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The Sochi-like Portimao feature that even has Mercedes puzzled

Formula 1 got its first proper feel for the Portimao track on Friday, where Mercedes led the way despite the red flag stoppages, as the pack discovered a specific characteristic at the Portuguese GP venue that led to many mistakes

Alex Kalinauckas Oct 23, 2020, 3:51 PM

Formula 1 is going to end up with a lot of data regarding the impact of reduced practice running on its racing spectacle before the 2020 season is over, with a heavily disrupted FP2 session at this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix following the Friday practice washout at the Nurburgring. The one planned event with a deliberate focus on less practice running remains around the corner - at Imola next weekend...

But the disrupted second session at Portimao on Friday has uniquely intensified the reduced time available to the pack. It's a new F1 race venue to all the teams and drivers, and they're still much more firmly in the learning phase after the two lengthy FP2 red flags delayed proceedings.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.