With the final Grand Prix just around the corner, we are taking a look at the Formula 1 season so far and what the last race will give us.
Red Bull vs Mercedes
After a seven-year unchallenged reign, this season of Formula 1 we have seen Mercedes comfortable superiority begin to dwindle. While Ferrari still are struggling to return back to previous form, Red Bull have been biting at Mercedes’ heels with the 2021 season being dominated by the rivalry between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Hamilton and Verstappen have been neck and neck since the first lights out of the season. Now with one race to go both drivers are equal on points. This means Sunday’s final in Abu Dhabi will determine the championship. Their immense desire to win can be seen back in September at Monza where both drivers collided in a jaw-dropping moment where Verstappen’s car launched over the top of Hamilton’s. Luckily both drivers walked away unscathed but their rivalry only intensified.
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton (L) and Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen collide during the Italian Formula One Grand Prix in Monza, Italy. One of Verstappen’s wheels could be seen hitting Hamilton’s crash helmet. https://t.co/7PeXG4OPSX pic.twitter.com/eIrNgdnmGg
— ABC News (@ABC) September 13, 2021
Constructors Championship
Along with the drivers, there is a battle between each team to win the constructors’ championship. This takes the scores of both drivers in the team. Currently Mercedes is leading with 587.5 points to Red Bull’s 559.5. The battle for third also holds huge importance in the F1 world. With money being at the heart of the sport, gaining third place is crucial as the team in third will get significantly more money for next season than fourth. Also, prestige comes with being the best of the rest. It has been a tight battle between McLaren and Ferrari throughout the season but it looks like Ferrari is going to make it out on top. With just one race to go McClaren are in fourth with 269 points, while Ferrari are pushing ahead in third with 307.5.
Controversy
The season hasn’t come without controversy. Amnesty International have criticised F1 for creating links to countries that have a history of human rights violations. Ahead of last weeks’ Saudi Arabian Grand Prix they expressed that the F1 have been complicit in Saudi Arabia’s attempt at sport washing. A tactic used to distract from the regime’s human rights offences. In a sport that herald’s equality and diversity, it can be seen as hypocritical to provide such countries with this stage. At both the Qatar and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Hamilton, a regular activist, wore a rainbow helmet to show his support of the LGBTQ + community, as same-sex relations are illegal in these countries. However, some have questioned whether this symbolic move was sufficient or just aesthetic.
We stand together. pic.twitter.com/F3hKZwVLyN
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) November 19, 2021
With the FIA losing huge amounts of money due to the pandemic, the money offered by these countries takes precedence. Another reminder that cash is always king in F1.
Next Season’s Line Up
As each team is only allowed two drivers each season, getting a driver is always extremely competitive. This leads us to see drivers change every year. However, next season there isn’t too much difference. Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine, AlphaTauri, Aston Martin and Haas all are unchanged. However, we will see Alfa Romeo, Williams and Mercedes change their line-ups.
| Mercedes | Lewis Hamilton | George Russell |
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen | Sergio Perez |
| Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | Carlos Sainz |
| McLaren | Lando Norris | Daniel Ricciardo |
| Alpine | Fernando Alonso | Esteban Ocon |
| AlphaTauri | Pierre Gasly | Yuki Tsunoda |
| Aston Martin | Sebastian Vettel | Lance Stroll |
| Williams | Alex Albon | Nicholas Latifi |
| Alfa Romeo | Valtteri Bottas | Guanyu Zhou |
| Haas | Nikita Mazepin | Mick Schumacher |
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