A to Z of #F1 in 2021. A look at all the trends and news that dominated the world of Formula 1 over the last 12 months...
A - Alonso - Often regarded as the best driver on the grid, the two-time champ made a comeback to F1 in style. Not only did he grab a podium after a span 7 years, but his defending of Hamilton for 11 laps in Hungary was vital for teammate Ocon to score his first win. #F1
B - #BritishGP - The race saw the most explosive battle between the two c’ship protagonists where Hamilton crashed Max in a high-speed corner and the latter hit the wall with a 51G impact and was hospitalized while Hamilton cruised to victory and celebrated endlessly. #F1
C - Checo - is a legend.
Perez had a mixed year, but it was more smiles than cries. Checo won the #AzerbaijanGP in only his 6th race with RBR. But his legacy at Red Bull was cemented at Abu Dhabi when he made overtaking difficult for Hamilton in the crucial c'ship battle.
Perez had a mixed year, but it was more smiles than cries. Checo won the #AzerbaijanGP in only his 6th race with RBR. But his legacy at Red Bull was cemented at Abu Dhabi when he made overtaking difficult for Hamilton in the crucial c'ship battle.
D - Daniel Ricciardo - Honeybadger secured McLaren’s first win since 2012. With Lando finishing P2, they both scored the only 1-2 finish for any team in 2021. That’s right, neither Merc or RBR could manage a 1-2 finish this year. #F1
E - Engines - Engine allotment limit, engine change due to crash by another driver, engine change penalties and engine change power gain overshadowing the penalties…topics of conversation we haven’t heard last of. #F1
F - FIA - Never before was FIA’s name being dragged in a championship battle so many times as it did during the 2021 WDC. With Jean Todt stepping down and Mohammed Ben Sulayem becoming the new #FIA President, things are sure to shake up as we go forward. #F1
G - George Russell - Boy wonder George Russell who’s slated to pair Hamilton in 2022 scored first podium for Williams since 2017 when the Brit took P2 at the #BelgianGP which raced 5 laps behind Safety Car in wet conditions. Looks like he'll be a handful in that Merc for Hamilton
H - Hamilton - Being knighted, failing to win the 8th title, ridiculous fashion wear ahead of the race, going to the MET gala, not going to FIA prize gala, signing new contract with Merc, pretending to contemplate leaving F1…Lewis knows how to stay in news no matter what. #F1
I - Italian Passion - Ferrari was never a championship contender to the extent that it was win-less season for them. But the biggest surprise was newbie Carlos Sainz outscoring the golden boy Charles Leclerc. #F1
J- Jeddah – F1’s newest circuit had been in controversy since day one. For most of the year, there were doubts about the Saudi track being able to finish on time. The race eventually did take place and provided exciting racing. Human rights is still a question mark though. #F1
K - Kimi - One of the most loved #F1 drivers and still the last Ferrari world champion, Kimi ‘Iceman’ Raikkonen, hangs his helmet after a record 249 Grand Prix starts.😭
L - Lando – Highly-rated McLaren driver saw mixed fortunes. The Brit scored 4 podiums but was unlucky on having missed out on a win at the Russian GP when rain played spoil sport and Norris’ gamble to stay on dry-weather tyres saw him slip and slide out of a winning position.
M - Mad Max – Lewis Hamilton who’s used to cruising to victory was outclassed by Max Verstappen. While Lewis fans thinks he doesn’t deserve the c’ship, Max is voted the best driver of 2021 by (i) his peers, (ii) team bosses, and (iii) F1 fans; in different polls. #F1
N - Netflix – 2021 being one of the greatest seasons ever, with all the drama that went down in the last race, the eventual winner is Netflix. And Verstappen, of course. #F1
O - Ocon – The Frenchman was one of the surprises of the year. 2021 season saw him take his maiden win in #F1 at the #HungarianGP.
P - Pirelli - The tyre maker received its fair share of flank but the biggest blowout (pun intended) was when Max had a tyre outburst while comfortably leading the race. #F1
Qualifying Sprint – The new Sprint Qualifying format has received mixed reactions. It’s here to stay for now but the jury is still out on the fence whether it should be kept long term or not. #F1
Race Director - Michael Masi had big shoes to fill after Charlie Whiting’s untimely death before the 2019 Australian GP. While it’s true that decision-making hasn’t been consistent in 2021, it isn’t helped by how certain team bosses are trying to criticize and bully get their way
S - Safety Car - To Safety Car or not to Safety Car, that was the question at the #AbuDhabiGP. The 2021 title showdown came down to Safety Car intervention and that incident is going to be discussed for years to come. #F1
T - Toto - the meme lord
Either you leave F1 as a champion team boss or live long enough to see yourself become a meme. From throwing his headset to pointing fingers at camera and dressing up like a Bond villain and criticizing #F1, Toto Wolff has now become a meme royalty.
Either you leave F1 as a champion team boss or live long enough to see yourself become a meme. From throwing his headset to pointing fingers at camera and dressing up like a Bond villain and criticizing #F1, Toto Wolff has now become a meme royalty.
U - Undercut – Undercut and Overcut pit strategies has played a vital role this season. At various times during the season, these strategies has proved to the single most crucial tactic in deciding the race result for Max & Lewis. #F1
V - Vettel - Seb has come a long way from a bratty racer who used to defy team orders at Red Bull Racing. Cleaning up stands after the race, raising his voice for LGBTQ+, setting up a women’s karting race in Abu Dhabi and the list going on…Seb has become the Keanu Reeves of #F1.
W - Wings - Being a Red Bull guy, it’s obvious that Max has fascination with wings. But this got him in trouble when he got a bit too close to Merc’s rear wing & got 50k penalty. Elsewhere, front & rear wing flex and DRS wing infringement penalty also kept the chatter going. #F1
X – Xtreme Reactions – #F1 finally found their version of extremists in the form of pro-Max and pro-Hamilton fans. Social media chatter has been loaded with high level of abuses, misconception, biases and hatred among both set of fans. This includes Sky commentators as well.
Y - Yas Marina - Venue of the greatest F1 showdown in recent history. Abu Dhabi GP 2021 will go down as one of the greatest #F1 title deciders in history.
Z - Zandvoort – First #DutchGP since 1985 provided a brilliant spectacle for Max’s orange army & a true assessment of Red Bull’s machine & Verstappen’s character as Max became the first Dutch driver to win his home grand prix. And with it he also retook the championship lead. #F1
Correction: 349* starts.
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