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

P
Bram Hengeveld said:
Lewis Hamilton has been a true Sir by acting like an absolute champion post-race. Great example.

And what a great new champion! Dreamt of this day all my life and it happened. I feel the same now as when Netherlands won the Euro88 football

Hope my voice will return tomorrow!!
Click to expand...
Same here… after 1988 we needed this, also after losing 3 WC‘s in soccer. Finally ‘we‘ won one of the most wanted world titles in sports.
 
P
I am very happy of course thar Max won, but the FIA really needs to reflect on what has happened, especially in these last 2 races. But in the end, I think Max deserved it, most wins, most podiums, most pole positions. The numbers speak for themselves I think. Let‘s hope for a fair fight next year!
 
Last edited:
AngryWolfCorey
1639321538325.png

(At least until a not unprecedented post-race FIA shenanigan happens)

Go Max! Now to root for the next good-enough-to-be-a-champion but as yet not champion. Go Lando! Go Charles! Go some American dood (Colton Herta or Logan Sargeant, plz, k thx bai) not yet in it!

FIA..... Facepalming It Again
 
Last edited:
smasha
Lewis class.

Dominated and should have won.

The two yellows played into Red Bulls hands.

But that is racing.

Luck plays a part.

Max’s last lap also was brilliant so congrats to him.

A lifetime of talking points from this one race alone let alone the season,incredible.

Congrats Max Verstappen,WC.
 
Last edited:
Enthilzha
In all seriousness and trying to be impartial... the end of the race certainly doesn't 'feel' fair at all in handing Max a huge advantage after Lewis had been far faster all race. It's a very hollow feeling for me and left thinking what on earth just happened and how could it be possible for Lewis to ever lose that particular race?

But...

Although the decision-making process at the end was an absolute disgrace, ultimately I am not sure the FIA had any choice but to end up with the decisions they did at the end.
 
CreamyCornCob
daveclifton said:
That was a whole lot of wrong. Reminded me of the 1990s WWF wrestling.

Charlie Whiting was missed today.
Click to expand...
They got the lapped cars out of the way, as it would have been.
They got Latifi cleaned up and off the track as quickly as possible.
Race director got the race to finish under green. Fairly..... and per the rules.

Nothing WWF about it, I think someone might be bitter who lost here. That's ok too.
 
Stuart Thomson
Premium
An intensely unsatisfying conclusion for me. If Verstappen or Hamilton won it in a straight race, no issues. But that race control decision at the end there has just put some big old asterisks next to this championship for me. Its like neither team nor drivers just won it on merit without some grubby old FIA fingerprints all over it.
 
Last edited:
Jan Larsen
I dont care who won the championship, but I do care how it was done. And one thing stands out above all else - Michael Masi & Co are completely useless as race control. There have been so many rule breaches that have been unanswered and so many odd calls made not even the most corrupt politician can do better.
 
Last edited:
G
CreamyCornCob said:
They got the lapped cars out of the way, as it would have been.
They got Latifi cleaned up and off the track as quickly as possible.
Race director got the race to finish under green. Fairly..... and per the rules.

Nothing WWF about it, I think someone might be bitter who lost here. That's ok too.
Click to expand...
I think the problem I have with it is that they communicated one decision (to not clear the lapped cars), and then communicated a different decision (to only clear the cars between Lewis and Max, rather than ALL of the lapped cars as would be the norm). Earlier in the weekend the comment had been made that race control wouldn't consider the championship when making the right decision for safety, etc, and I feel like in the end they didn't stick with that when they decided to only clear the lapped cars between Max and Lewis.

In the end it was a great season and I'm fine to see either Max or Lewis win...I just wish it hadn't been a last-minute changed decision and frantic execution at the end of such a great season.

Happy Holidays all - enjoy the season!
 
Turk
Enthilzha said:
In all seriousness and trying to be impartial... the end of the race certainly doesn't 'feel' fair at all in handing Max a huge advantage after Lewis had been far faster all race.
Click to expand...
They didn't hand it too him though. Red Bull were able to gamble on putting on new tyres in the event the race didn't finish behind a safety car. Hamilton had the option to pit too and didn't take it.
 
McGherkin
There were three possible endings to this race.
1. Race restarts with a few cars between Lewis and Max, but Max is on brand new tyres and will clear them quickly and then challenge towards the end of the lap. Neutral ending.
2. All lapped cars are re-racked as normal, race finishes under SC. #blessed ending.
3. Invent a rule where you just let some of the cars unlap themselves having previously said you won't. 'I spoke to your manager' ending.

2 protests lodged by Merc. Clearly against the wording of the rules. It will come down to whether Masi is allowed to override the rules like that, which I suspect will be swept under the carpet by the FIA.
 

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