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After his last lap overtake on Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen claimed his maiden F1 World Championship following a breathtaking season that saw the title change hands so many times.
There were six different race winners, 13 podium finishers, five pole sitters and seven different fastest lap holders all over the course of this thrilling season, which like no other, fittingly ended with an incredible last lap finale.
Drivers’ Champion – Max Verstappen
After starting on the back foot in Bahrain with a second-place finish, Verstappen took his first win of the season at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
This was followed by two podium finishes in Portugal and Spain before returning to the top step in Monaco as he took advantage of Mercedes’ misfortunes which moved him to the top of the drivers’ standings. A tyre blowout in Baku didn’t phase Verstappen with the Dutchman securing a hat-trick of victories in France, Styria and Austria.
Verstappen’s luck would take a hit in Silverstone after a collision with eventual race winner Hamilton on the opening lap left him in the barrier at Copse. The Hungarian Grand Prix was not much better for the Dutchman as a first corner collision with Valtteri Bottas saw the Red Bull driver only pick up two points.
The Belgian Grand Prix fell foul of the downpour but Verstappen claimed the win and with it 12.5 points. His first-ever home race in Zandvoort ended in victory as the Dutchman converted pole position into a win and stepped onto the top step of the podium in front of the adoring Dutch fans.
A crash at Monza with title rival Hamilton saw Verstappen earn a penalty ahead of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi. Thankfully, the late downfall saw the Dutchman make his way up to second after starting at the back of the grid following an engine change.
Verstappen went on to collect two victories after that as he won in the United States and Mexico before losing out to Hamilton in Brazil. The Mercedes driver took two back-to-back wins in Qatar and Saudi Arabia which left the two title protagonists level on points heading into the season showdown in Abu Dhabi.
Despite taking pole position ahead of the final race, Verstappen lost out to Hamilton at turn one and a bold lunge at turn six was unsuccessful as the Mercedes driver drove into the distance. Sergio Perez played the ultimate team game as he kept Hamilton behind and his Red Bull teammate closed in, but once the Brit broke free, that gap soon stretched.
However, another twist to the tale came with five laps to go as Nicholas Latifi’s late crash on the exit of turn 14 brought out the Safety Car.
After making a stop for soft tyres, the green flag was waved on the final lap of the race and Verstappen overtook Hamilton into turn five to claim his maiden F1 title.
10 wins, six fastest laps, 10 poles and 18 podiums earned the Dutchman 395.5 points which saw him finish eight points clear of Hamilton and cap off a fantastic title battle.
Constructors’ Champions – Mercedes
Mercedes’ eighth consecutive constructors’ title saw them close out the turbo-hybrid era with a clean sweep.
Hamilton was at the forefront of their title ambitions with Valtteri Bottas picking up the pieces and backing up the Brit where possible.
The Finn’s late-season form, especially after he announced his departure from the Brackley outfit, certainly gave them the edge over Red Bull who suffered from Perez’s inconsistent results when Bottas was on red-hot form. Even when Verstappen took the win, Hamilton and Bottas were usually alongside the Dutchman on the podium whilst Perez finished down the order.
Mercedes scored a staggering 613.5 points in 2021 with nine race wins throughout the year. However, they will be devastated they couldn’t deliver Hamilton his eighth title but winning 15 out of 16 titles available since 2014 shows how much they’ve dominated this era.
The next big test for Mercedes will be adapting to the 2022 regulated cars, but if they show the same strength as they have done in the turbo-hybrid era, they will likely continue being F1’s dominant force.
Rookie of the Year – Yuki Tsunoda
Rookie of the Year, Yuki Tsunoda, finished 14th in the drivers’ standings with an impressive 32 points during his maiden season in the sport.
The 21-year-old scored seven top 10 finishes throughout the season, including a fantastic ninth-place finish on debut in Bahrain before rounding off his first F1 campaign with a brilliant fourth place in Abu Dhabi.
Perhaps subject to some unjust criticism at times with teammate Pierre Gasly getting the very best and more out of his AlphaTauri, the young Japanese driver made some rookie errors trying to match his teammate’s pace.
absolutely sending it on the final lap of the 2021 season ? what a move @yukitsunoda07!!
— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) December 16, 2021
Tsunoda’s close wheel-to-wheel action has been entertaining to watch, especially his stellar Safety Car restart at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Irradicating small mistakes could see the Japanese driver become a regular feature inside the top 10 in 2022 as he continues his development in Formula 1.
Unsung Hero – Carlos Sainz
The Unsung Hero of 2021 was Carlos Sainz whose incredible contributions helped Ferrari claim third in the constructors’ standings.
In his maiden year with the Scuderia squad, the 27-year-old scored four podiums and six top-five finishes, in a car that many predicted at the start of the season would lose out to McLaren.
Sainz too defied the predictions that he’d struggle to adjust to the machinery and finish below teammate Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ standings. However, the Spaniard’s 164.5 points saw him finish fifth in the standings only behind Verstappen, Hamilton, Perez and Bottas and 6.5 points clear of Leclerc who finished seventh.
The Spaniard is already reaping the rewards of an impressive season and is already in talks with Ferrari over a new contract extension.
Into 2022, given their rapid and impressive end of season development, Sainz could build on a successful 2021 and be at the forefront of a potential championship challenging season.
Race of the Season – Hungarian Grand Prix
An action-packed race culminating in a first-time winner are some of the most magical days in F1 and August 1st was just that as Esteban Ocon won the chaotic Hungarian Grand Prix.
So long, farewell
Leaving the sport at the end of 2021 are Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen.
The 2007 World Champion closed the curtain on his 20-year F1 career in Abu Dhabi meanwhile his teammate Giovinazzi heads to Formula E to drive for Penske Racing. The duo will be replaced at Alfa Romeo by Bottas and rookie Guanyu Zhou in 2022.
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