The producers of Netflix’s Drive to Survive couldn’t have come up with a better storyline for the final race of the 2021 Formula One season.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes enter Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tied atop of the standings for the world championship with 369.5 points apiece.
Combine that with all the drama both drivers have dished on and off the track and you have the most intense F1 title chase in recent memory (and people say I have a really good memory).
Verstappen and Hamilton have finished 1-2 in six of the past seven races since their frightening collision in the Monza Grand Prix. Hamilton had just exited the pits right ahead of Verstappen. The two battled wheel-to-wheel and locked up into the turn with Verstappen flying on top of Hamilton’s car. Fortunately, the rollover hoop prevented Hamilton from sustaining any serious injuries.
Since then Verstappen and Hamilton have continued to tango on the track. It’s debatable whether or not Verstappen intentionally attempted to run Hamilton off in Brazil. Then there was the “brake test” incident just last week in Saudi Arabia when Verstappen had to give up a spot and slowed down, catching Hamilton off guard as he ran right into the back of the Dutch driver.
Simply put, we couldn’t ignore Verstappen and Hamilton for our “Driver(s) of Interest” season finale. Here’s why either driver could win the world championship plus a quick history lesson on why this is one for the record books.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain crashes with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands during the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, at Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept.12, 2021. (Luca Bruno/AP)
Why Verstappen could win the world championship
Although both drivers are currently even in points, Verstappen holds the tiebreaker with more race victories: nine to eight.
Look, we’re not going to rule anything out. It’s possible neither driver scores points (like in Azerbaijan) or even finishes the race (cough Monza cough).
There’s also the possibility Verstappen finishes ninth (netting two points) and Hamilton finishes P10 (one point) plus claims the fastest lap bonus point to keep both drivers all square. Hey, anything can happen in Formula One.
Verstappen is also the defending race winner at the Yas Marina Circuit — leading all 55 laps from pole position to chequered flag — although modifications have been made to the track in a few of the turns so it’s not quite as simple as copying and pasting the script from last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Qualifying is always key and Verstappen holds the edge over Hamilton there as well this season taking pole position eight times to five.
Don’t let his youth, brashness and fiery temper on the track fool you as “Mad Max” has 19 career race victories and actually holds the distinction as the driver with the most all-time wins without a world championship. At age 24, Verstappen’s time is now.
Why Hamilton could win the world championship (again)
While Verstappen seeks his first, Hamilton is aiming for a record eighth driver’s title.
Hamilton tied the great Michael Schumacher last season after winning his seventh and an eighth — plus fifth in a row — would be unprecedented.
His past four have been won with relative ease, none of them went down to the wire like this, and Hamilton will have to bring his A, B and C games to fend off Verstappen.
Verstappen has more wins this season, but Hamilton enters Abu Dhabi with the momentum having won the past three consecutively including back-to-back from pole position in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. That streak also erased a 19-point hold Verstappen had on first place.
Although Verstappen is the defending race winner, Hamilton has been victorious in Abu Dhabi more times than anyone else with five wins including 2018 and 2019.
Hamilton has also scored the fastest lap bonus more times this year (six to four) and you just know those pesky points will continue to come into play.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, right, celebrates from the podium after winning with second-place Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain from the podium during the French Formula One Grand Prix at the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet, southern France, Sunday, June 20, 2021.
A brief history of time
• This is the first time two drivers have entered the final race of the season tied for first in the standings since 1974 when McLaren’s Emerson Fittipaldi and Ferrari’s Clay Regazzoni were even at the top. The U.S. Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, N.Y., served as the finale with Fittipaldi finishing fourth, ahead of Regazzoni in 11th, to claim the title.
• Can Con: The battle between Verstappen and Hamilton conjures up memories of Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve’s title victory in 1997. Schumacher led by only one point heading into the finale in Jerez, Spain, and literally attempted to fend off Villeneuve to the point of collision. Villeneuve held it together to finish third in the race to claim the championship although Schumacher, who was forced to retire from the race, was blamed for the incident and stripped of all his points that season.
• In terms of more recent history, it’s the first year the title will be decided in the final race since 2016. Nico Rosberg led Mercedes teammate/rival Hamilton by 12 points. Hamilton won the race from pole position, however, Rosberg finished second to secure his first (and only) world championship. Rosberg announced his shocking retirement just five days later.
• Verstappen was the youngest to win a Grand Prix but he isn’t going to be the youngest to win the world championship. That record will remain with Sebastian Vettel, who claimed his first in 2010 at age 23. Should Verstappen win it Sunday, he would be fourth on the list behind Vettel, Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
• There’s also the battle between Mercedes and Red Bull for the constructors’ championship. Mercedes holds a 28-point advantage as the German manufacturer aims for a record-extending eighth consecutive title. That would also put them in a tie with McLaren for third on the all-time list with Williams just one spot ahead in second place and nine titles. Mercedes still has a ways to go to catch Ferrari in first place with 16.
• Never say never and should Red Bull claim the constructors, it would be its first since capping a four-peat in 2013. It would also be engine manufacturer Honda’s first since 1991.
• What if Verstappen wins the driver’s championship and Mercedes win the constructors? It’s been done 10 times, most recently in 2008 when Hamilton captured his first driver’s title with McLaren while Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa helped Ferrari claim the constructor’s championship. Massa finished the season victorious on his home track in Brazil, however, he needed Hamilton to finish no better than fifth place in order to claim the driver’s championship. Guess where Hamilton finished? C’mon, you know it. Hamilton finished right in fifth place to edge Massa on points 98-97.
F1 Drivers of Interest: All eyes on Verstappen, Hamilton in finale for title
Source: Pinas Ko Mahal
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