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

S
Premium
Bram Hengeveld said:
But this man has the pressure of the entire world on his shoulders to make a decision in a split second while being shouted at by Horner and Toto.

I know how much debate we sometimes have deciding in majority on a simracing incident, can't imagine the pressure in real life F1.

There is a lot to say he made the right call on the spot yesterday but we in hindsight know everything better of course :roflmao::D, as that's our role to play in the F1 circus!
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Tigerteeth said:
He had more than a split second. He had several laps under the safety car to make a decision and communicated his result to all of the teams. He had already made a decision which everyone understood. And then he suddenly changed it moments before the green light. The FIA have not explained the reason why this happened, only that the result stands.

The controversy is about the sudden change of rules and whether it unfairly advantaged Verstappen.
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Tigerteeth you just nailed it.Exactly right.
 
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J
I didn't think I would see the day where F1, a traditionally strict sporting contest, would become sports entertainment on a weekly basis, but these last two races have definitely gone that way. I was ecstatic to see Verstappen break the Mercedes stranglehold on the championship, but I have to admit it came off of a very unconventional way to handle the end of a safety car period for the sake of getting a one lap shootout for the title.

As entertaining as it has been, I wouldn't want this sort of racing to become a regular occurrence in F1. I tolerated it as part of the show this time because I'd take any excuse for someone else win the title for a change, but if a repeat performance were to happen next year I don't think I'd be happy with it as a sporting contest. Ultimately a sporting contest needs to be fair, and the best organisers find a way to make it naturally entertaining without handicapping competitors for drama.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Brilliant. This time, you're ok because it's okay with what you wanted but not next time.

No, this is unacceptable today. This season has 2 world champions or none.
 
J
Corbyy said:
Brilliant. This time, you're ok because it's okay with what you wanted but not next time.

No, this is unacceptable today. This season has 2 world champions or none.
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I can't lie to you, when one team gets so dominant that their mere presence makes the sport less exciting then it otherwise would be, I'm not nearly as motivated as usual to defend them when they get screwjobbed. Yes, it was a bad call. But Mercedes also has 8 consecutive WCC's so I'm not crying a river for that.

It's the Sebastian Loeb problem, they're too good and that makes them bad.
 
muzikant
Corbyy said:
If what happened to Hamilton had happened to Verstappen, there would currently be 3 hitmen behind Masi: one paid by Horner, one paid by Marko and one paid by Mateschitz but Verstappen and RedBull fans refuse to admit it

Don't be stupid and have a little empathy. What happened was not regulatory and fair play
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I would totally agree with you if Silverstone and Hungary hadn't happened and all the other bullshit decisions ;)
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Let it be clear, Hamilton was in the lead until the finish without Masi's fantasies and as long as the history of F1 will be passed down from generation to generation, we will remember that instead of this last-lap comedy. In the purest application of the rules, Verstappen lost.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

muzikant said:
I would totally agree with you if Silverstone and Hungary hadn't happened and all the other bullshit decisions ;)
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Don't be silly

Silverstone: matter of reflexes at 300km/h
Hungary: cold tyres and aerodynamic disturbances so unexpected longer braking distance
 
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N
muzikant said:
I would totally agree with you if Silverstone and Hungary hadn't happened and all the other bullshit decisions ;)
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Amazes me how much Silverstone is brought up as a defence to practically anything that happens going forward.

Verstappen gets a penalty for late braking at Monza and landing on Hamilton's head. "But what about Silverstone?"

Verstappen pushes himself and Hamilton off the track at Brazil. "But what about Silverstone?"

Verstappen pushes Hamilton off twice into T1 in Jeddah. "But what about Silverstone?"

You can't let one guy constantly do things and cry about a single incident over a season.

Hungary is a non-event as it was Bottas, not Hamilton. Baku is a non-event because Pirelli outed Red Bull and Aston Martin for fiddling with the PSI.
 
muzikant
Corbyy said:
Don't be silly

Silverstone: matter of reflexes at 300km/h
Hungary: cold tyres and aerodynamic disturbances so unexpected longer braking distance
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Man stop.. Max is the deserved champion. Merc made his own Karma to cry for Max all year round. Yesterday Max was lucky that's right, but how many times has he faced the FIA with engine penalties.. Grid penalties with which Hamilton got away with the same good..tire blowout.. Silverstone,.. Bahrain.. Hungary. Please stop and continue
 
muzikant
navb said:
Amazes me how much Silverstone is brought up as a defence to practically anything that happens going forward.

Verstappen gets a penalty for late braking at Monza and landing on Hamilton's head. "But what about Silverstone?"

Verstappen pushes himself and Hamilton off the track at Brazil. "But what about Silverstone?"

Verstappen pushes Hamilton off twice into T1 in Jeddah. "But what about Silverstone?"

You can't let one guy constantly do things and cry about a single incident over a season.

Hungary is a non-event as it was Bottas, not Hamilton. Baku is a non-event because Pirelli outed Red Bull and Aston Martin for fiddling with the PSI.
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Why Silverstone? because it was the beginning when all the trouble came and Merc became unsportsmanlike
 
S
Premium
muzikant said:
Man stop.. Max is the deserved champion. Merc made his own Karma to cry for Max all year round. Yesterday Max was lucky that's right, but how many times has he faced the FIA with engine penalties.. Grid penalties with which Hamilton got away with the same good..tire blowout.. Silverstone,.. Bahrain.. Hungary. Please stop and continuI
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There are many many that disagree with you,I suggest you also stop it and accept others have a right to their views etc.After all this is a discussion,for all to have their view and say.
 
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D

  • Deleted member 1031992

navb said:
Amazes me how much Silverstone is brought up as a defence to practically anything that happens going forward.

Verstappen gets a penalty for late braking at Monza and landing on Hamilton's head. "But what about Silverstone?"

Verstappen pushes himself and Hamilton off the track at Brazil. "But what about Silverstone?"

Verstappen pushes Hamilton off twice into T1 in Jeddah. "But what about Silverstone?"

You can't let one guy constantly do things and cry about a single incident over a season.

Hungary is a non-event as it was Bottas, not Hamilton. Baku is a non-event because Pirelli outed Red Bull and Aston Martin for fiddling with the PSI.
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Don't give him importance. He would be ready to twist the sporting regulations in any way to benefit his kamikaze driver.

Verstappen will never be a legitimate champion for this season and I have no doubts that the CAS will be able to restore fair play for this last race and the final standings.
 
muzikant
swinny said:
There are many many that disagree with you,I suggest you also stop it and accept others have a right to their views etc.After all this is a discussion,for all to have their view and say.
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actually it keeps repeating the same opinion,,, read the same song I now understand Hamilton fans and I give my opinion on that. You're right. I enjoy Max's championship bite. Well deserved.
 
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J
Corbyy said:
Verstappen will never be a legitimate champion for this season and I have no doubts that the CAS will be able to restore fair play for this last race and the final standings.
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You're delusional and borderline toxic. There is no precedent for a race result to be overturned when there are no grounds to penalise the race winner on. Verstappen is the champion, deal with it.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

JayOTT said:
You're delusional and borderline toxic. There is no precedent for a race result to be overturned when there are no grounds to penalise the race winner on. Verstappen is the champion, deal with it.
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Well, we're going to create a case law
 
S
Premium
muzikant said:
actually it keeps repeating the same opinion,,, read the same song I now understand Hamilton fans and I give my opinion on that. You're right. I enjoy Max's championship bite. Well deserved.
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Then accept discussion and different opinions.
 
S
Premium
JayOTT said:
You're delusional and borderline toxic. There is no precedent for a race result to be overturned when there are no grounds to penalise the race winner on. Verstappen is the champion, deal with it.
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Sorry I totally accept your view as your own but it’s not the view of a other people across the world.I do like everyone’s passion about this all,F1/fia lucky to have us all.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

No Formula 1 fan should recognize Verstappen as the 2021 champion, otherwise they defend a sport where the rules are variable and in this case, it is no longer a sport but a reality TV show.

Hamilton is the 2021 champion in the purest application of the rules and the purest application of the rules is what we all want
 
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LeSunTzu
I doubt CAS can/will change the race results even Mercedes is right that the race has been mismanaged. But if the CAS changed the results, the outcome would be equally disgusting.
 
J
Corbyy said:
No Formula 1 fan should recognize Verstappen as the 2021 champion, otherwise they defend a sport where the rules are variable and in this case, it is no longer a sport but a reality TV show.

Hamilton is the 2021 champion in the purest application of the rules and the purest application of the rules is what we all want
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Nice opinion. Now allow me to discard it by reporting and blocking.

Mercedes can still appeal but all they're getting is financial compensation and possibility the firing of Masi.
 

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