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

Taj Johal
Premium
Gevatter said:
No you missed the part where it says "The Race Director shall have overriding authority". That explicitly states he can bend the procedures if he sees the need, eg. to uphold an agreement between the temas and the FIA.
Click to expand...
Form the regs:

15.3
The clerk of the course shall work in permanent consultation with the Race Director. The Race Director shall have overriding authority in the following matters and the clerk of the course may give orders in respect of them only with his express agreement:

a) The control of practice and the race, adherence to the timetable and, if he deems it necessary, the making of any proposal to the stewards to modify the timetable in accordance with the Code or Sporting Regulations.

b) The stopping of any car in accordance with the Code or Sporting Regulations

. c) The stopping of practice or suspension of the race in accordance with the Sporting Regulations if he deems it unsafe to continue and ensuring that the correct restart procedure is carried out.

d) The starting procedure.

e) The use of the safety car.


Still doesn't say he can change the rules.
 
Damage Inc
Look I totally get why Lewis fans are upset look at my avatar I'm a big Kawasaki/Johnny Rea fan. He got shafted by rules when Kawasaki weren't allowed revs back in WSBk, he was going for 7 on the trot...was I happy he lost...no.....did I bitch about it no. All I did was argue with the knobs who said JR was **** suddenly coz he lost. JRs got 6 titles, I'm bloody happy with that, no need to be greedy IMO.
 
Colt459
Taj Johal said:
Yep I've read the same regs my self. It says the use of the safety car, I would presume according to the procedures.
Click to expand...
this is the exact opposite of what discretion means. Here is the definition from Oxford dictionary.

“Discretion: the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation”
 
Colt459
Taj Johal said:
Form the regs:

15.3
The clerk of the course shall work in permanent consultation with the Race Director. The Race Director shall have overriding authority in the following matters and the clerk of the course may give orders in respect of them only with his express agreement:

a) The control of practice and the race, adherence to the timetable and, if he deems it necessary, the making of any proposal to the stewards to modify the timetable in accordance with the Code or Sporting Regulations.

b) The stopping of any car in accordance with the Code or Sporting Regulations

. c) The stopping of practice or suspension of the race in accordance with the Sporting Regulations if he deems it unsafe to continue and ensuring that the correct restart procedure is carried out.

d) The starting procedure.

e) The use of the safety car.


Still doesn't say he can change the rules.
Click to expand...
“Overriding authority in the following matters” means exactly that he can change the rules.
 
Gevatter
Premium
Taj Johal said:
overriding authority
Click to expand...
Taj Johal said:
Still doesn't say he can change the rules.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what it says :)

You guys are (again) acting like Masi just handed the win to Max. Max was behind at SC in, he was behind Hamilton the first part of the lap. It's neither his nor Masi's fault Hamilton didn't defend the corner he was overtaken in (again, like in lap 1), nor that Mercedes left Hamilton out on 33 lap old Hards because they were to timid to change tires under VSC.
 
Damage Inc
Taj Johal said:
Form the regs:

15.3
The clerk of the course shall work in permanent consultation with the Race Director. The Race Director shall have overriding authority in the following matters and the clerk of the course may give orders in respect of them only with his express agreement:

a) The control of practice and the race, adherence to the timetable and, if he deems it necessary, the making of any proposal to the stewards to modify the timetable in accordance with the Code or Sporting Regulations.

b) The stopping of any car in accordance with the Code or Sporting Regulations

. c) The stopping of practice or suspension of the race in accordance with the Sporting Regulations if he deems it unsafe to continue and ensuring that the correct restart procedure is carried out.

d) The starting procedure.

e) The use of the safety car.


Still doesn't say he can change the rules.
Click to expand...
He has discretion when to bring in the safety car.
 
Taj Johal
Premium
Damage Inc said:
Finishing behind the SC only benefits one team, why is that fairer?
Click to expand...

By adhering to the rules, it would not have benefited one team, it would have benefitted all teams.

Now, no team can be sure that they will not be randomly penalised or disadvantaged.

Would you as a sponsor want to invest millions into a team and F1, not knowing if a win could simply be manipulated away?
 
Colt459
Gevatter said:
That's exactly what it says :)

You guys are (again) acting like Masi just handed the win to Max. Max was behind at SC in, he was behind Hamilton the first part of the lap. It's neither his nor Masi's fault Hamilton didn't defend the corner he was overtaken in (again, like in lap 1), nor that Mercedes left Hamilton out on 33 lap old Hards because they were to timid to change tires under VSC.
Click to expand...
Mercedes made a lot of interesting choices

Pitting early on mediums to match Max
Driving conservative against checo to let him hold you up
not pitting at VSC
not pitting at last SC
not defending the inside on the last lap fight with Max

if you see the theme, they played it very conservative. Sometimes it works and sometimes it means you lose an end of race fight on old tires.
 
Taj Johal
Premium
Gevatter said:
That's exactly what it says :)

You guys are (again) acting like Masi just handed the win to Max. Max was behind at SC in, he was behind Hamilton the first part of the lap. It's neither his nor Masi's fault Hamilton didn't defend the corner he was overtaken in (again, like in lap 1), nor that Mercedes left Hamilton out on 33 lap old Hards because they were to timid to change tires under VSC.
Click to expand...
I too can quote two random words out of context.

You still haven't shown where it say explicitly Massi can make up his own procedures.
 
L
What I don't understand is how on earth all Hamilton fans didn't protest the red flag when in Imola he was able to free repairs, change tires, unlap, and get to the podium. Nobody on Mercedes side said that is ridiculous. It was, FIA didn't adjust the rule afterward. But in the case of Mick Schumacher accident and the first part with SC, Mercedes used Vottas to go very very slow and allow Hamilton to pit free, that engagement would have been not allowed but it was ok and fair. But fighting for position with Perez wasn´t. And that was said on the radio by Hamilton itself "this is too dangerous". Not to mention that later came the red flag that allowed Max to change tires for free and there sir Hamilton said: "This is ridiculous, the wall seems fine", but in Imola, he got the 3er position trophy and showed very delight.
 
Last edited:
L
Taj Johal said:
Were any rules or regulations broken in Imola?
Click to expand...
No, and in this last one neither!
SC condition is decided with procedures but the rules allow to adjust on the case of something that scape regulation like having an accident 6 laps before the end and maybe having time to remove the cars.
The most questionable part of the SC procedure would be that at first there were no allowed cars to unlap, which for me was a warning where Masi, this is my opinion, was trying to make the less controversial move. But after knowing Latifi´s car could be removed he decided to have the last lap in race condition allowing quickly the cars that are interfering with the most important part of the championship definition to unlap and so, they did.

That´s why Alonso, Max, and probably others on the radio commented about that strange first message that didn't allow the cars to unlap. That was not the case for example in the Red Flag at Imola were immediately everyone was allowed to unlap.

The rules don't say "all" and don't say "must". And there you go, there states that this was procedure adjusted to the regulations.
 

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