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.
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
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
| 1 | Max VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull | 1:22.109 |
| 2 | Lewis HAMILTON | Mercedes | 1:22.480 |
| 3 | Lando NORRIS | McLaren | 1:22.931 |
| 4 | Sergio PÉREZ | Red Bull | 1:22.947 |
| 5 | Carlos SAINZ | Ferrari | 1:22.992 |
| 6 | Valtteri BOTTAS | Mercedes | 1:23.036 |
| 7 | Charles LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:23.122 |
| 8 | Yuki TSUNODA | Alpha Tauri | 1:23.220 |
| 9 | Esteban OCON | Alpine | 1:23.389 |
| 10 | Daniel RICCIARDO | McLaren | 1:23.409 |
| 11 | Fernando ALONSO | Alpine | 1:23.460 |
| 12 | Pierre GASLY | Alpha Tauri | 1:24.043 |
| 13 | Lance STROLL | Aston Martin | 1:24.066 |
| 14 | Antonio GIOVINAZZI | Alfa Romeo | 1:24.251 |
| 15 | Sebastian VETTEL | Aston Martin | 1:24.305 |
| 16 | Nicholas LATIFI | Williams | 1:24.338 |
| 17 | George RUSSELL | Williams | 1:24.423 |
| 18 | Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN | Alfa Romeo | 1:24.779 |
| 19 | Mick SCHUMACHER | Haas | 1:24.906 |
| 20 | Nikita MAZEPIN | Haas | 1:25.685 |
Race Results
| 1 | Max VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull | LAP 58 |
| 2 | Lewis HAMILTON | Mercedes | 2.256 |
| 3 | Carlos SAINZ | Ferrari | 5.173 |
| 4 | Yuki TSUNODA | Alpha Tauri | 5.692 |
| 5 | Pierre GASLY | Alpha Tauri | 6.531 |
| 6 | Valtteri BOTTAS | Mercedes | 7.463 |
| 7 | Lando NORRIS | McLaren | 59.2 |
| 8 | Fernando ALONSO | Alpine | 61.708 |
| 9 | Esteban OCON | Alpine | 64.026 |
| 10 | Charles LECLERC | Ferrari | 66.057 |
| 11 | Sebastian VETTEL | Aston Martin | 67.527 |
| 12 | Daniel RICCIARDO | McLaren | +1L |
| 13 | Lance STROLL | Aston Martin | +1L |
| 14 | Mick SCHUMACHER | Haas | +1L |
| 15 | Sergio PÉREZ | Red Bull | DNF |
| 16 | Nicholas LATIFI | Williams | DNF |
| 17 | Antonio GIOVINAZZI | Alfa Romeo | DNF |
| 18 | George RUSSELL | Williams | DNF |
| 19 | Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN | Alfa Romeo | DNF |
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
