A new F1 World Champion

The 2021 Formula 1 season will be remembered for one thing above all: the title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

From Bahrain to Abu Dhabi, the two traded wins, points, and the championship lead. Their rivalry was intense and, at times, explosive — with collisions at Silverstone, Monza, and the chaos of Hungary shaping the direction of the title race.

Despite ongoing Covid-19 disruptions, the championship delivered one of the most dramatic seasons in modern Formula 1 history, culminating in a finale that is still debated today.

Race Calendar

The 2021 calendar featured 22 races across 20 countries, making it one of the longest seasons in Formula 1 history at the time.

Italy once again hosted two events — Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and the traditional race at Monza. Austria also held back-to-back races at the Red Bull Ring, under the Styrian and Austrian Grand Prix names.

Two new venues joined the calendar: Losail (Qatar) and the high-speed street circuit of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). Both would go on to play important roles in the championship battle.

Drivers and Constructors

The 2021 grid featured 10 teams and 21 drivers, including one reserve driver appearance during the season. Several significant changes reshaped the paddock compared to 2020:

• Racing Point rebranded as Aston Martin, returning the iconic British marque to Formula 1 with its signature green livery.
• Renault became Alpine, marking a new factory identity built around the French performance brand.
• Sergio Pérez moved to Red Bull Racing, replacing Alexander Albon alongside Max Verstappen.
• Carlos Sainz left McLaren to join Ferrari, partnering Charles Leclerc in an all-new lineup for the Scuderia.
• Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel joined Aston Martin, teaming up with Lance Stroll.
• Daniel Ricciardo switched from Renault to McLaren, forming one of the grid’s most experienced driver pairings with Lando Norris.
• Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso returned to Formula 1 with Alpine after two seasons away.
• AlphaTauri retained Pierre Gasly, now joined by rookie Yuki Tsunoda.
• Haas introduced an all-rookie lineup with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, prioritizing long-term development.

During the season, Robert Kubica made two appearances for Alfa Romeo, substituting for Kimi Räikkönen after a positive Covid-19 test.

2021 Season Analysis

Six different drivers stood on the top step of the podium in 2021, but the season ultimately revolved around two names.

Max Verstappen claimed 10 victories, while Lewis Hamilton secured 8. Behind them, standout moments shaped the narrative of the year:

• Esteban Ocon won in Hungary from P8 after a chaotic first lap.
• Daniel Ricciardo delivered McLaren’s first victory since 2012 with a dominant 1-2 finish at Monza.
• Sergio Pérez earned his second career win in Baku after Verstappen’s late tyre failure.
• Hamilton’s recovery drive in Brazil, from last to fifth in the Sprint and P10 to victory on Sunday, kept the championship alive.

The margins were small. Strategy, safety cars, penalties, and split-second decisions often proved decisive.

Standing on the podium is the clearest measure of consistency, and in 2021 it highlighted just how evenly matched the title contenders were.

Verstappen recorded 18 podium finishes, while Hamilton followed closely with 17. When either driver finished a race, they were almost always in the top three.

Elsewhere:

• George Russell secured his first Formula 1 podium at the rain-affected Belgian Grand Prix.
• Fernando Alonso returned to the podium in Qatar, marking his first top-three finish since 2014.

Finishing in the top ten remained crucial in such a tight championship.

Every driver scored at least once — except the Haas rookies Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.

Hamilton, Norris, and Sainz recorded 20 points finishes each, narrowly ahead of Verstappen with 19. The midfield battle between Ferrari and McLaren was equally intense, with consistency often proving more valuable than outright pace.

At the other end of the grid, Williams celebrated a long-awaited return to regular points finishes, highlighted by Russell’s podium at Spa.

2021 also introduced Sprint Qualifying, trialed at Silverstone, Monza, and São Paulo.

Friday qualifying set the grid for a short Saturday sprint race, which then determined Sunday’s starting order. Points were awarded to the top three finishers (3-2-1).

Only five drivers scored Sprint points. Bottas and Verstappen led with seven each, while Hamilton scored two.

Brazil delivered the most dramatic Sprint weekend. Disqualified from qualifying and starting last, Hamilton climbed to fifth in just 24 laps — a recovery that proved critical in keeping the championship fight alive.

When it came to outright pace, the numbers once again reflected the title fight.

Hamilton and Verstappen each recorded six fastest laps. Bottas added four, while Pérez claimed two.

Several midfield drivers — including Ricciardo, Norris, and Gasly — also left their mark with a single fastest lap during the season.

Retirements played a significant role in the championship.

A total of 59 DNFs were recorded:

• 6 due to accidents
• 20 from collisions
• the remainder from mechanical failures

Verstappen suffered three major retirements:

• A tyre blowout while leading in Baku
• The high-speed crash with Hamilton at Silverstone
• The Monza collision where both cars were eliminated

Despite this, he finished on the podium in 18 of the 19 races he completed — a remarkable level of consistency.

Hamilton, by contrast, retired only once — at Monza.

One notable statistic: Carlos Sainz completed every race of the season without a single DNF.

Point Progression

A season-long view of the points standings makes one thing clear: the championship fight belonged to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Across 22 races, the two consistently separated themselves from the rest of the field, trading momentum and rarely finishing outside the top positions. Behind them, their teammates — Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez — played crucial supporting roles in the Constructors’ battle.

Further down the order, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and Carlos Sainz were locked in a tight contest for “best of the rest.” Their positions shifted repeatedly throughout the season, with margins often measured in single-digit points.

In the end, Sainz secured fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship, finishing as the highest-ranked driver outside the Mercedes and Red Bull lineups.

The championship lead changed hands five times during the season.

Neither Verstappen nor Hamilton managed to build a decisive advantage. Whenever one pulled ahead, the other responded — often immediately.

Going into Abu Dhabi, both drivers were tied on points.

A late Safety Car changed everything. Verstappen pitted for fresh soft tyres, while Hamilton stayed out on worn hard tyres. With one lap remaining, Verstappen made the move at Turn 5 and secured his first World Championship.

The aftermath was controversial. Mercedes protested the race result, citing procedural decisions by the FIA. The appeal was later withdrawn, confirming Verstappen as World Champion.

While the Drivers’ title went down to the final lap, the Constructors’ Championship was decided by consistency.

Mercedes secured their eighth consecutive title, narrowly defeating Red Bull by 28 points — a dramatic improvement from the large gap seen in 2020.

Behind them:

• Ferrari completed a strong recovery season, finishing third.
• McLaren secured fourth after their Monza triumph.
• Alpine edged out AlphaTauri in a tight midfield battle.
• Williams returned to the points regularly.
• Haas finished the season without scoring.

Conclusions and Final Standings

The 2021 season will be remembered as one of the most intense title battles in Formula 1 history.

Max Verstappen secured his first World Championship by just eight points, ending Mercedes’ run of drivers’ titles in the hybrid era.

At the same time, Mercedes extended their dominance in the Constructors’ Championship, claiming an eighth consecutive crown.

It was a season defined by speed, controversy, resilience, and razor-thin margins — decided only on the final lap of the year.

Note: The data is compiled from the F1 Developer API (http://ergast.com/mrd/).