Sergio Pérez won his first Formula One race, becoming the first Mexican driver to win since Pedro Rodríguez in 1970.
Key Facts
- Race distance
- 87 laps of the Outer Circuit
- Winner
- Sergio Pérez (Racing Point)
- Championship round
- 16th of 17 (2020 season)
- Second place
- Esteban Ocon (Renault) — maiden podium
- Lead change
- Pérez inherited lead on lap 64 after Russell's pitstop error
- Notable absence
- Lewis Hamilton (COVID-19 positive)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of this race, ruling him out for the first time since his 2007 debut. Romain Grosjean was also absent following a severe crash the previous week. The race used the shorter Outer Circuit configuration of Bahrain International Circuit, making it the first and only Formula One event on that layout.
Sergio Pérez, starting with Racing Point, recovered from a first-lap spin to take the lead on lap 64 after race leader George Russell suffered a pitstop error and a subsequent puncture. Pérez went on to win, with Esteban Ocon second and Lance Stroll third, giving Racing Point their only double podium as a constructor.
Pérez's victory ended a 50-year wait for a Mexican Formula One winner and gave Racing Point their sole win as a constructor. It was the last time a Canadian driver (Stroll) stood on the podium as of 2026. The race remains the only Formula One Grand Prix held on the Outer Circuit configuration and the only F1 appearance for reserve driver Jack Aitken.