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

Damage Inc
Corbyy said:
Well, I will stay there since it goes in circles. There should never have been a last lap and Hamilton is the 2021 world champion if the rules had been purely applied then Verstappen will never have the right to wear the number 1 in 2022 because in March, we will be in the middle of the CAS procedure. Make the most of your break-in under the guise of an incompetent race director because justice will be done.

Sir Lewis Hamilton, congrats for the 8th World Drivers' Championship
It's inevitable
Click to expand...
Apparently both teams agreed the race shouldn't end behind a safety car (will be interesting to see if that is true or not, could be pivotal), if Merc DID agree to that then they have no legal leg to stand on IMO. What happened was the only way this race could have ended on a green flag.
 
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Damage Inc
Scottt said:
I agree, sort of. The difference between the best driver and the pack is not huge in real terms, but when someone is slightly better and clearly slightly better; that becomes "head and shoulders" above. Very small differences that are consistent become significant and important.

And I don't agree that it's just a "number 2" scenario. RBR has been trying for how long to get a teammate for Max that can keep pace? The difference isn't because they favor Max, they favor Max because they can't find anyone else that can drive the car at his pace.
Click to expand...
Well we can agree to disagree about "head and shoulders" but looking at the meaning of the phrase is usually someone who is much better not slightly better. :)

There's not many times when teams have two drivers going for the title and it doesn't give the team principals a heart attack!! So most teams will want a clear number 1 and a clear number 2, Red bull want a fast teammate for Max to help them win the constructors and do what Bottas does for Hamilton.
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Damage Inc said:
Apparently both teams agreed the race shouldn't end behind a safety car (will be interesting to see if that is true or not, could be pivotal), if Merc DID agree to that then they have no legal leg to stand on IMO. What happened was the only way this race could have ended on a green flag.
Click to expand...
If this is the case, it would be an obvious lack of combativeness in the face of an institutional problem that has undermined his number one pilot and all those who work around him. Wolff must defend them at all costs.

I do not know at all if I would be able to accept that, to stay with this bitterness and this disgust for the institutions.

I would probably no longer want to watch a sport where the rules are open to interpretation and where no one rebels to change that.
 
Zolazem
Premium
Corbyy said:
If this is the case, it would be an obvious lack of combativeness in the face of an institutional problem that has undermined his number one pilot and all those who work around him. Wolff must defend them at all costs.

I do not know at all if I would be able to accept that, to stay with this bitterness and this disgust for the institutions.

I would probably no longer want to watch a sport where the rules are open to interpretation and where no one rebels to change that.
Click to expand...
This you wrote 20 minutes ago: After the race I unsubscribed from anything F1 related and uninstalled Assetto Corsa, RFactor 2 and F1 2021.

Why are you still commenting in an F1 article?
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Zolazem said:
This you wrote 20 minutes ago: After the race I unsubscribed from anything F1 related and uninstalled Assetto Corsa, RFactor 2 and F1 2021.

Why are you still commenting in an F1 article?
Click to expand...
Above all, I wanted to keep myself informed of the evolution of current calls because I keep hope that the injustice is repaired
But yeah, this is the only website I stay informed
 
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Zolazem
Premium
Mike Kadlcak said:
yea if you call it a mistake you are misinformed. Masi informed the teams they will not be moving the lapped cars out of the way. Because of that info Mercedes decided not to pit. Then Redbull pulled the trigger and complained to Masi to move the lapped cars outta the way... so he obeyed. They did it really obvious it’s ridiculous. End of story.
Click to expand...
I think you’re are misinformed. When masi informed the teams they will not moving the lapped cars out of the way it was all ready to late for a pitstop. Max champion end of story :)
 
Damage Inc
Corbyy said:
If this is the case, it would be an obvious lack of combativeness in the face of an institutional problem that has undermined his number one pilot and all those who work around him. Wolff must defend them at all costs.

I do not know at all if I would be able to accept that, to stay with this bitterness and this disgust for the institutions.

I would probably no longer want to watch a sport where the rules are open to interpretation and where no one rebels to change that.
Click to expand...
But if it's true (big if I admit, but we'll find out soon enough one way or another) then it explains the reasoning behind the decision Masi made. i.e. there was no bias towards one team or another it was what they agreed to. For Masi's sake I hope it's true other wise I can't see him keeping his job!!! But why are you uninstalling AC and RF2?
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

Damage Inc said:
But if it's true (big if I admit, but we'll find out soon enough one way or another) then it explains the reasoning behind the decision Masi made. i.e. there was no bias towards one team or another it was what they agreed to. For Masi's sake I hope it's true other wise I can't see him keeping his job!!! But why are you uninstalling AC and RF2?
Click to expand...
I was playing mostly with single-seaters and if I have to turn my back to F1, I absolutely want to act as if it never existed.

I would never want to hear about it again if this injustice is not fixed. This is my level of disappointment. A truly broken heart.

Currently, every time YouTube recommends a video about F1 or even Iracing clips with the Mercedes W12 to me, I report that I don't like that type of content anymore. I am firmly determined to erase this from my life if this injustice is not fixed.

F1, be fair about your decision of sunday or say farewell to me. I will defend it until death: the last lap should never have taken place if the rules had been purely applied.
 
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P
This will certainly boost the ratings of F1, like or not it was done for TV -- and after years of diminishing interest it's probably good for the sport.
Mercedes and some others should suck it up, accept it is done -- and concentrate on doing better next time. Only 3 months and it all starts again; the salty threads, the whines... who'd want to miss it :D
 
Badwheels
As I said after the Saudi Gran Prix, every time I read a forum on a website knowing that I worked for years creating global networks so humans could communicate, I want to eat my gun!
 
D

  • Deleted member 1031992

I couldn't find a way to delete my account but I asked for moderation.
I hope F1 will regain its integrity in the future, but for the time being that is far from the case and nobody wants to fight against the governing bodies. I no longer want to be a spectator of this masquerade.

Thanks Masi for your incompetence.
Thank you the FIA for not acknowledging the wrongs.
Thank you Wolff for refusing to fight for what is right.
Farewell.
 
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L
I got the feeling that Masi was protecting Hamilton at first trying to decide what would be more controversial, and that is something that makes the decision a lot more scandalous
Fernando Alonso was also surprised about not being able to unlap from the first lap the SC was deployed.

For me it's pretty easy: If they appeal, RB for sure will appeal the first incident, and for me, the first incident when Hamilton crosses the chicane out of the track gaining time, would be for sure +5s. And if the race would have been set to finish in SC then +5s would make Max champion anyway.

For me the decision was to not put any car on the battle in the last lap between the championship contender, if any other team would like to appeal for their result, FIA would have been ok to check that, but would not be good for the sport or the race to finish in SC if there was enough time to put Latifi´s car away and clean the debris.

For me, there is no way Max would have his title as WC removed
 
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sndwv
Max won!, its fair, if not FIA should learn and improve the rules, thats it, it it was or Hamilto to win wouldnt have been fair either to theek the car till the last lap, the race should have been repeated next week without quali...
 
dave kirk
Yes, it was sloppy, like the stewarding has been all season, it could be argued that if not for a few decisions that favoured Lewis then Max would have already won before this race.
 
schrep1964
After a night of partying Toto Wolff has send Max a sms to congratulate him with his championship and calls him a worthy winner...so that's the end of it it's seems.
 
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