The penultimate race on the 2021 F1 calendar will be flagged off on December 5 and two drivers who have dominated headlines all season are back in the spotlight. A hungry Max Verstappen is gunning for his maiden title, while the wily veteran Lewis Hamilton has sprung back in the last couple of races to prove that his bag of tricks is far from empty.
Although the past decade has seen Mercedes dominating Formula 1, Red Bull Racing is back in the mix, after reigning supreme from 2010 to 2014. Mercedes did something special during the hybrid era and has won an unprecedented seven constructors titles on the trot.
However, the 2021 season has sprung up surprises. Replete with drama on and off the track, the season has seen young veteran Max Verstappen of Red Bull manage to pull off something that no driver has done since 2014 — i.e. push seven-time defending champion Lewis Hamilton to his limits. Verstappen took the lead in the 2021 championship after the Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park.
The 2021 season has been the most intense F1 championship in years and it may not be over yet as we head into the penultimate race weekend of the season.
As things stand, Verstappen (351.5) has an eight-point lead over Hamilton (343.50), and there are a maximum of 52 points on offer over the next two weeks -- in Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Here's a look at the scenarios that could play out as Dutch wunderkind Verstappen and British legend Lewis Hamilton go head-to-head at the new Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia on December 5.
Hamilton wins with fastest lap, Verstappen finishes second: Both drivers are tied at the top spot, and everything depends on the season finale at Abu Dhabi — where either driver needs to score at least one point more than his rival to lift the championship.
Verstappen wins the race with fastest lap and Hamilton finishes sixth or lower: It'll be game over for the British legend and fans would get to see a new champion.
Verstappen crashes out: Hamilton will need to win with a fastest lap in Jeddah, and finish at least second in Abu Dhabi as well as bag the fastest lap to be assured of a title win.
Hamilton crashes out: Verstappen must finish at least second with the fastest lap to win the championship.
Both drivers crash out: This leaves the Dutchman with an advantage, as he only needs to finish second with a fastest lap in Abu Dhabi to win his maiden world drivers' championship, while nothing short of a victory and the fastest lap will help Hamilton make it to a record eighth Formula 1 championship.
These are, however, just the best and worse-case scenarios and by no means are comprehensive — just the most common ways in which this season's title could be decided.
The way forward is much clearer for Verstappen. Apart from the first scenario mentioned above, the young Dutchman can win his maiden title if he finishes: first and Hamilton finishes seventh or lower; finishes second with a fastest lap and Hamilton finishes 10th or lower; or finishes second and Hamilton doesn't score.
Nonetheless, there are several wildcards in the mix. For instance, in the last scenario, if Hamilton wins the race in Abu Dhabi and Verstappen finishes second, but another driver bags the fastest lap, then the title contenders will be tied again for the top spot. In this case, the title will go to the driver with most wins this season i.e. Verstappen.
The X-factor: The brand-new Jeddah circuit has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Work on the Corniche Circuit continued even two days prior to the weekend, but the FIA certified the track on the eve of the weekend. It is, however, an untested circuit and is the biggest wildcard of them all.
Any which way you look at it, this race weekend is going to be a riveting watch.
Where to watch in India:
The 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix main race will start at 11 pm IST on December 5. Live coverage will be available on Star Sports Select, Star Sports Select HD 2 and Disney Hotstar+.
First Published: Dec 4, 2021 8:42 AM IST
