2021 Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2021 Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.jpg

Who will win the 2021 World Championship?

  • Max Verstappen

    Votes: 1,428 62.8%

  • Lewis Hamilton

    Votes: 845 37.2%
  • Total voters
    2,273
  • Poll closed .
Formula 1 enters the season finale of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with the driver’s championship leaders tied on points.

After a roller coaster ride of a season in F1, the final event of 2021 will be held in Abu Dhabi and will decide the championship battle between Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton. The two drivers are even on points entering the race.

Verstappen has won more races this year than Hamilton, so if the two end up finishing even after this race due to neither scoring points, the championship would go to Verstappen. Momentum seems to be with Hamilton after back-to-back-to-back race wins in Brazil, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, though points momentum has never lasted long this season.

The Yas Marina circuit is a location where both drivers have won in the past, with Hamilton having won numerous times at the track, and Verstappen being the most recent winner. The layout has been altered for 2021 to encourage more overtaking.

Looking away from the feature act of this race weekend, the constructor’s battle between Mercedes and Red Bull seems to be all but decided, with Mercedes holding a 28-point advantage. With Hamilton and Verstappen cancelling each other out on points, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have been involved in a lower profile battle than their teammates, but one full of surprises just the same.

This will also be the last time we see certain drivers in F1, or the last time we see them with their current teams. Perhaps the biggest departure is Kimi Räikkönen, who will retire from driving after Abu Dhabi. Kimi’s teammate, Antonio Giovinazzi, will also vacate his F1 seat after this season and will race in Formula E next year instead. One of the Alfa Romeo team seats will be filled by Bottas, who will finish this year third in the driver’s standings. His current seat at Mercedes will be filled by George Russell.

This looks to be an exciting finish to a season filled with drama and shocking moments. Let’s hope that we see the best from each of the championship contenders this weekend.

Qualification Results​

1Max VERSTAPPENRed Bull1:22.109
2Lewis HAMILTONMercedes1:22.480
3Lando NORRISMcLaren1:22.931
4Sergio PÉREZRed Bull1:22.947
5Carlos SAINZFerrari1:22.992
6Valtteri BOTTASMercedes1:23.036
7Charles LECLERCFerrari1:23.122
8Yuki TSUNODAAlpha Tauri1:23.220
9Esteban OCONAlpine1:23.389
10Daniel RICCIARDOMcLaren1:23.409
11Fernando ALONSOAlpine1:23.460
12Pierre GASLYAlpha Tauri1:24.043
13Lance STROLLAston Martin1:24.066
14Antonio GIOVINAZZIAlfa Romeo1:24.251
15Sebastian VETTELAston Martin1:24.305
16Nicholas LATIFIWilliams1:24.338
17George RUSSELLWilliams1:24.423
18Kimi RÄIKKÖNENAlfa Romeo1:24.779
19Mick SCHUMACHERHaas1:24.906
20Nikita MAZEPINHaas1:25.685

Race Results​

1Max VERSTAPPENRed BullLAP 58
2Lewis HAMILTONMercedes2.256
3Carlos SAINZFerrari5.173
4Yuki TSUNODAAlpha Tauri5.692
5Pierre GASLYAlpha Tauri6.531
6Valtteri BOTTASMercedes7.463
7Lando NORRISMcLaren59.2
8Fernando ALONSOAlpine61.708
9Esteban OCONAlpine64.026
10Charles LECLERCFerrari66.057
11Sebastian VETTELAston Martin67.527
12Daniel RICCIARDOMcLaren+1L
13Lance STROLLAston Martin+1L
14Mick SCHUMACHERHaas+1L
15Sergio PÉREZRed BullDNF
16Nicholas LATIFIWilliamsDNF
17Antonio GIOVINAZZIAlfa RomeoDNF
18George RUSSELLWilliamsDNF
19Kimi RÄIKKÖNENAlfa RomeoDNF

What are your thoughts on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Let us know on Twitter at @RaceDepartment or in the comments section below!

Photo credits: Red Bull Content Pool
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About author
Mike Smith
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

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Comments

Enthilzha
BBC also reporting protest rejected.

Cannot see Merc leaving this though - they already have barristers invloved and they are bound to take it further.
 
T
The FIA Michael Masey World Championship, sponsored by Netflix.
I hope the next few seasons don’t bomb like game of thrones did.
 
Enthilzha
Interesting part of the FIA ruling:

"That although Article 48.12 may not have been applied fully, in relation to the safety car returning
to the pits at the end of the following lap, Article 48.13 overrides that and once the message
“Safety Car in this lap” has been displayed, it is mandatory to withdraw the safety car at the end
of that lap."

They seem to be admitting that they broke 48.12 but arguing that 48.13 overrides it.
 
Davide Nativo
Premium
JayOTT said:
Ahem, that was the 1986 San Remo Rally I mentioned earlier and Lancia wasn't disqualified. The entire rally was judged to be a non-WRC event, and the rationale was actually pretty reasonable (Peugeot DQ for side skirts that were declared legal at Rally GB).
Click to expand...

Sorry I must have lost it in the ocean of comments :D it's a very crowded topic :D
Anyway, it is common opinion that it was a staged victory for political reasons
 
Last edited:
D

  • Deleted member 217114

I don't know. Maybe I am just a tin-foil head guy, but maybe FIA wanted this outcome cause money, subscribers and Netflix. I think Ham deserved it, but I am really happy VER won, because now the hegmony of Ham is broken. Its get a boring if someone wins all year round. Schumacher, Ogier, Loeb, etc.
 
Snailer
To change the tone here a little bit, Checo is an absolute legend. That's the driver you want behind you (or, as the case may be, in front of Lewis :D) when your first WDC is on the line.

Also that "No Mikey, no no Mikey, that was SO not right!" was just perfect :roflmao:
 
Dzul
Premium
Gloating ain't chique guys. We are not that kind of community... are we? :coffee:
 
C
It's a 'sport' where drivers have a device which allows them to gain 9mph down a straignt to help breeze past a competitor.
The whole thing is farsical as a drivers championship.....

Its a team sport relying mainly on the engineering side of it..... and Merc won that bit.
Drivers bit is a side show for the 'fans'...
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

I hope it will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that we close the pitlane during the SC
 
Damage Inc
Enthilzha said:
I understand what you are suggesting but honest question here: what if tyres are at the very end of their life and drivers are just about to pit because they have to change, and then the SC comes out? Imagine if tyres are exploding during SC periods because cars cannot pit?

Alternately, would there be a way of allowing all cars to pit during SC and restoring order and time gaps before/as SC ends to pre-SC? (IE: all drivers being able to pit but second place and the rest being kept to a maximum speed until first place has restored their gap and then on down the grid) Perhaps too complicated to manage but does anyone think this would be possible?
Click to expand...
If a team stays out on tyres for long enough to the point they are at risk of exploding, then that's the teams fault, they shouldn't get a "get out of jail" card. If the cars return to the pits after a red and the car is deemed unsafe to rejoin then it's a DNF IMO.
 
LeSunTzu
Dzul said:
I wasn't rewriting history... I was merely quoting from it. True, Suzuka was not the last race but I recalled this incident to answer a question regarding FIA's earlier decisions. No need to shoot at me for not giving the entire context amigo. ;)

(edit: I edited my post to be more accurate with the historical facts) :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I wasn't shooting at anyone ;) I was shooting at the legend that Senna lost the 89 title due to the decision to DQ him at Suzuka, which is nothing but a myth.
 
G-Slev
Premium
I am glad common sense prevailed. Regardless of the rights and wrongs - on both sides - F1 and motorsport in general would have lost all credibility if the outcome had been reversed. We nearly had it at Sepang in 1999 with the ferrari barge board fiasco, so I for one am glad for the outcome.

Both Max and Lewis deserved the championship. But like Highlander, there can be only one.
 
RowanZa
cpubound said:
It's a 'sport' where drivers have a device which allows them to gain 9mph down a straignt to help breeze past a competitor.
The whole thing is farsical as a drivers championship.....

Its a team sport relying mainly on the engineering side of it..... and Merc won that bit.
Drivers bit is a side show for the 'fans'...
Click to expand...
Totally agree about DRS. Drivers should be allowed to use it to defend as well, but only give them a limited number of uses per race so it become more of a strategic device
 

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