Spielberg bei Knittelfeld (Austria) (AFP)
The start of the first Grand Prix of the 2020 Formula 1 season was given Sunday at 3.10 p.m. on the Spielberg circuit (Austria), after more than three months of delay due to the coronavirus.
Just before, fourteen of the twenty drivers, including the Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) wearing a "Black Lives Matter" T-shirt, placed one knee on the starting grid, in sign of support for the fight against racism. All the others were dressed in T-shirts with the words "End Racism" (put an end to racism).
In front of empty stands, the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) started from pole position and quickly widened the lead. After 20 laps, he was ahead of Hamilton, who this year has his first opportunity to equal the record for seven titles for German Michael Schumacher, and Thai Alexander Albon (Red Bull).
Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was out of the race after technical problems.
Hamilton was also the involuntary actor of a last-minute imbroglio before the start, receiving a penalty of three places on the grid less than an hour before the lights went out following an error in qualifying.
Encouraged by the British driver, the first black driver in the category, several drivers and teams, as well as F1 and the International Automobile Federation (FIA), recently took a stand against racism following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in the United States in late May.
The Mercedes sport this season a black livery as support. The paddock and the single-seaters are decorated this weekend with rainbows in tribute to the struggles against racism but also against the Covid-19.
Sunday, the choice was left to the pilots to express their commitment in this way in their own way.
Originally scheduled for March 15 in Australia, the start of the season was postponed to the beginning of July. Only eight Grands Prix appear on the provisional calendar, while the championship promoter (Formula One) wishes to program between 15 and 18, instead of 22.
© 2020 AFP