The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Topps Chrome F1
Richard WeissKey Takeaways
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 is the debut Topps Chrome F1 release. Cardboard Connection lists the official US release date as April 23, 2021.
- The base set has 200 cards covering F1 and F2 drivers, cars, crews, team logos, Grand Prix winners and award winners.
- Numbered base parallels run from Purple Refractor (/399) down to Red Refractor (/5), plus 1/1 Superfractors and printing plates.
- Autographs are a 52-card set that averages one per two hobby boxes. There are two insert sets: 1954 World on Wheels (35 cards) and Track Tags (15 cards).
- The Lewis Hamilton Superfractor 1/1, graded PSA NM 7, sold for $900,000 in a private sale through Goldin. PlanetF1 reported the price in May 2023.
Table of Contents
2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 is a 200-card set and the first Topps Chrome release for Formula 1. It came out in April 2021 with Refractor parallels numbered as low as 1/1, a 52-card autograph set, two insert sets and 10 short print image variations.
2020 Topps Chrome F1 Set Overview
Formula 1 named Topps its exclusive Official Sticker and Trading Card Licensee on September 11, 2020, and the announcement listed Chrome among the planned products. 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 was the debut Chrome release under that deal. Because it is the first, it holds the first Topps Chrome F1 card of every driver on the checklist, including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and George Russell.
| Detail | 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 |
|---|---|
| Release date | April 2021 (official US date April 23, 2021, with an earlier start through Topps UK) |
| Base set | 200 cards |
| Hobby configuration | 4 cards per pack, 18 packs per box, 12 boxes per case |
| Per hobby box | 10 parallels or short prints |
| Autographs | 52 cards, 1 per 2 hobby boxes on average |
| Inserts | 1954 World on Wheels (35 cards), Track Tags (15 cards) |
Shop our racing cards for Topps Chrome Formula 1 singles.
2020 Topps Chrome F1 Base Set Checklist
The 200-card base set covers more than the 20 race drivers. It also includes the cars, team staff, team logos and the Formula 2 grid.
| Card numbers | Subset | What is on the cards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 20 | F1 Racers | The 20 Formula 1 drivers, from Lewis Hamilton (#1) to Nicholas Latifi (#20) |
| 21 to 40 | F1 Cars | Each driver's Formula 1 car |
| 41 to 62 | F2 Racers | 22 Formula 2 drivers, including Mick Schumacher (#53), Yuki Tsunoda (#60) and Guanyu Zhou (#43) |
| 63 to 84 | F2 Cars | The Formula 2 drivers' cars |
| 85 to 100 | F1 Crew | Team principals and other team staff, such as Toto Wolff, Christian Horner and Mattia Binotto |
| 101 to 111 | F2 Crew | The 11 Formula 2 teams |
| 112 to 132 | Team Logos | 10 Formula 1 team logos and 11 Formula 2 team logos |
| 133 to 153 | Grand Prix Winners | 21 race-winner cards: Hamilton 11, Bottas 4, Verstappen 3, Leclerc 2, Vettel 1 |
| 154 to 173 | Grand Prix Driver of the Day | 20 cards for Verstappen, Leclerc, Vettel, Bottas, Norris and Albon |
| 174 to 193 | F1 Racers | A second card of each of the 20 Formula 1 drivers |
| 194 to 197 | F1 Award Winners | Includes the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award card for Red Bull Racing |
| 198 to 200 | F1 Freshest | Alexander Albon (#198), Lando Norris (#199) and George Russell (#200) |
The Grand Prix Winners cards line up with the 2019 season, which had 21 races won by those five drivers in exactly those numbers.
Parallels and Print Runs
As with other Topps Chrome sets, the base cards come in Refractor parallels. Most are numbered, and the chase ends with the 1/1 Superfractor. Pack odds are shown where the checklist lists them.
| Parallel | Print run | Hobby pack odds |
|---|---|---|
| Refractor | Not numbered | 1:3 |
| Purple Refractor | /399 | Not listed |
| 70th Anniversary Gold | Not listed | 1:30 |
| 70th Anniversary Orange | Not listed | 1:46 |
| Gold Refractor | /50 | Not listed |
| Gold Wave Refractor | /50 | Not listed |
| Orange Refractor | /25 | Not listed |
| Orange Wave Refractor | /25 | Not listed |
| Red Refractor | /5 | Not listed |
| Red Wave Refractor | /5 | Not listed |
| 70th Anniversary Red | Not listed | 1:848 |
| Printing Plates (Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) | 1/1 each | Not listed |
| Superfractor | 1/1 | Not listed |
| 70th Anniversary Superfractor | Not listed | 1:3,384 |
Each printing plate exists in four versions, one per ink color, and each version is a 1/1.
A separate Sapphire Edition followed in May 2021 as an online exclusive sold through Topps. It uses the same 200-card base set in boxes of 8 packs with 4 cards each, has no inserts or autographs, and its parallels run from Aqua (/99) down to the 1/1 Padparadscha.
Insert Sets
There are two insert sets. Both share the same parallels: Gold Refractor (/50), Gold Wave Refractor (/50), Orange Refractor (/25), Red Refractor (/5), Printing Plates (1/1) and Superfractor (1/1).
- 1954 World on Wheels: 35 cards, 1:3 packs. A vintage design with 20 Formula 1 drivers, the 10 Formula 1 cars (from the Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 to the Williams FW43) and five Formula 2 drivers.
- Track Tags: 15 cards, 1:6 packs. A graffiti-style insert with 12 Formula 1 drivers and three Formula 2 drivers, including Mick Schumacher.
Autographs
The Chrome Autographs checklist has 52 cards and mixes Formula 1 drivers, Formula 2 drivers and team principals. Signers include Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, George Russell, Mick Schumacher, Yuki Tsunoda, Guanyu Zhou, Toto Wolff and Christian Horner. Autographs average one per two hobby boxes.
Autograph parallels:
- Green Refractor (/99)
- Gold Refractor (/50)
- Gold Wave Refractor (/50)
- Orange Refractor (/25)
- Red Refractor (/5)
- Printing Plates (1/1)
- Superfractor (1/1)
Short Print Image Variations
Ten base cards have a short print image variation with a different photo. The reliable way to confirm one is the CMP code in the fine print on the back: on the image variations it ends in 062.
The ten image variations are Lewis Hamilton (#1), Valtteri Bottas (#2), Sebastian Vettel (#3), Charles Leclerc (#4), Alexander Albon (#5), Max Verstappen (#6), Lando Norris (#7), Esteban Ocon (#10), Pierre Gasly (#11) and George Russell (#19).
The Record Sale: Lewis Hamilton Superfractor
The best-known card in the set is the Lewis Hamilton Superfractor #1, numbered 1/1 and graded PSA NM 7. It sold for $900,000 in a private sale handled by Goldin. PlanetF1 reported the price on May 13, 2023 and called it the largest sum paid for an F1 card. Wikipedia's list of the most expensive sports cards dates the sale to May 1, 2022.
We do not publish value estimates for other cards in the set. To price a card, check recent sold listings for the exact parallel and grade. Our guide on how to find the value of your sports cards walks through it.
Grading 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Cards
Grading companies such as PSA authenticate a card, grade its condition and seal it in a holder. Graders look at four things:
- Centering: how evenly the image sits inside the borders.
- Corners: how sharp the four corners are.
- Edges: chipping or wear along the sides.
- Surface: scratches, dents or print lines.
A PSA 10 is called Gem Mint. The Hamilton Superfractor above shows that a 1/1 can set a record at a much lower grade.
2020 Topps Chrome F1 Checklist Download
Beckett published the full checklist as a spreadsheet in April 2021. It lists every base card, image variation, autograph and insert: download the 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 checklist (xlsx).
Newer Topps Chrome F1 Sets
Formula 1 announced a multi-year renewal of its Topps license on March 25, 2024. The newest set, 2026 Topps Chrome Formula 1, is listed for October 15, 2026 on our 2026 sports card release calendar.
For the sport itself, read The History of Formula 1.
Sources
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 checklist and set details (Cardboard Connection)
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 checklist spreadsheet (Beckett)
- 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 checklist (Cardsmiths Breaks)
- 2020 Topps Chrome Sapphire Edition Formula 1 (Cardboard Connection)
- 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Superfractor #1 Lewis Hamilton lot page (Goldin)
- Rare Lewis Hamilton card sale report (PlanetF1)
- List of most expensive sports cards (Wikipedia)
- Formula 1 and Topps sign exclusive global licence (Formula1.com, 2020)
- F1 and Topps announce long-term renewal (Formula1.com, 2024)
- 2019 race results (Formula1.com)
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