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

Kimmo Kokkonen
Premium
If the race wasn't properly judged then the entire race may be void but Max is still The New F1 World Champion, right? For me, F1 is just entertainment and just the same who wins if it's not me :thumbsup:
 
Damage Inc
JayOTT said:
I believe MotoGP is highly underrated as a series. Half the field can realistically win on any given Sunday, and nothing is truly certain until the checkered flag. The junior classes have also historically been treated better than F1's own support series, to the point of being considered world championships in their own right.
Click to expand...
In the UK Motorbikes in general are underrated. Most people drive cars and don't appreciate bikes. I always chuckle when I see a car worth over a hundred thousand have a 0-60 time of just over 3 seconds when My little 6 and 1/2 grand supersport 600s could do that (and break UK Motorway speed limit in 1st gear!!). Of course in sunnier climes (Spain/Italy) there's a bigger following and in developing economies where bikes are the only forms of transport many can afford. I don't miss riding in the rain and snow but I do miss the visceral thrill of riding and ability to overtake with a flick of the wrist (acceleration even on a 600 was insane)........yeah I miss bikes a lot!! I digress.....MGP is really close now (especially since the last true alien had his misfortune) and It's harder to block with a bike. Although worrying signs MGP is going "too" technical like F1, with aero and gadgets. :(
 
Damage Inc
Here's another thought I had, why did Masi not let ALL the lapped cars through much earlier? I thought it was becuase the track wasn't clear, but I've read it was clear.......was it because Toto was begging him to keep the lapped cars there? If all the lapped cars had been allowed past earlier the result would be exactly the same, so this "breaking of the rules" doesn't mean much in that context.
 
Fat-Alfie
Initially, Masi announced that all lapped cars were to hold station on track between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Then Horner got on the phone to him and complained. That's when he re-announced that only a few cars would be allowed by; otherwise they would have run out of time to allow Verstappen to get past.

Fancy only winning your WDC by virtue of Masi's bumbling incompetancy / corruptability... As I said, hollow.
 
Richard Wilks
Damage Inc said:
Here's another thought I had, why did Masi not let ALL the lapped cars through much earlier? I thought it was becuase the track wasn't clear, but I've read it was clear.......was it because Toto was begging him to keep the lapped cars there? If all the lapped cars had been allowed past earlier the result would be exactly the same, so this "breaking of the rules" doesn't mean much in that context.
Click to expand...
No, it was because the track was not clear yet.
 
Richard Wilks
Fat-Alfie said:
Initially, Masi announced that all lapped cars were to hold station on track between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Then Horner got on the phone to him and complained. That's when he re-announced that only a few cars would be allowed by; otherwise they would have run out of time to allow Verstappen to get past.

Fancy only winning your WDC by virtue of Masi's bumbling incompetancy / corruptability... As I said, hollow.
Click to expand...
No, he won the championship by overtaking Hamilton on the last lap. Who, despite having old tires, had a better car/engine.

Masi didn't just handover the win to Max. He had to earn it.
 
muzikant
Fat-Alfie said:
Initially, Masi announced that all lapped cars were to hold station on track between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Then Horner got on the phone to him and complained. That's when he re-announced that only a few cars would be allowed by; otherwise they would have run out of time to allow Verstappen to get past.

Fancy only winning your WDC by virtue of Masi's bumbling incompetancy / corruptability... As I said, hollow.
Click to expand...
you're right but how often has Max been penalized by the same club of FIA people with a mickey mouse penalty at Silverstone..penalties that only apply to Max and not to Hamilton and Hungary Bottas crash with another mickey mouse penalty cutting off the bend in Bahrain that Merc got away with.

No.. no I don't feel any pity for Mercedes! And about sky sports.. with his merry christmas bad joke.

When the GP came here on Zandvoort, the Dutch supporters were told not to insult Lewis and to be sporty. Lewis was well received here at Zandvoort. And what does the British sky sport do just before the race. Victory tastes sweet. No pity sorry pride comes before the fall

the british sky sport has offended Max and the Max fans so don't expect anything from them welcome in the real world
 
Last edited:
LeSunTzu
Fat-Alfie said:
Initially, Masi announced that all lapped cars were to hold station on track between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Then Horner got on the phone to him and complained. That's when he re-announced that only a few cars would be allowed by; otherwise they would have run out of time to allow Verstappen to get past.

Fancy only winning your WDC by virtue of Masi's bumbling incompetancy / corruptability... As I said, hollow.
Click to expand...
I completely agree, but the worst thing is that if the FIA court would somehow reverse the decision Hamilton's title would also be hollow. They just ruined the end from a sport perspective.
 
JohannesK
Damage Inc said:
Here's another thought I had, why did Masi not let ALL the lapped cars through much earlier? I thought it was becuase the track wasn't clear, but I've read it was clear.......was it because Toto was begging him to keep the lapped cars there? If all the lapped cars had been allowed past earlier the result would be exactly the same, so this "breaking of the rules" doesn't mean much in that context.
Click to expand...
It all comes down to incompetence and bad communication once again, the first call was just bs. This all just fueled the controversy about the right decision to have a race in the last lap, after all Masi honored the agreement of the teams to end under green flag. Of course that played into the race directions hand to have some more entertainment, but I believe that without this agreement the race ending would've looked differently for sure. It's a small but important statement in the report that many people (want to) overlook apparently
 
Gevatter
Premium
Richard Wilks said:
No, he won the championship by overtaking Hamilton on the last lap.
Click to expand...
Abolutely. Verstappen was behind Hamilton for the first part of the lap. Hamilton made the same error he made in the first lap again, namely not defending the inside of the corner, and what most seem to ignore is that he almost overtook Verstappen back before turn 9 (?), only that Verstappen defended the corner properly.

Next year I'm hoping for a 3-way fight between Max, Lewis and Lando, and of course Lando wins the WDC in the end :)
 
muzikant
LeSunTzu said:
I completely agree, but the worst thing is that if the FIA court would somehow reverse the decision Hamilton's title would also be hollow. They just ruined the end from a sport perspective.
Click to expand...
why didn't mercedes go to the red it's kinda easy to put the blame on the FIA. ;)
 
JohannesK
LeSunTzu said:
I completely agree, but the worst thing is that if the FIA court would somehow reverse the decision Hamilton's title would also be hollow. They just ruined the end from a sport perspective.
Click to expand...
It would be hollow because the only right decisions were a red flag or last lap race if they wanted to honor the green flag agreement by the teams. Besides that, if an external was to judge it the WDC would stay with Max because theyd only declare the race as invalid, they'd never take a result from during the race, that's not how it works.
 
muzikant
Gevatter said:
Abolutely. Verstappen was behind Hamilton for the first part of the lap. Hamilton made the same error he made in the first lap again, namely not defending the inside of the corner, and what most seem to ignore is that he almost overtook Verstappen back before turn 9 (?), only that Verstappen defended the corner properly.

Next year I'm hoping for a 3-way fight between Max, Lewis and Lando, and of course Lando wins the WDC in the end :)
Click to expand...
from what I heard Max also had a terrible cramp in his foot on the last lap. Max steered too sharply at the cicane giving Lewis another chance but did you really think Max would give up on fresher tires he is a killer Lewis would have done exactly the same both are not inferior to each other
 
Dzul
Premium
I think Chain Bear explains well what needs to be fixed for 2022: the "powers" the Race Director has.

 
Last edited:
LeSunTzu
No, it would be hollow because it would be won at court. F1 is a sport, not a courthouse.

The end of the race was clearly mismanaged but that's the way it is. It reminds of some football games where the referees were awful (like the infamous Chelsea - Barça): the result should stand and the incompetent referee should be sent back home.
 
Damage Inc
Fat-Alfie said:
Initially, Masi announced that all lapped cars were to hold station on track between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Then Horner got on the phone to him and complained. That's when he re-announced that only a few cars would be allowed by; otherwise they would have run out of time to allow Verstappen to get past.

Fancy only winning your WDC by virtue of Masi's bumbling incompetancy / corruptability... As I said, hollow.
Click to expand...
Toto was on the phone first saying leave the lapped cars there wasn't he?
 
JohannesK
Damage Inc said:
Toto was on the phone first saying leave the lapped cars there wasn't he?
Click to expand...
And before that he yelled at masi to not send out the Safety Car, a spit on the graves of the people who have lost their lives in this sport. I understand that the team principals pull every string to achieve the best result and expect nothing less of them, but no toto no! that was so not right!
 
Damage Inc
JohannesK said:
It all comes down to incompetence and bad communication once again, the first call was just bs. This all just fueled the controversy about the right decision to have a race in the last lap, after all Masi honored the agreement of the teams to end under green flag. Of course that played into the race directions hand to have some more entertainment, but I believe that without this agreement the race ending would've looked differently for sure. It's a small but important statement in the report that many people (want to) overlook apparently
Click to expand...
The agreement that races finish under green as much as possible is crucial IMO, if mercedes agreed to it then it gives Masi tacit permission to do what he did.
 

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