The 2021 Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi was a thriller. Tension, tension and a fight in the final lap for the championship crowned Max Verstappen to victory. His win over Lewis Hamilton may create some controversy, but it doesn’t overshadow a great racing season and a fantastic title showdown in the Middle East.
While Hamilton and Verstappen fought for the world championship, a great race was raging behind them. The focus was on the front of the field, but there was a lot of action and great stories on the grid. Here are three stories you might have missed during the epic season finale.
Carlos Sainz Jr. takes third place, surpassing his teammate Charles LeClerc
Carlos Sainz Jr. joined Ferrari in early 2021 after leaving McLaren. The expectation was that he would play the wingman of the talented and super-fast Charles LeClerc. Ferrari has thrown its full support behind LeClerc and believes he is their future and their way back to the world championship.
Sainz had other ideas, got up to speed quickly and was just as quick, if not faster, than his team-mate. A few falls early in the season in qualifying clouded the mood of his arrival, but his record speaks for itself this year. In Abu Dhabi, Sainz finished third, while LeClerc finished 10th. Sainz scored 164.5 points for the season, finishing fifth overall, while LeClerc was seventh with 159 points. Sainz also scored four podiums for LeClerc’s individual podium.
With a performance like this against a highly rated driver like LeClerc, Ferrari should wonder if Sainz might be the number one driver they need to lead the team back to the championship title.
Yuki Tsunoda takes fourth place, his best result of the season
Yuki Tsunoda from Scuderia AlphaTauri and Japan during practice prior to the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix on December 10, 2021 | Peter Fox / Getty Images
Japanese racing driver Yuki Tsunoda was the most talked about rookie of the 2021 racing season. As a protégé of the Red Bull Junior Program, Tsunoda rode a wave of hype into the season as the next exciting superstar.
His rookie season with the AphaTauri team was anything but spectacular. Crashes, poor performances and overrating teammate Pierre Gasly have made him look average at best. In a brilliant qualifying and race, Tsunoda finished fourth in Abu Dhabi. It may not be the podium he was hoping for, but fourth place and finishing ahead of his teammate will give him the much-needed confidence boost.
Tsunoda’s contract with AlphaTauri runs until 2022, and if he is to switch to a top team in the future, he will need more services than in Abu Dhabi. He has the talent and the natural speed, but harnessing those qualities during a racing weekend was his greatest challenge in 2021.
Daniel Ricciardo struggled through 2021 but his sense of humor never went away
Daniel Ricciardo is a Formula 1 fan favorite for good reason. He is extremely fast, can win races, is spectacular to look at and has a great sense of humor. Ricciardo can always be seen in the paddock and at press conferences with a huge smile on his face and is genuinely happy to be part of the Formula 1 circus.
Ricciardo’s 2021 season did not go according to plan. He struggled to adapt his driving style to the McLaren and couldn’t match the performance of his teammate Lando Norris. Winning the Italian Grand Prix went a long way towards regaining his confidence, but his season looked “ragged” at best.
Ricciardo has never lost his sense of humor despite the fighting, and he was fully on display in Abu Dhabi. He started the weekend at the press conference with the unveiling of a temporary tattoo on Fernando Alonso’s face. The tattoo was a gift from Alonso as part of the drivers’ Secret Santa fun. It was clear that Ricciardo was having fun and having fun showcasing his competitor’s image to the press and media.
A detail of the arm of Daniel Ricciardo from Australia and McLaren F1 with a temporary tattoo of Fernando Alonso from Spain and the Alpine F1 team during the previews before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on December 9th, 2021 | Clive Rose / Getty Images
Always in the mood for humor and fun, Daniel Riccardo has the Aston Martin F1 team in his sights. While the entire team lined up for a photo in front of their F1 car, Riccardo stormed the group with a photo bomb. This isn’t the first time he has bombed his competitors with a photo bomb, but it was the first time he managed to fit himself into a full team photo.
The focus of the race weekend was the title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Nevertheless, behind them there were many great races, exceptional performances and drivers who were having fun. There was no shortage of action, and with a very short off-season, the world’s best drivers will be back on track in three months.
Related: Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton starred in a Formula 1 drama worthy of a script
