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

Trezoitao38
davehenrie said:
didn't matter, Lewis had so much more pace than Max, on equal or fresher tires, Lewis would have been on him in just a few laps. The mistake was NOT made during the safety car period, but the Virtual Safety Car. They should have come right in and it would have nullified any advantage RB could have gained.
Click to expand...

If Lewis did this, Verstappen take the lead of the race.

The problem is, when you are ahead, you dont bet the pilot behind you will do the same.
 
Kostakop_
There should be a rule where laps under safety car don't count to race laps and there are still the same number of racing laps

Edit: just realized there are many problems with this including fuel
 
Last edited:
T
Premium
Kostakop_ said:
they didnt know if max was going to pit
Click to expand...
They ignored their own driver who was practically begging for new tires.
Lewis on radio during the first SC - "It's dangerous to keep me out here, isn't it?"
Lewis in between SC's - "I don't think these tires will last" and "I can't keep this pace with these tires"
His engineers and team kept him out anyway because they wanted FIA to protect his lead.

At the end of the day, giving up position for fresh tires because you don't know what will happen with the safety car is also racing strategy. They took a risk and this time it didn't pay off. Maybe next year they'll spend more time racing and less time with Toto arguing with race control to protect Hamilton. Also, perhaps if they cared more about Bottas as a driver, he would've been closer to Hamilton to protect his lead. They didn't care at all about Bottas and it showed. He just phoned it in for the second half of the season and I don't blame him.
Look how different RB treats Perez and you have your answer for why RB worked better this race as a team.

I hope next year Mercedes will actually treat their #2 driver better and we can see Hamilton win by racing. The sad part is, Lewis is absolutely an amazing driver, once in a lifetime we get to see. But he's too protected by Toto.
 
K
Kostakop_ said:
There should be a rule where laps under safety car don't count to race laps and there are still the same number of racing laps

Edit: just realized there are many problems with this including fuel
Click to expand...
My first thought today was the green-white-checkered flag rule in NASCAR. But in NASCAR, they are allowed to refuel and they certainly don’t calculate fuel consumption as closely as in F1.
 
Patrik Marek
Well deserved Max, he fought in car that was slower in most races , he got very unlucky on number of occasions , totally deserved, it was about time for often lucky Hamilton, to be bit unlucky this time

Speaking of which, respect to Hamilton , who i don't really like, for taking the defeat like a man, not crying like Toto

Red Bull was the better team with amazing second driver and they deserved the constructors championship also , but sadly didn't quite get the points
 
Badwheels
I just watched the race on DVR and I haven't looked at websites so here is my take.
  1. That first scrap where they both went off. To me Lewis' advantage wasn't equal to what he had before the turn. He gained ground. Lewis also should have known that Max will Kvyat your ass on a moments notice. He keeps giving Max a reason to torpedo him. Why just today, I went with one of my best dudes and his family karting. Every time I tried to pass his daughter in a corner, she would park the bus and make me slam on brakes to avoid hitting her. So I finally caught her on a straight and tapped her right into a barrier. I never knew you they could "black flag" you at a kart race. But, that is one 5 year old that won't mess with me again. Lewis should learn those same lessons. Lewis drives like he has everything to lose. Max drives like he has everything to gain.
  2. VSC. Merc didn't want to give up track position. Max was doing the opposite of Lewis. So if Lewis has the faster car, why not put him on new tires and let him rip Max's heart out at the end. He has caught him from behind before. Merc, I hate say, was gutless. Lewis told them the tires were trash. The driver knows what he can handle. Merc made a bunch of mistakes this season.
  3. Hats off to Max. He won. That's it. Period.
  4. Lewis is now damaged goods from a loss like that. He is emotionally fragile. Merc will have hell with him and George next year. Lewis drives like he has everything to lose. Max drives like he has everything to gain.
  5. Checo's defense against Lewis was actually funny. You could see Lewis to afraid to just get after his ass in the corners and caution be damned. It's tough getting old.
  6. If F1 has another season where the last race is the one that determines the championship, my suggestion is that both protagonist be put into the last place cars on the grid, not their own cars last, but the worst cars on the grid for that race. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED !!!
 
vee10
Congratulations to Max Verstappen on winning the Netflix FIA World Drivers Championship.

Episode 8 will be a corker with Emmy winning directing from Michael Masi.
 
JohannesK
Cote Dazur said:
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.
Click to expand...
Thank you for being a good sport about this, far too rare in most internet communities today
 

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