The spread of Covid-19 in China forced organizers to remove the Shanghai Grand Prix from the schedule. Consequently, the racing community turned its attention to the 2020 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, held from March 13th to 15th. The event features a 58-lap battle around the 5.30km Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. After Lewis Hamilton led the pack during the horsepower tests in December 2019, the field will move into practice and qualifying sessions starting March 11th.
The achievements of the Mercedes driver are beginning to rival those of the sport's greatest legend, Michael Schumacher. Schumacher's historic run included seven World Championships, with five won in a row, alongside 91 race wins. Hamilton, the British driver who dominated the 2019 standings with 413 points, is now hunting that record; with six titles already under his belt, he is only seven victories away from overtaking the former Ferrari champion.
The landscape of Formula racing may shift soon, as officials have updated the 2021 regulations, and over five teams are expected to sign on. When asked in a recent interview if the pressure of chasing Schumacher's records weighed on him ahead of the Australian GP, Hamilton dismissed the stress, noting that he views it as a positive expectation and is well-accustomed to such scrutiny. Meanwhile, speculation is mounting about Hamilton's future with Mercedes, as his current contract is set to expire this year.
While Valtteri Bottas is Hamilton's teammate at Mercedes, he is also viewed as a primary rival, alongside Ferrari's Leclerc and Vettel, and Honda's Verstappen, who secured three key wins last season. All of them are poised to challenge the 35-year-old leader. With a 21-race season ahead, Red Bull Honda's Christian Horner predicts that 2020 will be a thrilling and classic year for fans. The Australian Grand Prix schedule includes two practice sessions on March 13th, a third practice and qualifiers on the 14th, and the grand finale on March 15th.