This post is all about the new 2021 F2, F3 and W-Series Champions.
Oscar Piastri won the Formula 2 championship at last weekends Yas Marina Circuit with two races to spare, Oscar Piastri won this years Formula 2 Championship ahead of both Robert Shwartzman and Guanyu Zhou in the standings. So where going to see Oscar Piastri next season? Already confirmed to be Alpine's F1 Terams reserve driver while doing some mid-season testing with the team.
While at the Sochi Autodrom in late-September, Dennis Hauger won this years Formula 3 Championship with two races to spare, ahead of both Jack Doohan and Clément Novalak in the standings. Dennis Hauger is stepping up-to Formula 2 next season with the Prema Racing team, his is currently a Red Bull Junior driver as-well.
Meanwhile at Austin in late-October, Jamie Chadwick won this years W-Series Championship, ahead of Alice Powell and Emma Kimiläinen in the standings.
So, contractions to the new Champions. Bring on 2022.
It was confirmed yesterday (12/12/21), that Hass's Nikita Mazepin has tested positive for coronavirus and will misses the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. No one replaces Mazepin for the race
Mazepin is the eighth Formula 1 driver to test positive from the virus after Sergio Pérez, Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc (all three had the virus during pre-season) and Kimi Räikkönen.
Mazepin has gone into self-quarantine, along with all his close contacts, as per F1's track-and-trace system.
Nikita Mazepin participated in Saturday qualifying at Yes Marina but news of his positive test was announced early on Sunday morning.
Anyway, get well soon to Nikita Mazepin. Also, stay safe everyone.
Review of the twenty-second and final round of the 2021 F1 season at Yas Marina Circuit on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The race that Lewis Hamilton should have won and the Championship.
Max Verstappen was on pole for Sunday's race ahead of Sir Lewis Hamilton. In the day to night Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton overtake Verstappen at the start and comfortably lead the race throughout. With Sir Lewis Hamilton set to win and the F1 Drivers' Championship for the eighth time, until the Safety Car was deployed on lap 53 when Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams at turn 14. Hamilton didn't pit for tyres stayed on his hard tyres while Verstappen pitted for new soft tyres.
During lap 57, race director Michael Masi gave the direction that only the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen were to unlap themselves, despite three others wasn't unlap. Then on lap 58 when the safety car went in and the final lap at turn 6, Verstappen overtake Hamilton for the lead and for the championship to win this seasons Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Max Verstappen's tenth race win of the season and enough for Max Verstappen to win his first F1 World Drivers Championship title and becoming the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One World Championship.
In my opinion, I have no problem what Masi done with un-lapping the drivers who where lapped on last but one lap of the race if it was all of them (Ricciardo, Stroll and Mick Schumacher wasn't un-lapped), it didn’t happen making the show too artificial for a Netflix audience. Yet again Mercedes has to take some of the blame the team too, had the change to pit Hamilton for fresh soft tyres during VSC for Giovinazzi went out or Safety Car for Lafiti. Also, don't blame Latifi he had received abuse and death threats from some fans on social media, no fans to me or to Formula 1 if you abuse Lafiti.
While, Sir Lewis Hamilton finished in second place in the Mercedes, Hamilton was two seconds behind Verstappen at the end.
With Sir Lewis Hamilton finish second place was enough for Mercedes to win this seasons F1 Constructors' Championship ahead of Red Bull. Contracts to Mercedes for winning their eighth Constructors' Championship in Formula 1.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz, Jr. finished in third place in the other Ferrari to complete the podium, Sainz, Jr. was five seconds behind Verstappen at the end of the fifty-eight lap race.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 10 (finished second)
Valtteri Bottas - 6 (finished sixth)
Red Bull Racing - 8
Max Verstappen - 9 (pole, race win, fastest lap)
Sergio Pérez - 8 (DNF, Oil pressure)
McLaren - 6
Daniel Ricciardo - 5 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Lando Norris - 7 (finished seventh)
Aston Martin - 5
Sebastian Vettel - 5 (finished eleventh)
Lance Stroll - 5 (finished thirteenth, lap down)
Alpine - 6
Fernando Alonso - 6 (finished eighth)
Esteban Ocon - 7 (finished ninth)
Ferrari - 7
Charles Leclerc - 6 (finished tenth)
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 8 (finished third)
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit outside of Abu Dhabi for the final round of the 2021 Formula 1 season.
So predictions for the race itself, Lewis Hamilton for the win in the Mercedes and for the F1 Drivers' Championship too. Max Verstappen second in the Red Bull, and third place for Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes. Don't forget Sergio Pérez, the McLaren drivers, the Aston Martin drivers, the Alpine drivers, the Ferrari drivers, and Pierre Gasly as-well for a podium place.
Review of the Supercars Championship round of the 2021 Bathurst 1000 at the famous Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales.
Walkinshaw Andretti United drivers Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth won the 161 lap race overall in their Holden Commodore ZB. The win was Chaz Mostert's second win around the New South Wales track, while its Lee Holdsworth's first win around the New South Wales track.
Second place was Tickford Racing drivers Cameron Waters and James Moffat in their Ford Mustang GT, they were four seconds behind the leaders at the end. Meanwhile, Erebus Motorsport drivers Brodie Kostecki and David Russell finished in third place in their Holden Commodore ZB, they were six seconds behind the leaders at the end.
Review of the twenty-first roound of the 2021 F1 season at Jeddah Corniche Circuit, in the the centre of Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Overall, the race itself was entertaining race to watch from start to finish. Sir Lewis Hamilton was on pole for Sunday's race ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.
At the introductory Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Hamilton took the lead at the start ahead of Bottas and Verstappen. Until lap 10, when Mick Schumacher crashed his Haas at the fast Turn 22 resulting of the safety car, Mercedes pitted their drivers for tyres under the safety car. While, Verstappen opted to stay out, with the red flag coming out on lap 14 to fix the barriers.
When the race restart the race stopped again on lap 15 after a crash between Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc, and then for Nikita Mazepin and George Russell. Which result retirement for Perez, Mazepin and Russell.
The race restarted once again on lap 16 without no drama with Verstappen keeping the lead with Hamilton behind him. By lap 37, Hamilton passed Verstappen for the lead at turn 1, with Verstappen out-braking Hamilton which result both drivers going off road for a moment, then on turn 26 both driver collide with each over as Verstappen is instructed to give the place to Hamilton, damaging Hamilton's front wing. Vertappen received a ten-second time penalty for causing the collision with Hamilton and a further five-second time penalty from early on for gaining an advantage.
And then on lap 43, Hamilton took the lead from Verstappen at turn 26 and stayed there to the end to conclude with a race win in this seasons Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for Hamilton's eighth race win of the season.
While, Max Verstappen finished in second place in the Red Bull, Verstappen was twenty-two seconds behind Hamilton at the end.
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas finished in third place in the other Mercedes to complete the podium pipping Esteban Ocon on the finishing line, Bottas was twenty-seven seconds behind Hamilton at the end of the fifty lap race.
Now with a race to go, Sir Lewis Hamilton Grand Prix win at Jeddah and Max Verstappen only managing a second place finish. The gap in the F1 Drivers' Standings has been reduce from eight points to no points between Max Verstappen and Sir Lewis Hamilton in the standings with a race to go. Which means whoever got the most points in Abu Dhabi will take the Drivers' Championship for either Max Verstappen's first or Hamilton's eighth Drivers' Championship.
While Mercedes still leads F1 Constructors' Standings, the gap is now now improved from five to twenty-eight points with a race to go.
Mercedes could win their eighth Constructors' Championship in Abu Dhabi. Mercedes needs a second place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix no matter what happen to Red Bull's result in Abu Dhabi.
Red Bull could win their fifth constructors' Championship in Abu Dhabi. Red Bull needs to score twenty-nine points more than Mercedes to win the title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 10 (pole, race win, fastest lap)
Valtteri Bottas - 7 (finished third)
Red Bull Racing - 7
Max Verstappen - 8 (finished second)
Sergio Pérez - 6 (DNF, Collision with Leclerc)
McLaren - 7
Daniel Ricciardo - 8 (finished fifth)
Lando Norris - 6 (finished tenth)
Aston Martin - 5
Sebastian Vettel - 5 (DNF, Collision damage with Tsunoda)
Lance Stroll - 6 (finished eleventh)
Alpine - 7
Fernando Alonso - 5 (finished thirteenth, lap down)
Esteban Ocon - 10 (finished fourth)
Ferrari - 6
Charles Leclerc - 6 (finished seventh)
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 6 (finished eighth)
AlphaTauri - 6
Pierre Gasly - 7 (finished sixth)
Yuki Tsunoda - 5 (finished fourteenth, lap down)
Alfa Romeo - 7
Kimi Räikkönen - 5 (finished fifteenth, lap down)
Antonio Giovinazzi - 9 (finished ninth)
Haas - 4
Mick Schumacher - 5 (DNF, Accident)
Nikita Mazepin - 3 (DNF, Collision with Russell)
Williams - 5
George Russell - 5 (DNF, Colision with Mazepin)
Nicholas Latifi - 6 (finished twelfth)
Next stop Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi in a weeks time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the last round of the 2021 Formula 1 season.
For the first time in Formula 1 history, Formula 1 hosts the first ever Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit, in the the centre of Jeddah, for the third night race of the season.
So Predictions for the race, for the win, I predict that, Lewis Hamilton for the win in the Mercedes, Max Verstappen second in the Red Bull, and third place for Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes. Don't forget Sergio Pérez, the McLaren drivers, the Aston Martin drivers, the Alpine drivers, the Ferrari drivers, and Pierre Gasly as-well for a podium place.
