood at an incredible 37.5%.
Barrichello actually entered 326 races, but did not start in San Marino 1994 (injured in qualifying), Belgium 1998 (eliminated in crash before new race was declared), Spain 2002 (did not start – gearbox problem) and France 2002 (did not start – electrical problems).
Similarly Raikkonen entered 325 but missed three. These were Belgium 2001 (retired before new race was declared), USA 2005 (withdrew on formation lap due to tyre concerns) and Malaysia 2017 (engine failure on grid).
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Have you spotted any other interesting stats and facts from the Russian Grand Prix? Share them in the comments.
2020 Russian Grand Prix
- Despite F1 drivers’ concerns, stewards don’t give penalty points for “minor infringements”
- 2020 Russian Grand Prix Star Performers
- “Slower” Ferrari only beat us because of Q3 tyre rule – Tost
- “I may not always get it right” says Hamilton after penalty criticism
- Why did the stewards make their second U-turn this year on a Hamilton penalty call?
Jonathan Parkin
28th September 2020, 13:08
I read somewhere that Barrichello could have started the Belgium GP in 1998, but was still in shock after the pile up and opted to sit it out
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
28th September 2020, 23:31
Definitely couldn’t blame him for that! That was horrific…
bob (@riptide)
28th September 2020, 13:20
Car44 is 44 points ahead of Bottas, who is 33 points clear of Car33. And between Car44 and Car33 are 77 points and Car77
johnt1788 (@johnt1788)
28th September 2020, 13:54
Of all the useless F1 statistics I ever heard, this is my favourite!!
The Edge (@the-edge)
28th September 2020, 13:56
Are you secretly Carole Vorderman 😂
cduk_mugello (@cduk_mugello)
28th September 2020, 14:43
That’s actually pretty good!
LosD (@losd)
28th September 2020, 14:46
Well spotted!
MCBosch (@mcbosch)
28th September 2020, 15:11
This has the be the comment of the year! Hats of to you for this brilliant analysis!
Mauro (@)
28th September 2020, 16:13
Very good. HAHAHA
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
28th September 2020, 17:18
Well done! Someone up above has a sense of humour.
F1oSaurus (@)
28th September 2020, 17:48
@riptide Brilliant!
Esteban
29th September 2020, 2:24
Spotted the NFL fan!
Esteban (@esteban)
29th September 2020, 2:33
Spotted the NFL fan!
Bart Roskam
28th September 2020, 13:29
With nine podium finishes in a row, Honda is now on their longest podium-streak as an engine-supplier in the Turbo-Hybrid-era. They need 4 more to equal their all-time record from 1990.
Ciaran (@walsh-f1)
28th September 2020, 13:30
If he wins the next two GP’s, Lewis Hamilton will take the wins record at the Portuguese Grand Prix, the same race Alain Prost took the record at in 1987.
Jere (@jerejj)
28th September 2020, 14:51
@walsh-f1 Albeit on a different track.
Chaitanya
28th September 2020, 13:33
Lewis also has more wins with same constructor also Mercs will have longest run of double titles.
OOliver
28th September 2020, 18:54
Even more wins with the same engine supplier.
The Edge (@the-edge)
28th September 2020, 13:34
Lewis thinks it… I think it… I’m pretty sure we all think it lol
Not that they are specifically targeting Lewis, or that it’s a conspiracy
It’s just one of those things that’s added to the balance scales that each individual considers when making a decision,
Plays the opposite direction with Ferrari at present too, they are kind of Teflon coated where Mercedes are made of fly paper
Jelle van der Meer (@)
28th September 2020, 14:17
Red Bull completed the pitstop of Max Verstappen in Russia in 1.86 seconds which is the 2nd fastest pitstop ever.
The top 3 fastest pitstop (1.82s, 1.86s & 1.88s) where all done by Red Bull team and all with Verstappen as the driver.
ColdFly (@)
28th September 2020, 14:33
I wonder how much of this is due to the driver (stopping in the exact right spot, and leaving ‘on the light’) or if the crew is slightly more pumped up when their #1 driver comes in for a stop.
Jere (@jerejj)
28th September 2020, 15:02
George Russell made both the first and last pit stop of the race.
A total of five drivers (VER, PER, RIC, OCO, GAS) finished the race where they started, and one (ALB) finished on his original starting position.
The only venue where Valtteri Bottas has won more than once is the Red Bull Ring (coincidently also 2017 and 2020).
Lewis Hamilton maintained his record of finishing in the top four in every Russian GP thus far.
The 11th time HAM, BOT, and VER have finished in the top three together, and the 6th this season.
Mercedes-Benz power units have moved to within 1 of Ford’s record of 228 consecutive points finishes in Formula 1.
Sergio Perez maintained his 100% point-scoring record at Sochi Autodrom.
Carlos Sainz has only completed five laps in the last two races combined.
Jelle van der Meer (@)
28th September 2020, 15:18
Carlos Sainz raced less than a full lap in the last 2 races combined. The 5 laps he completed were all behind safety car.
In Russia he crashed at turn 2 and in Mugello the safety car signs came out half way lap 1.
ColdFly (@)
28th September 2020, 15:21
And those 6 races are ALL the races this season so far where all three and their tyres finished the race.
Quite impressive (or maybe should we say boring).
@jerejj
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
28th September 2020, 16:16
I’m a bit confused how you are writing this today after the russion grand prix and mention that austria is the only race Bottas has won more than once when this was the 2nd time he’s won here! Unless you missed a word and meant to start with “the only other venue”
Jere (@jerejj)
28th September 2020, 18:26
@thegianthogweed Yes, I just noticed the word ‘other’ not being there. I indeed meant that, the only one besides Sochi Autodrom.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
28th September 2020, 15:32
4 Honda powered cars in the points…! Is this a first?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
28th September 2020, 15:51
@dutchtreat Afraid not – In the 1987 British Grand Prix the top four were all powered by Honda.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
28th September 2020, 16:07
Ah, yes. Lotus-Honda. Thanks Keith.
David (@davidjwest)
28th September 2020, 16:04
Hamilton is now tied in 3rd place with David Coulthard (McLaren) on 150 for race starts with the same constructor and next race will move to equal 2nd with Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari).
Mauro (@)
28th September 2020, 16:09
Very good. HAHAHA
X1Znet (@x1znet)
28th September 2020, 17:02
Technically, no one is champion until the season is over.
Isn’t there always the possibility that a team or driver commits an infringement which would lead to complete disqualification from that year’s championship?
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
28th September 2020, 18:41
Not until 2021 when Alonso is back…
J.A. B.
29th September 2020, 11:26
Technically, last year’s champion is the champion until someone else wins the title. It’s called “defending champion”.
DeanR
28th September 2020, 19:33
Must admit… I didn’t know Schumacher failed to win a WCC car. Guess that will remove all doubt at the end of this season.
Tim Lemmens
28th September 2020, 20:31
Seeing how Schumacher broke his legs and missed 6 races in 99, it’s not really strange that he missed out on that title.. He would’ve won it otherwise.
paulgilb (@paulgilb)
28th September 2020, 22:50
9th time Perez has started 4th – he is yet to start higher.
Verstappen keeps alive his record in 2020 of either finishing on the podium or not finishing at all.
Ricciardo and Perez have both beaten their points total from the whole of 2019.
All teams have had at least 3 DNFs (including DNSs) this season with the exception of Mercedes who have had 0.
Ricciardo’s best finish in Russia.
In the past 4 races, Sainz has completed 58 out of a possible 209 laps, and he managed a 2nd-place finish in this run.
Thanks to statsf1 and the official F1 site for some of these.
slowmo (@slowmo)
29th September 2020, 0:59
The Mercedes DNF stat highlights just how amazing they’ve been this year. Where as other teams have made many mistakes, Mercedes have lost very little in the way of opportunities. Its one of those things that makes them so hard to beat, they will rarely give you easy points and even when they make a mistake they minimise the damage.
Bart Roskam
29th September 2020, 8:15
With Verstappens podium, Honda continues its longest podium streak as an engine supplier in the turbo-hybrid era. This streak is made possible by three drivers from two constructors. Honda needs 4 more successive podiums to equal their record of 13 podiums in a row, which happened in 1990.
Tim Walters
29th September 2020, 18:54
Why does the graphic indicate a two year span? Brawn won in 2009, not in 2009-2010.
KaIIe (@kaiie)
30th September 2020, 9:56
Because they were the defending champions until the 2010 championship was decided (i.e. from the 2009 Brazilian GP on the 18th of October till the 2010 Brazilian GP on the 7th of November when Red Bull clinched the title).