What to look out for in the five remaining races in the F1 season
What to look out for in the five remaining races in the F1 season
By Tom Masters
As the F1 season is coming to a thrilling conclusion, with just 12 points separating the top two drivers, we look at the remaining five races of the F1 calendar.
Max Verstappen is the current leader of the driver standings with 287.5 points, but the Dutchman is closely followed by Lewis Hamilton, with the Brit on 275.5 points.
With the Mexican Grand Prix this Sunday and races in Brazil, Qatar and Saudi Arabia before the finale in Abu Dhabi on December 12, anything can happen and we look at all the courses.
Mexico
The Mexican Grand Prix takes place this Sunday at 19:00 UK time, with the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez likely to throw up a cracker of a race.
71 laps of the 4.3km circuit will provide a challenge to all drivers, with Hamilton looking to repeat his stunning 2019 triumph and close the gap or even overtake Verstappen at the top of the drivers’ rankings.
Verstappen finished sixth in 2019, with Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas taking the other podium spots.
The weather is set to be more or less perfect racing conditions, with no rain expected and heat not becoming too big a factor, with temperatures expected to reach 22 degrees on Sunday.
Due to the altitude in Mexico, it is expected that Red Bull will be favourites, with Mercedes’ Aero advantage likely to have less impact.
Verstappen took victory in the last race at the US Grand Prix, with Hamilton finishing a close second just over a second behind, and he will be looking to continue his form.
Brazil
A week after the conclusion of the Mexican Grand Prix, the excitement heads to Brazil.
On Sunday November 12, one month before the end of the F1 season, all eyes will turn to the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo.
The race will take place at 17:00 UK time. It is also a 71-lap course of a 4.3km circuit, where Bottas holds the record for the fastest circuit lap, completing it in just 1:10.5.
This course held its first Grand Prix in 1973 and there was immediate home success, with Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi winning in 1973 and 74, while the man behind the name of the track Carlos Pace won in 1975.
The course is more commonly known as Interlagos, and due to it being built in 1938, it features banked corners, with drivers starting their laps on a half oval.
The 2019 race saw Verstappen take a comfortable victory, finishing six seconds ahead of Pierre Gasly, with Carlos Sainz finishing third.
Hamilton finished the race 11 seconds behind Verstappen in seventh place.
Just like in Mexico City, the Aero advantage of Mercedes is likely to have a lesser impact, while Red Bull’s greater downforce strength likely to work to their advantage.
Verstappen will be hoping for a similar result in Sao Paulo in two weeks’ time, while Hamilton knows any slip ups are not possible at this stage.
Qatar
Following the race in Sao Paulo, proceedings head to Qatar, with the Qatar Grand Prix on November 21.
The Losail International Circuit is hosting its first Grand Prix this year, having been built in 2004 for Moto GP.
Thus, the track, built in the outskirts of Doha, is a fast track, with the drivers set to do 57 laps of the 5.38km circuit.
The main straight provides plenty of overtaking opportunities due to the fact that it is over one kilometre long.
The Qatar Grand Prix is the third last race of the 2021 F1 season, and as the drivers have no previous experience of racing there, it could throw a few spanners in the works.
Saudi Arabia
The penultimate race of the season is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will take place on December 5.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit will host this race, which starts at 17:30 UK time.
Like the Losail International Circuit, this is the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The circuit is set to be very fast, with average speeds expected to be 252km/h on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which is second only to Monza, known for being the ‘Temple of Speed’.
50 laps of 6.1km, with 27 corners (the most in the F1 calendar this year), this race is set to get pulses racing and could play host to one of the great F1 races.
Abu Dhabi
The final race of the season is on December 12 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
The race will start at 13:00 UK time, with the eyes of the world cast on Yas Island.
Unlike the previous two races in the middle east, Abu Dhabi has hosted many F1 races, with Vettel winning the first in 2009.
Last year saw Verstappen win the final race of the season, with Hamilton finishing third, over 18 seconds behind Verstappen and three seconds behind runner-up Bottas.
Hamilton himself was victorious the year before though and knows what it takes to win at the Yas Marina Circuit, with F1 fans all hoping it comes down to the final race to see who takes the 2021 F1 title.
Five thrilling races to go and two drivers almost head-to-head, this is set to be a wonderful finish to the Formula One season.