Verstappen is F1 World champion
Pictures Laurence Nair-Price
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overtakes Mercedes Benz’s Lewis Hamilton on chaotic last lap to claim first F1 title in Abu Dhabi. Briton’s Mercedes team had two protests against the result rejected by stewards.
In the most thrilling with extreme controversial of climaxes to an epic F1 title duel Verstappen and Hamilton’s battle ended up in the last lap shoot out on the 1297th and final lap of the season after a late safety car wiped out the Mercedes driver’s comfortable dozen-second race lead. Armed with new tyres, and a clear run at Hamilton after lapped cars between them were told to pass the Safety Car in a move that angered Mercedes and led to a post-race protest and continues with a subsequent intention to appeal. Verstappen took his first chance to pass his arch British rival with a bold move down the inside at Turn Five.
Hamilton had appeared in control of the race and on course for the title himself despite the controversy on the first lap, until a late safety car. The race was restarted with one lap to go with Verstappen on fresh tyres and Hamilton on old ones and the Dutchman swept by to win the race in the last lap.
Verstappen screamed with delight and Red Bull celebrated Briton Hamilton sat in his Mercedes for several minutes, disbelieving at the way event had panned out against him in the final minutes. Mercedes launched two protests- one for Verstappen overtaking Hamilton under safety car conditions just before the restart, and one over what they believe was officials not correctly following the rules on safety car procedures – both of which were rejected after several hours and meetings between the two teams.
Red Bull’s engine supplier Honda have won their first F! drivers’ title since powering Aryton Senna’s McLaren in 1991
Mercedes wins the Constructors championship.
Yas Marina, 12 December 2021
| Rank | Driver | Number | Team | Grid | Pits | Fastest Lap | Race Time | PointsPts |
| 1 | Max VerstappenVER | 3333 | Red Bull | 11 | 33 | fastest overall lap 1:26.1031:26.103 | 1:30:17.3451:30:17.345 | 2626 |
| 2 | Lewis HamiltonHAM | 4444 | Mercedes | 22 | 11 | 1:26.6151:26.615 | 2.256 behind+2.256 | 1818 |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz JnrSAI | 5555 | Ferrari | 55 | 11 | 1:27.6181:27.618 | 5.173 behind+5.173 | 1515 |
| 4 | Yuki TsunodaTSU | 2222 | AlphaTauri | 88 | 22 | 1:27.4961:27.496 | 5.692 behind+5.692 | 1212 |
| 5 | Pierre GaslyGAS | 1010 | AlphaTauri | 1212 | 22 | 1:27.3421:27.342 | 6.531 behind+6.531 | 1010 |
| 6 | Valtteri BottasBOT | 7777 | Mercedes | 66 | 11 | 1:26.8621:26.862 | 7.463 behind+7.463 | 88 |
| 7 | Lando NorrisNOR | 44 | McLaren | 33 | 22 | 1:26.7621:26.762 | 59.200 behind+59.200 | 66 |
| 8 | Fernando AlonsoALO | 1414 | Alpine | 1111 | 11 | 1:27.6071:27.607 | 1:01.708 behind+1:01.708 | 44 |
| 9 | Esteban OconOCO | 3131 | Alpine | 99 | 11 | 1:28.2491:28.249 | 1:04.026 behind+1:04.026 | 22 |
| 10 | Charles LeclercLEC | 1616 | Ferrari | 77 | 22 | 1:28.4331:28.433 | 1:06.057 behind+1:06.057 | 11 |
2021 Constructor standings
| POS | TEAM | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 613.5 |
| 2 | Red Bull Racing Honda | 585.5 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 323.5 |
| 4 | McLaren Mercedes | 275 |
| 5 | Alpine Renault | 155 |
| 6 | Alphatauri Honda | 142 |
| 7 | Aston Martin Mercedes | 77 |
| 8 | Williams Mercedes | 23 |
| 9 | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 13 |
| 10 | Haas Ferrari | 0 |