Hamilton won the race from Verstappen who was penalised twice, with Bottas snatching a podium from Ocon in the final few metres of the race.Ģ021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix report 17. More action at the restart between the title contenders was followed by the pair battling for the lead in the final third of the race, with a highly contentious collision on the back straight proving to be the peak of the drama at the front. The controversial Saudi Arabia race proved polarisingThe brand new Jeddah Corniche Circuit delivered on controversy during its debut grand prix.Īfter an early red flag following Mick Schumacher’s crash, Verstappen and Hamilton battled at the restart before a multi-car pile-up saw the race stopped again. Sergio Perez became the first Mexican driver to lead his home grand prix and his third-place finish might as well have been a win as far as the raucous home crowd were concerned. Hamilton was never able to seriously contend the lead thereafter, except in a window after the Red Bull’s pit stop. Mercedes swept the front row but Verstappen blasted through from third on the grid and ran away with it, the Red Bull’s slight pace advantage at the previous round in Austin turning into total superiority around Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Two retirements happened: Pierre Gasly, after contact with Leclerc early on, and Russell, following a hydraulic failure while the Williams had been running in a points-paying position. Other cars were distant competition as even fifth-place Norris was lapped before the chequered flag.Ī comparatively pedestrian round, by 2021’s standards, Verstappen won from pole while the only shuffle behind him to speak of was Bottas and Hamilton swapping for second. Mercedes and Red Bull seemed to far outclass the rest of the field around Spielberg. The first race of two around the Red Bull Ring this season proved to be the far less intriguing of the pair. Typically overtaking-free – bar an impressive pass by Sebastian Vettel on the hill that the television director decided was less interesting than a replay of Lance Stroll missing a chicane – Verstappen led Carlos Sainz Jnr and Lando Norris home for an exuberant podium that saw the Red Bull driver take the championship lead. The Mercedes driver might have been able to challenge Verstappen on strategy, had he not been foiled by a stuck wheel nut that saw him retire in the pits. That promoted Max Verstappen to an effective pole, Bottas alongside him. Possibly the only redeemable aspect of the weekend would have been for Williams fans, who got to witness a significantly dampened podium for George Russell’s second place.Ĭharles Leclerc took a dramatic home pole position, crashing at the swimming pool section in the final moments of Q3 but despite an overnight repair job to his car, was unable to start the race. Run entirely behind the safety car due to visibility-ruining wet conditions around Spa, it was controversially awarded half points after race control decided it had fulfilled the minimum race distance requirement. It was also the least popular race in the history of ‘Rate the Race’.Ī race that very literally wasn’t, the Belgian Grand Prix lasted just three laps. The Belgian Grand Prix scored the lowest-ever ratingRaceFans readers’ lowest rated race of the 2021 season will be of no surprise. Take a look back at the enthralling – and often polarising – races of the 2021 season from the worst rated to the highest rated of the year. With 22 races, six different winners, 13 drivers standing on the podium at least once and both championships coming down to the final round, the 2021 Formula 1 season is one that will live long in the memory.īut while fans were treated to some heart-pounding action on a number of occasions through the year, this season also produced the most universally disliked race RaceFans readers have seen since we began our ‘Rate the Race’ polls 14 seasons and almost 300 grandsago.
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