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

T
I have no idea how people like Toto Wolff can look in the mirror after such an embarassing end to a season. I think Lewis and Max didn't give an inch to each other throughout the season with both drivers pulling moves that are borderline. From my perspective Max was treated more harshly recieving more penalties throughout the season while Lewis had quite a bit more leaway, with Silverstone being the only penalty and a tiny warning in the last race. At the end they came out fair and square if you ask me. Lap 1 was a perfect example of the stewards being blind on one eye. Last race Max gained a five second penalty after gaining an advantage like that and Lewis wasn't aiming for the apex at that point either. I have no idea how the rules can be applied so inconsitently between two drivers being at a very similar level.

That said, if you watch the fantastic battles of the past with Villeneuve vs. Arnoux, or Zarnardi vs. Herta or Schumacher vs. Montoya - moments that we still remember to this day - it shows that the borderline moments with banging wheels and drivers using every inch of tarmac stick the most. The rest is just garbage.
 
Kevin Ascher
Lewis was such a class act after the race. The way he conducted himself after losing the championship in such an unfortunate way was truly exemplary. I wished this would count for the F1 fan community. Everything has become so toxic.

I also liked Michael Masi's approach to actually engage in proper dialogue with the teams. That's what takes courage! That's so much harder to do than just decide and negate any explanation. Particularly in these extremely stressful scenarios. Let's face it, whatever his decisions, one or the other party will always blame him, declare him stupid and announce rage quitting as is the Zeitgeist of the cancel culture.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

The problem is that:
if Latifi had crashed on lap 52, the last lap without SC would have respected the rules
if Latifi had crashed on lap 54, the race would have ended under SC

But on lap 53, we are in this gray area where Masi took the liberty of shortening the period under SC by breaking rules
 
Last edited by a moderator:
PegaMixel
What matters at the end is that we whitnessed what was probably the greatest F1 season of all time. Maybe 2012 was a tiny bit better with more people involved but thats for everybody self to decide.

This will be a season that many, many people will look back in like 30-40 years, just like we look back at the "golden age".
Who knew that after all those years of dull tasting, Mercedes dominance, we whitnessed what was truly greatness in every way.

I was almost jealous of people who were old enough to fully appreciate these great battles of the past, rather than being a toddler or kid who just watched some cars racing.

I no longer am.

2021 was amazing.

Thank you Mercedes, thank you Red Bull, thank you Lewis, thank you and congratulations Max.
 
Last edited:
Damage Inc
McGherkin said:
That's it. The Stewards have ruled that the Race Director can invent whatever rules he fancies and completely ignore the written regulations.

I don't like it, but that's the decision. Congratulations to Max and Max fans for his win, he definitely deserved to be a champion, every bit as much as Nico Rosberg.
Click to expand...
And Lewis in 2008?
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Years will never erase the bitterness of this last race
 
Mr. Malarkey
Premium
EDIT: you know, after re-reading the decision in the appeal, I take back what I said about the red flag in this original post. Masi et al appear to have followed the rules to the letter.

ORIGINAL POST:

A few hours ago I said I thought getting the lapped cars out of there was the right call, and I still think so. But upon reflection, doing it under an SC, just so they could get one more lap of racing, was really bad call. Red flag should have happened as soon as Latifi crashed. Get them all in the pits, let them all change tires, put them in race order, and the let them race for 5 more laps. (I don't know if they could, or would, put them in race order under such conditions, and I can't recall if Max was ahead of any of them before he pitted.) As it ended up, they decided that we suddenly have a tie-breaking one-lap shootout, like penalty kicks in a football match.

That said, everyone who is complaining that Masi somehow allowed Max to win is blinded by their own bias, whether they like it or not. Perez showed how you defend a position against a superior car. Lewis could have, and should have, done the same thing. But he didn't. And that's why he lost the one-lap shootout.

Everything that's happened since COTA this year has been a farce. The stewards have been remarkably inconsistent, and Masi has let radio messages from Toto and Horner completely undermine his authority. Normally I'm loathe to criticize them, because that must be a tough job. And they certainly aren't in the bag for either driver. But the inconsistent application of rules, and making rules up on the fly (as today), has got to be stopped.
 
Last edited:
Henkz
McGherkin said:
That's it. The Stewards have ruled that the Race Director can invent whatever rules he fancies and completely ignore the written regulations.

I don't like it, but that's the decision. Congratulations to Max and Max fans for his win, he definitely deserved to be a champion, every bit as much as Nico Rosberg.
Click to expand...
Rosberg deserved to be champion 100%, just as Max did. The SC/last lap here did not decide the WDC, just as HAMs engine failure didn't, the whole respective seasons did.
 
C
McGherkin said:
That's it. The Stewards have ruled that the Race Director can invent whatever rules he fancies and completely ignore the written regulations.

I don't like it, but that's the decision. Congratulations to Max and Max fans for his win, he definitely deserved to be a champion, every bit as much as Nico Rosberg.
Click to expand...
So you'd agree that all the WDC Lewis won in the dominant Merc were not deserving also then?
Russell was last then dropped out, In 12 months he will be most likely fighting the Championship in the Merc...

WDC is a side show, it has very little to do with the drivers.
They lapped up to what, 8th place today?
Either the competion is utterly rubbish or the cars play a large part in who is where.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

FIA's heavy defeat against Mercedes at CAS will force them to fire Masi. This is the only way.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jonelsorel
Merc may be sour losers, but boy did this feel like 1989 all over again! Thanks FIA! I didn't really forget how you could trample over your own regulations in order to have the right winner. And nobody will forget Spa 2021 either, when you let the race run in impossible to race conditions for 2 laps behind the safety car just so Max can "win" it. This is how this drivers' championship was won as well. Do imagine being one of those fans paying a 300+ euro ticket to sit for 4 hours in pouring rain just so that Max can get his 25 points and for F1 to be fulfilling its commercial requirements, eh? I was hoping for an ending completely void of politics to this season, but hey, THIS is the "king of motorsports" in 2021! And people love it! (and pay for it) :D

First and most important unwritten rule of a certain Charlie Whiting was "thou shall not take a piss". He's surely missed.
 
Last edited:
Jayblue
Premium
PegaMixel said:
What matters at the end is that we whitnessed what was probably the greatest F1 season of all time. Maybe 2012 was a tiny bit better with more people involved but thats for everybody self to decide.

This will be a season that many, many people will look back in like 30-40 years, just like we look back at the "golden age".
Who knew that after all those years of dull tasting, Mercedes dominance, we whitnessed what was truly greatness in every way.

I was almost jealous of people who were old enough to fully appreciate these great battles of the past, rather than being a toddler or kid who just watched some cars racing.

I no longer am.

2021 was amazing.

Thank you Mercedes, thank you Red Bull, thank you Lewis, thank you and congratulations Max.
Click to expand...
I love your positivity.

I'll keep my thoughts on what transpired to myself but thank you for reminding us all that what we enjoyed over this season was truly something special!

Even my wife tolerated it and she normally hates me watching it. I even caught her humming the F1 intro music the other day :)
 

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