Race Weekend Central

2021 F1 Championship Drama Heads to Abu Dhabi

F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Previews

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 09: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP and Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing talk in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 09, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Antonin Vincent - Pool/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202112090231 // Usage for editorial use only //

Formula One’s long, competitive, controversial, and tense 2021 campaign will come to a close under the lights of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday (December 12). Championship protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will enter the weekend tied in points, with 369.5 apiece. This is a development nearly 50 years in the making, as …

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F1 Review: Hamilton and Verstappen Taking Title Drama to Abu Dhabi

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday - LAT Images

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday (credit: LAT Images / Mercedes AMG)

This past weekend, Formula 1 made its first trip to Saudi Arabia to break in the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a street course by the Red Sea designed by Hermann Tilke.  Highlighted as the fastest road course in the world, the narrow lively track provided wild theater for the penultimate race of the season. Lewis Hamilton …

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Hamilton and Verstappen Level After Tumultuous Trip to Saudi Arabia

2021 Saudi Arabia Formula 1 Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton collide, Lars Baron Getty

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 05: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W12 collide during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on December 05, 2021 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202112050202 // Usage for editorial use only //

For only the second time in the history of Formula 1, the championship contenders will enter the final round of the season level on points. The points total for both drivers, after 21 races, sits at 369.5. Whoever finishes ahead of the other in Abu Dhabi will be the champion. The last time drivers entered …

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Slipstream Saturday: Lewis Hamilton on Pole as Max Verstappen Clobbers Wall

2021 Saudi Arabia Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton hugs Valtteri Bottas after qualifying hugging LAT Images

(Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

Pole position at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix came down to the final corner. Max Verstappen had been on provisional pole, with a lap time of 1:27.653, nearly four tenths of a second up on his title rival Lewis Hamilton. As the clock wound down, Hamilton set a blistering lap time of 1:27.511, snatching …

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F1 Review: Hamilton Rising as Red Bull Undergo a Soap Opera Weekend

F1 Grand Prix of Qatar

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 21: Second placed Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing stands on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 21, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202111210382 //

This past weekend, Formula 1 made its first-ever visit to Losail Internation Circuit in Qatar.  From that information alone, there should have been a good reason to believe that Lewis Hamilton would walk away with the win.  He has made a habit of winning inaugural races and followed this trend after doing so last year …

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Slipstream Saturday: FIA Rejects Mercedes Appeal, F1’s Middle Eastern Presence Grows

2021 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday - LAT Images

Mercedes on track at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix, Friday (credit: LAT Images / Mercedes AMG)

When the checkered flag falls on Sunday’s (Nov 21) Qatar Grand Prix, there will be only two races remaining in the 2021 Formula 1 season. In previous years, the title has been securely in the hands of Sir Lewis Hamilton by this point. However, Max Verstappen has been resolute in his aim to break Hamilton’s …

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Formula One Moves In A Middle Eastern Direction

Lewis Hamilton wins Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, Formula 1, LAT Images

(Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

Editor’s Note: This article on the Formula One championship battle is posted in collaboration with an outside sponsorship client. The opinions and information contained within do not necessarily represent Frontstretch and its staff.  Although this year’s Formula One pendulum has not necessarily swung with much regularity in the past few weeks, there is a sense …

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F1 Review: Hamilton Brilliant in Brazil; Mercedes Motivation

2021 Brazil Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton waves Brazilian flag Jiri Krenek Mercedes

(Photo: Jiri Krenek via Mercedes AMG F1)

Lewis Hamilton scored his 101st Formula 1 win on Sunday in Brazil.  His stellar performance, starting from tenth and claiming the win, further fanned the fires for the driverʻs championship and closed the gap to Max Verstappen (332.5 – 318.5). The Sao Paulo Grand Prix featured a wonderful battle between the top two drivers, though …

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FIA Stewards Juggle Tough Choices and Tough Words in Brazil

Lewis Hamilton

(Photo: Jiri Krenek via Mercedes AMG F1)

After Valtteri Bottas failed to defend from Max Verstappen off the line at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, it was only a matter of time before Verstappen found himself confronted by the presence of Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton pushed himself past Sergio Perez on lap 19 of the 71-lap Grand Prix and set sail in pursuit …

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Lewis Hamilton Takes Sprint Race Pole, Red Bull Down on Pace in Brazil

Lewis Hamilton

(Photo LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

Lewis Hamilton nabbed the pole position for Saturday’s (Nov. 13) sprint race, which will set the grid for the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday (Nov. 14). Max Verstappen barely grabbed second place from Valtteri Bottas, with Sergio Perez set to line up in fourth place on Saturday. Despite this, Hamilton attained a five-place …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Magnificent in Mexico, Lost Opportunities Aplenty

2021 Mexico Formula 1 Max Verstappen Lars Baron Getty Red Bull

(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

Max Verstappen failed to earn the pole for the Mexican Grand Prix and it may have been a blessing in disguise. His third-place starting position allowed him to use the slipstream to blow past the Mercedes front row and then steal off into the distance. With P1 secure, he tore away from second-place Lewis Hamilton …

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Max Verstappen Dominates for Third Mexican Grand Prix Victory

Max Verstappen celebrates after emerging victorious in the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix. (Photo: Getty Images/Red Bull)

(Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

In Formula One’s long-awaited return to Estados Unidos Mexicanos, the action didn’t disappoint in the Mexican Grand Prix. After a wild first lap, Max Verstappen was able to best the field at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez to claim win number 10 on the 2021 season and extend his points lead over Lewis Hamilton. After claiming victory …

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