The F1 teams are taking an exciting step into the unknown this weekend with the first Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello in Italy.
The traditional home of the Italian MotoGP race is used by Ferrari as a test track and is the first new venue on the new-look 2020 schedule, with another newcomer, Portimao in Portugal, coming up next month.
The challenges of the sweeping, high-speed circuit have led to the drivers singing its praises after their early attempts to tame it.
Qualifying King Lewis on Pole Again
Lewis Hamilton is on pole for the seventh time in nine races this season but his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas can consider himself an unlucky loser in qualifying.
Bottas clearly got to grips with the new circuit faster than the world champion, topping the times in all three practice sessions with Hamilton in fourth, second and third.
The British driver was 0.059 seconds faster in their first Q3 runs and then Bottas was denied the chance to improve when Esteban Ocon spun in front of him, bringing out yellow flags.
The Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Alex Albon are on the second row, with Charles Leclerc fifth for Ferrari in their 1,000th F1 race.
Hamilton is 10/27 to score his sixth victory of the season, with Bottas 9/2 and Verstappen 19/4.
Red Bull can Challenge
Overtaking will not be easy at this track, which gives the Mercedes pair the edge, but Max Verstappen looks a value bet to win his second race of the season.
The Red Bull ace was close to the pace during practice and, most importantly, is likely to suffer less from tyre wear over a race distance.
Mercedes running into tyre trouble led to Verstappen’s victory from fourth on the grid at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone and it’s not impossible to see a similar situation unfolding.
Stamina Test in Prospect
It will be interesting to see how the F1 cars get to grips with the high-speed, sweeping circuit that should test the drivers’ endurance due to its demanding levels of G-force.
The F1 cars are lapping the circuit an amazing 30 seconds faster than the Moto GP bikes are able to, and over a race distance this should be one of the toughest physical challenges the drivers face all season.
Monza Hero is One to Watch
In last week’s Italian Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly became the first French F1 race winner since Olivier Panis won at Monaco in 1996.
The Alpha Tauri driver took full advantage of the chaos caused by a safety car and benefited from Hamilton’s penalty for entering the pit-lane when it was closed.
He was brought back down to earth with a bump when he failed to escape from Q1 in qualifying after making mistakes on both his fast laps but he can be fancied to recover to at least finish in the points.
Gasly was fifth, eighth and fifth in the three Mugello practice sessions and has the potential to do far better on race day.
*All odds correct at time of writing
