2020 British GP: Quali per sector

Let’s take a quick look at the fastest sectors done during the 2020 British GP qualifying session.

Methodology

A very simple analysis was done. I got the best sector times for each one of the drivers, and calculated the delta from each one of them to the best sector time done in each of the respective sectors.

Delta to leader per sector

More of the same. Mercedes had another amazing qualifying session and dominated the rest of the teams in every sector of the track. Just take a look at sector 2. The closest a non-Mercedes driver got to Hamilton was 5 tenths away. 5 tenths throughout a lap is an immense amount of time. 5 tenths in just one sector? Insane.

Ferrari had a better performance than expected, aided by a strong pace in both sectors 1 and 2. Sector 3 was difficult for them, with Leclerc being outpaced by drivers like Ricciardo and even the not so rookie but out of rhythm Nico Hulkenberg.

Something similar happened with Red Bull. Verstappen had slight hope of competing with the Silver Arrows in sector one, but was obliterated in sectors 2 and 3. Even a driver with his quality cannot do anything against such a well-oiled machine as the F1 W11. A horrible session for Alex Albon though. The talented Thai-British driver struggled with balance once again, and was among the slowest drivers in sector 3, being outpaced by both AlphaTauri drivers. Ouch.

Racing Point, McLaren and Renault had a good day at the British GP quali session. Racing Point seems to be very slightly ahead of the rest in all sectors, but neither Renault nor McLaren are far behind. Last-minute replacement Nico Hulkenberg had a solid day, showing speed especially in S3. The German still needs to improve, especially in S1 to challenge for a podium, but I think we can expect a food performance from him tomorrow.

Haas and Alfa Romeo have no weapons. They struggle in slow circuits. They struggle in fast circuits. In Silverstone, they couldn’t find the pace in any sector, and will most likely fight with Williams to see who avoids taking the last place of the race.

Final remarks

In quali trim, Mercedes is practically unbeatable. They are superior in slow, medium and fast sectors. Corners are no longer a problem, and overheating seems a thing of the past. It seems like the only thing that can take away the victory from their hands is an accident or a mechanical failure.

In any case, I hope that you have enjoyed this article. If you did, please share it with your friends and let me know what you think in the comments below.