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

Joe Ventura
Karma works sooner or later, this time worked quite fast, Mercedes and his golden boy playing dirty politics and dirty tactics got what they deserved , nothing can buy the joy of seeing Wolf and Hamilton defeated with an inferior car but with a superb driver , brave tactics and brilliant designer , the day when Mercedes is not winning anymore that day will pack their bags and leave. Red Bull really has shaken the Mercedes/FIA establishment to it's core.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

tr1v1um said:
That's not entirely true and reading the rules carefully aswell the conclusion by the FIA makes it pretty obvious that there were no rules broken. As per the regulations, the race director has full controll over the SC and can do what ever he wants with it as he has the last word. And it's clearly not the first time, that lapped cars had the opportunity to unlap them self to make the room free for a last lap(s) shootout. And after those cars unlap themself, the SC has to get back in, that's written in the rules aswell. RB also pointed out a very obvious hole in the wording of that paragraph. This was agreed on by the teams to avoid races ending behind the SC and to make racing more exciting. I guess the Mercedes guys were involved in that agreement aswell. What happened after the Latiffi crash was following the regulations. What happened in Lap 1 was actually more questionable.

Besides that, people easily forget that Lewis was handed a full lap and free rapair at Imola that gave him how many points? What would have been the driver standings like without those points? Mercedes can't just live with the fact that they made bad strategy calls being too passive, while RB was alot more proactive with luck heading their way. Lewis and Mercedes have been so damn lucky throughout the last couple of years, it might be worth it to take it like racers and not like a brand with cars that are mostly driven by old people with too much money.
Click to expand...
I really doubt that the race could have ended otherwise than under a SC if Latifi had crashed a lap later
 
mopro
Great finale! Verstappen winning the WC hopefully will keep Hamilton motivation higher in 2022. Great team work by Perez, he shined in Abu Dhabi just like last year
 
W
RowanZa said:
Does any one recall if the FIA has ever reversed a major decision based on their own error ?. Masi undoubtedly erred in terms of rule 39.12, unless there is a sub clause buried in there somewhere, that allows the race director, under certain circumstances, to make decisions that supersede what is in the rule book. The big debate will be how to redress the error as there is no precedent for such an event?
Go back to position one lap before safety car or make the first race of next season the last race of this season - maybe? Go Max :)
Click to expand...
Depends what you consider a 'major decision'
There was a race win reversed at the next Grand Prix in 2003 due to an error in lap countback when ending a race under red flag at Interlagos.
 
T
Corbyy said:
I really doubt that the race could have ended otherwise than under a SC if Latifi had crashed a lap later
Click to expand...
Formula 1 isn't about what could have happened. This sport is about factual reality. I am not a big fan of Masi but his last response to Toto hit the nail on the head: "This is a motorrace". I came for the racing and I got it. I don't know what you are looking for, might be the case that Snooker might be more your thing. There have been so many if's throughout the season that I feel that Max really deserved it as Lewis was pretty lucky to be even tied on points. On another note: the last couple of years it has allways been the case that fans complained about too many SC laps and fans being robbed off. Today they finaly got that right.

And I feel that you are a bit bitter due to being a Hamilton fan wich is fair. But it might be well worth for Hamilton fans to make a reality check. They had many years of success with their driver coming off lucky not just a few times, but in many cases. I am a big Michael Schumacher fan btw and even I know how big defeats feel. Do you have any idea how Schumacher fans had to suffer throughout the first 4 Ferrari years when he had to really drive the wheels off that FIAT? Or when he lost his 8th title in the Degner corner? Hamilton fans should be gratefull to witness such successfull years and not be bitter about one lost title. Atleast he had a chance to fight for it - Schumacher didn't.
 
HF2000
Club Staff
Premium
Just forget everything what happened in this race. Don't you all agree that looking back at the whole season with the red flag luck for Lewis a Imola, the Silverstone incident, the unlucky tyre puncture in Baku, the Bottas carnage, the 9 wins, Max deserves this championship a little bit more than Lewis?
 
Luciano Santos Filho
I think all the discussion about SC procedures is valid but, honestly, I don't Mercedes guys have the right to complain a lot because they simply messed up.

WHY ON EARTH didn't they follow Max strategy since Hamilton could clearly outpace Max in any conditions today?

I am not saying that Hamilton is a victim as well. With 7 titles on the badge he could have called the radio and said "mate, I am coming in, have those damn tyres ready". Period.
 
Luciano Santos Filho
HF2000 said:
Just forget everything what happened in this race. Don't you all agree that looking back at the whole season with the red flag luck for Lewis a Imola, the Silverstone incident, the unlucky tyre puncture in Baku, the Bottas carnage, the 9 wins, Max deserves this championship a little bit more than Lewis?
Click to expand...
I think they both did an amazing championship and the title would be in good hands in one way or another.
 
Michel Bélisle
In hindsight, Verstappen deserved to win because he fought the Mercedes with inferior equipment all season long. It is quite dramatic the way it ended and people can question the stewards decisions to death but, in the end, it was Hamilton's title to lose.

Maybe Hamilton can win again next year with a more capable teammate?

In any case, it was good reality TV.
 
Cote Dazur
I would have preferred that Sir Louis Hamilton get a well deserved 8th title, as he is my preferred driver. I do not particularly like Max, but he drove hard and well all season, so congratulation for winning the championship this year.
Overall both driver gave all they had to give, fought to the end and both deserve our respect and admiration for being one step above every other driver in 2021.
Good show.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

HF2000 said:
Just forget everything what happened in this race. Don't you all agree that looking back at the whole season with the red flag luck for Lewis a Imola, the Silverstone incident, the unlucky tyre puncture in Baku, the Bottas carnage, the 9 wins, Max deserves this championship a little bit more than Lewis?
Click to expand...
No. I think Verstappen is a dangerous driver who has no place on the grid and the marshals were too lenient with him throughout the season
 
Kostakop_
Both drivers have put on an amazing season with great drives. I personally wanted Verstappen to win. The FIA has been inconsistent, Hamilton did gain a lasting advantage and then when the safety car was out Massi said that lapped cars would not be able to overtake then switched and allowed it. Not completely fair although congratulations to both drivers
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Luciano Santos Filho said:
I think all the discussion about SC procedures is valid but, honestly, I don't Mercedes guys have the right to complain a lot because they simply messed up.

WHY ON EARTH didn't they follow Max strategy since Hamilton could clearly outpace Max in any conditions today?

I am not saying that Hamilton is a victim as well. With 7 titles on the badge he could have called the radio and said "mate, I am coming in, have those damn tyres ready". Period.
Click to expand...
They can't. Hamilton was just past the pit entry when they announced the SC. After that, staying out was the ONLY option they had without ending up in like P8 in the queue.
 

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