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
  • Like
Reactions: FS4A and Kimirai
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

More in F1 & Motorsport

Comments

S
navb said:
They can't change the result because the regulations give the race director the override function. By the letter of the law, Masi is not at fault.

Obviously everyone knows Masi is at fault because he used the override function to generate a last lap dash for Netflix. But he technically did nothing wrong - which is a sad indictment of how complex and in need of an overhaul the F1 regs are.
Click to expand...
I don't buy that he did this for Netflix, that theory doesn't make any sense to me. They hype of the season is what will help Netflix, regardless if the race ended under SC or with a last lap shootout.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Scottt said:
If Verstappen's talent is solely a factor of his aggressiveness, this wouldn't explain his skill in qualifying. Clearly his ability to handle a Formula 1 cars is extremely high, and while it's hard to compare it to Mazepin with the car differences, I think he's head and shoulders above him and most of the rest of the field.
Click to expand...
Yes, but Mazepin's overtaking maneuvers in F2 last year were with as little racing intelligence as Verstappen this year. Only aggressiveness.
 
N
Scottt said:
I don't buy that he did this for Netflix, that theory doesn't make any sense to me. They hype of the season is what will help Netflix, regardless if the race ended under SC or with a last lap shootout.
Click to expand...
He didn't do it for Netflix obviously. He did it because he wanted a grandstand finish to what has been an epic season.

The internet is full of 1 race only F1 fans who can't fathom why a SC kills an 11 second advantage. It was F1's one chance to get a Hollywood ending and potentially even more fans - and ended with the FIA looking like match-fixers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BP
Jason Chamberlain
Premium
Michel Bélisle said:
On the subject of Michael Masi, I think it is quite unfortunate the way he is being treated. During Charlie Whiting's reign, I don't remember Team Principals screaming at him through microphones during races.

I believe there was an understanding that Charlie was a legend of the sport and you don't bully one of the sports' Elder Statesman.

Then, enters Michael Masi, the new guy. I find that both Wolff and Horner are treating him with disrespect and are constantly trying to influence him by shouting at him during the races. It is just boorish behaviour.

IMHO, letting Hamilton and Verstappen duke it out on the last lap of the race was the right decision.
Click to expand...
I strongly-suspect that the Team Principals did this with Charlie Whiting too. The difference is that we didn't get to hear it then.
 
S
Premium
muzikant said:
Well I also like racers outside my country. The Netherlands has never had racers of the Max caliber. If you want to know
Vic Ellford
senna..
clark,
bellof,
Rindt,
ickks
peterson
Fangio
lauda
Mansell
piquet
Jack Brabham
Click to expand...
Scottt said:
I think it may make sense if you worry about your own comments and let others worry about their comments.
Click to expand...
:)
 
Last edited:
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

muzikant said:
but hey... :whistling: Merc also made a mistake not to do the pit stop. We can put all the blame on Massi but this is certainly a fact
Click to expand...
As long as the Safety Car should never have retracted, it didn't matter what tires Hamilton had. Anyway, he had passed the pit entrance when the safety car was announced so there was no mistake.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
K
Bram Hengeveld said:
What Masi should have done is actually not that very complicated either: throw the red flag, allow all drivers to change tyres, restart the race behind the safety cars and still have a lap (or two) to the race. With that scenario I am sure both Horner and Toto could have lived.
Click to expand...

A red flag should be used when there's too much debris on the track, weather conditions are unsafe or a part of the track needs major repair, none of that happened when Latifi crashed. A safety car was definitely the right call. What was highly debatable (and will remain so, I'm sure) is the decision to allow *some* lapped cars to unlap themselves *and* end the safety car period *on the same lap*, rather than wait another lap. That decision seems to go against the rule:

"If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message ‘Lapped cars may now overtake’ has been sent to all teams ... any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car. … Unless the clerk of the course considers the presence of the safety car is still necessary, once the last lapped car has passed the leader the safety car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap.”

But I highlighted in bold the parts of the rule that were not respected, in my opinion: a) letting only the four cars between Max and Lewis unlap themselves and b) having the safety car return to the pits without waiting another lap, which would have been the last lap of the race. From that point of view, you could say that the FIA wanted the race to end with a one-lap sprint.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BP
Damage Inc
zwiss said:
Silverstone not a dive bomb, you are correct.
Silverstone extreme risky defence by Max, and just a slight touch of wheels.
And yes, Lewis is always complaining :)
Click to expand...

I dunno, Silverstone IMO was a bit of a dive bomb by Lewis. Max left room so not extreme risky defence IMO. Slight touch of wheels that broke one of Lewis wheels?
 
muzikant
Corbyy said:
As long as the Safety Car should never have retracted, it didn't matter what tires Hamilton had. Anyway, he had passed the pit entrance when the safety car was announced so there was no mistake.
Click to expand...
they didn't want to give up their place or take the risk
 
Damage Inc
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
Click to expand...
Not a RB or Max fan but yup I have no doubt I'd be having a rant if things were reversed (hate Merc dominance)....I also have no doubt 99.9% of Lewis/Merc fans would be totally fine with the decision if it went their way. Horses for courses......humans be stupid. ;)
 
N
Damage Inc said:
Not a RB or Max fan but yup I have no doubt I'd be having a rant if things were reversed (hate Merc dominance)....I also have no doubt 99.9% of Lewis/Merc fans would be totally fine with the decision if it went their way. Horses for courses......humans be stupid. ;)
Click to expand...
Not really.

Even as a Lewis fan, when he ran wide at T5 on the opening lap, I said he needs to give that position back. In fact, I still don't understand what "advantage he gave up" to neutralise running wide. Steward inconsistency as usual.

But you seem to be in "no doubt" about a lot of things. Makes having conversations with people online pointless.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BP
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

The fact that the late cars were allowed to overtake the safety car is not the main issue in my opinion. The safety car must return to the pits one lap after each car has joined the peloton. Gasly returned to the peloton on the lap where the safety car entered the pits when it should have entered on the next lap.
 
K
navb said:
He didn't do it for Netflix obviously. He did it because he wanted a grandstand finish to what has been an epic season.
Click to expand...
The FIA wanted the race to end under green flag conditions, no doubt.

I'll bet a six-pack of Red Bull that if the race had ended under a yellow flag, Max fans would have questioned the time it took to remove Latifi's car and the debris and said that the FIA was pro-Merc and pro-Lewis.
 
Last edited:
Trezoitao38
Stingraymx said:
Not sure this piece has any validity..... "What puzzles me a bit is that so called "race" fans want to see the race ending behind the SC just to get their baby home safely".
What genuine fans (should) want to see is sport that follows the prescribed rules, whether that means ending under yellows, a safety car or with reds (if the weather/track doesnt allow a restart).
It is a bit like saying that football team A is 1-0 up against football team B in a final, and with the last kick of the game team B scores, but when looked at on VAR they realise it was offside. To improve the spectacle and give us 30 more mins of extra time the referee could decide "well yes it is offside, but it would create a much better end to allow the goal, and carry on for 30 mins more". However the referee cannot make that decision if he/she follows the prescribed rules of the game.
A friend of mine (an official for a national touring car series) knows Massi personally and has (often !!) been on forums supporting him this season. However as the cars crossed the line he pinged me saying "Massi got it wrong this time as the Safety Car rules were simply not followed"...this was before the TV pundits specifically flagged the issue of the Safety car rules. The catch-all rule/reg that seems to give the Race Director free reign to interpret/over-ride rules/regs as he sees fit provides a very worrying precedent for "anything goes" in future.
However, onwards and upwards as the FIA will never reverse the decision due to bad PR (even if forced to by a court, they will simply void the whole race, meaning the same outcome as now), but there must be some severe inward reflection, learnings and rule/role clarifications before the next season, else we are down the route of NASCAR where they throw yellow flags out on a whim to back the pack up and create a good climax for TV. I think real "race fans" want to watch fair racing within a defined frameworks of rules and regs, something we clearly didnt get this year.
Click to expand...
Well, did you remember Logano crashing in Truex Jr car at Martinsville and becoming a champion next race in 2018?
 
Damage Inc
navb said:
Mercedes and Hamilton did no wrong either. And that is precisely the problem.

The person governing the sport made the error, and one of the parties will lose out as a result.

It really puts a dampener on what has been the best season in decades.
Click to expand...

Max and RB have been on the wrong end of bad decisions this year a few times more than Mercedes and Lewis IMO.

only a dampener for Lewis/Merc fans and a few neutrals.
 
Richard Wilks
Corbyy said:
There was no risk. The race was not to resume if Masi had respected the rules.
Click to expand...
Masi respected the rules. The rules that say he can decide whatever he wants. Now, you might not LIKE this rule, but its there, and its VALID. As is MV's championship. Like i said before, it's over.

And quite honestly, the FIA made a mess of much more important things than this technicality. At least they could fight with each other on track. It would have been depressive to see this finish under safety car, considering that Latifi's crash would happen regardless.
 
Last edited:

Latest News

Article information

Author
Mike Smith
Article read time
3 min read
Views
91,633
Comments
1,280
Last update

Share this article

Back
Top