Drivers impressed with the 'roller coaster' Portimao circuit during 2020 F1 race
F1 News
Portimao was rated highly by many drivers. The many height differences and the high speeds created a lot of enthusiasm on the F1 grid. Last season, Lewis Hamilton managed to win and thus take over the record from Michael Schumacher with 92 wins, but a lot happened further down the grid. Many drivers will be happy that the circuit in Portugal is on the calendar next year.
Pierre Gasly managed to finish fifth and Carlos Sainz was in first place after the second lap. Lewis Hamilton got cramps in his right leg during the Portuguese Grand Prix, but that did not stop him from winning. “This is a really difficult track, especially with the track temperature and slippery conditions. Everyone had trouble with that," the reigning world champion said at the time.
Wind will cause difficulties
Max Verstappen was also pleased with the track, but also had difficulties with the circumstances. The many height differences also ensured that the wind was constantly different. “The wind changed every time. If you dived into a bend the one time, you were not bothered by anything. One lap later you suddenly suffered."
The Dutchman's teammate at the time, Alexander Albon, also saw Portimao as a rollercoaster because of the many height differences. “It's a cool track with a lot of character and a good flow. The first thing you notice are those impressive height differences. It gets physical with the heat and the bumpy track. ”
Chaotic opening lap and tyre problems
Next year Albon will not drive in Portimao, but his replacement Sergio Perez will. The Mexican hit Verstappen in the first lap, which resulted in a spin. “It was a chaotic opening lap and I quickly realised there would be opportunities. However, it was very difficult on the first lap and everyone had problems with the tyres ”.
Sebastian Vettel had a hard time at Ferrari, also at Portimao. Still, the German took a point, but he was not happy with that at the time. "I suddenly lost grip all the time and it was hard to gain confidence and then you don't get any speed. The lap times were not constant. The car was very difficult to drive." Vettel will not have any problems with that next year, with Aston Martin behind him.
This article was written and originally published by Bram on the Dutch edition of GPblog.com.