State of play heading into next week's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
By Charlie Bennett
After eight months, 20 races and five changes at the top of the standings, the 2021 Formula 1 season is finally set for its decisive chapter.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have had us on the edge of our seats from Bahrain to Belgium and San Marino to Sao Paulo in one of the greatest seasons in living memory – and there are now just two races to go.
Just eight points separate the title contenders, with Verstappen protecting the narrowest of leads as F1 heads back to the desert for the final two legs of a Middle East treble.
The season will draw to a close in Abu Dhabi on December 12 but before that comes the Saudi Arabian Grands Prix next Sunday – and here’s what you need to know.
MAX v LEWIS – THE STATE OF PLAY
Verstappen might have the championship lead but Hamilton has all the momentum.
In Mexico, three weeks ago, it appeared this battle would fizzle out and Verstappen would stroll to his first World Championship crown but Hamilton, a seven-time champion going in search of a record-breaking eighth, has been irresistible ever since.
He fought back from two grid penalties in Brazil to take one of his greatest ever wins, boosted by an engine that helped him obliterate his rivals down the straights, before qualifying on pole and easing to another victory in Qatar last time out.
Hamilton, of course, has the experience. He has featured in five title battles such as this in his career, though his record makes for surprisingly mediocre reading.
In 2007, his rookie season, he lost the title when he really should have won it, before he off-set that disappointment by snatching the 2008 crown when he had no right to with a last-corner overtake at the final race.
In 2010, Hamilton was part of a five-way battle and finished fourth behind Sebastian Vettel, before he hitch-hiked to Mercedes in 2013.
The following year saw he and teammate Nico Rosberg dominate and it was Hamilton who came on top, but Rosberg got revenge two years later – before abruptly retiring.
Title triumphs in 2015, 2019 and 2020 were largely comfortable and, while Vettel threatened in 2017 and 2018, he caved under the pressure and Hamilton had both titles sewn up with races to spare.
This might be Verstappen's seventh F1 season but it's his first title battle. Yet there is a case to be made that he has been Hamilton’s strongest challenger and the Dutchman had barely flinched all season, answering every question posed – until now, perhaps.
In Brazil, he arguably crossed the line while defending the lead from a feisty Hamilton, as he forced them both off the track in a robust defence of his lead. Hamilton wanted him punished for reckless driving but eventually got the job done regardless and won the race.
In Qatar, Verstappen was perhaps unfortunate to incur a grid penalty for failing to slow down for yellow flags in qualifying. While normally a slam-dunk five-place penalty for the race, he had the excuse that his steering wheel failed to notify him, as is standard.
He still limited the damage to the best of his ability and came home second but he was unable to land a glove on his rival out front.
Now, two races on from what seemed like the beginning of a victory parade, Verstappen is under almighty pressure. What happens next is anyone's guess.
THE SUPPORTING CAST – MERCEDES v RED BULL
Hamilton and Verstappen, for all their brilliance, can only play with the hand they are dealt, and their machinery is a vital part of the puzzle.
Hamilton, after complaining that his car has been second best all season, is now in the fastest machine on the grid – and Red Bull know it.
It was expected the cars would be evenly matched in both Brazil and Qatar but Mercedes wiped the floor with Red Bull both times and have a five-point lead in the Constructors Championship.
It’s also easy to overlook that there are two other drivers in this championship equation, the supporting actors that are the two teammates – Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Neither can hold a candle to their teammates but both are capable of aiding their cause. Bottas is a fine qualifier and can certainly push Verstappen down the starting grid, while Perez has shown he is a match for anyone in wheel-to-wheel combat - especially Hamilton.
THE TRACK
To add some extra spice to a season that needs none, this weekend sees the teams head to Jeddah for the first ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
No-one knows how the track will behave, how hard it will be on tyres – such a crucial factor in any race weekend – and of course which car the circuit suits best.
Some are of the belief that Mercedes arrive with the advantage. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is full of long straights and the average lap speed is expected to be 130mph – perfect for that all-conquering Mercedes engine.
But at the same time, this is a street circuit and the Red Bull is traditionally the master of such tight and twisty layouts.
Verstappen won in Monaco and was on course to take the flag in Baku before his tyre blew out and took him into the wall.
ANYTHING ELSE TO KNOW?
There are 16 other drivers on the F1 grid, each driving towards their own goal and they have the potential to disrupt this title battle.
It appears Ferrari have seen off McLaren and will finish as the best of the rest in third place, while their lead driver Charles Le Clerc is just one point behind McLaren’s Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings.
Alpine look to have fifth in the constructors sewn up thanks to Fernando Alonso’s sensational podium in Qatar, but keep an eye on Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly, who could still help to chase them down.
Photo Credit: Getty Images