5. Victory at least for Sergio Perez!
Sergio Perez has been a part of Formula 1 ever since making his debut in the 2011 Australian Grand Prix, and along the way he's pulled off some remarkable results. Many of those have been due to his ability to run impossibly long stints allowing him to pull off some daringly different race strategies. Although he's never really had a car capable of realistically contending for race wins (even during his brief stint at McLaren in 2013) he had still managed to chalk up eight appearances on the podium for Sauber and Force India.
But that changed this year. Racing Point's Mercedes-influenced RP20 was a quantum leap forward for the team allowing him to finish in the points in all the races he entered in in 2020 - although he was forced to sit out the Silverstone double header after testing positive for coronavirus. He finally cracked the podium with a brilliant second place in Turkey, and was set for third in Bahrain until he suffered a heartbreaking power unit failure with four laps to go. The following week in Sakhir started badly when he was spun by Charles Leclerc on the first lap, forcing him to pit for new tyres which dropping him to the back. However he didn't give up, and gradually he was able to work his way forward despite suffering from severe vibrations. A second stop sorted that out, and the car "felt like a limousine to drive" in the final laps. But it was a late safety car and a pit lane disaster for Mercedes that promoted Perez into the lead, although it still wasn't plain sailing from there. George Russell might have retaken the lead if not for a puncture, while Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll were doing everything they could to catch him. But Perez was resolute, and he was ten seconds ahead when he crossed the line and claimed his long overdue maiden F1 victory in his 190th Grand Prix appearance.
What's most remarkable about this late season success is that it came after he had been told his services were being dispensed with by the team at the end of 2020. It was a poor way to thank a driver who had played a key role in dealing with Force India's 2018 financial implosion and subsequent resurrection as Racing Point. The idea that a driver in the best form of his F1 career should be on the sidelines next season appalled pretty much everyone in the paddock. Finally it was Red Bull who saw the golden opportunity before them, and a week after the season finale it was confirmed that the Mexican would be driving for them in 2021. It means that Perez will finally have his shot driving for one of the top teams in the sport, and it's thoroughly deserved. Seeing him vie with Max Verstappen should be one of the highlights of next year's championship.
