The 2019 F1 season saw Lewis Hamilton win his 6th World Championship.
Hamilton finished off his incredible season in Abu Dhabi, recording his 11th win, and 17th podium from 21 races in 2019. This was the 50th pole-to-win victory of his career. He won by 16 seconds.
Mercedes continued their dominance at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi with a straight win record since 2014.
It’s fair to say Mercedes were in a league of their of their own across the year compared to the rest of the field. Hamilton dominated 2019, with his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, placing second.
Hamilton was clearly the best driver all year, finishing 87 points ahead of Bottas. Surprisingly he only had five poles, however, behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with seven. Hamilton is now one Championship away from equaling Michael Schumacher’s record of 7 world titles.
Ferrari and Red Bull only managed three wins each this year.
Max Verstappen, in his fifth year in F1, finished in the top three for the first time, delivering all three of Red Bull’s wins. He secured his first pole position this year in Hungary, followed by his second in Brazil.
The highlights for Ferrari were six consecutive pole positions from Belgium to Mexico, and three consecutive wins in Belgium, Italy and Singapore.
Leclerc finished fourth in his first year with Ferrari, in only his second year in F1.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished the year in ninth. It was a hard year for the Aussie, failing to finish five of the year’s races, and being disqualified in another.
2019 Top Drivers:
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing Honda)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
- Carlos Sainz (McLaren Renault)
- Pierre Gasly (Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda)
- Alexander Albon (Red Bull Racing Honda)
- Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)
- Sergio Perez (Racing Point BWT Mercedes)
2019 Constructors:
- Mercedes
- Ferrari
- Red Bull Racing Honda
- McLaren Renault
- Renault
2019 DHL Fastest Lap Award: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - five fastest laps over the 2019 season: Spain, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Abu Dhabi
Looking towards 2020, which is the F1’s 70th anniversary season.
The season will have a 22-race calendar. Including the return of the Dutch Grand Prix and the new Vietnam Grand Prix.
Nico Hulkenberg will be replaced at Renault by Esteban Ocon, who was Mercedes reserve driver this year.
Robert Kubica is leaving Williams and being replaced by Nicholas Latifi.
McLaren will race for the last time with Renault engines before switching to Mercedes in 2021.
Will Lewis Hamilton equal the great Michael Schumacher’s seven driver titles in 2020 and go past his 91 race victories record?
