The 2021 Formula 1 season was one of the most competitive, dramatic and chaotic in recent years. 20 drivers competed to start 23 races on four continents to start wheel-to-wheel races at full throttle, which pushed their skills and the technical abilities of the teams to the absolute limit.
In a season of tight races, controversy, and tight championship fights, it’s easy to just pay attention to winners and losers. But there is so much more to the season than just the championship battle between a great all-time driver and a great future driver. There were breakthroughs, breathtaking qualifying rounds, talented rookies eager to make a name for themselves and the return of a two-time world champion who still has unfinished business in the sport.
These are the top five drivers of 2021 based on the quality of their performance over the entire season.
5. Charles LeClerc – Scuderia Ferrari
Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari pays tribute to the fans during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit on December 12, 2021 | Dan Istitene / Getty Images
Charles LeClerc’s qualifying laps are among the best performances in all of Formula 1. He’s a spectacular driver and can make the Ferrari F1 car look better than it really is.
His fall in Monaco during third qualifying is evidence that he still has a tendency to push too hard, but he looked remarkably consistent throughout the 2021 season. LeClerc’s race results weren’t the headlines, but he almost won the British Grand Prix and finished fourth five times this season.
He’s got amazing speed and if Ferrari can build him a car that matches his talent, LeClerc could quickly become world champions.
4. Carlos Sainz Jr. – Scuderia Ferrari
When it became known that Sainz would join Ferrari and become a teammate of Charles LeClerc, there were concerns as to whether the Spaniard could face the man who made Sebastian Vettel look ordinary a season earlier.
From the first lap in Bahrain to the last lap in Abu Dhabi, Carlos Sainz proved that he is just as capable as LeClerc in the Ferrari. His season started slowly, but the results came as he got used to his new team. Four podium places, including a second place in Monaco and a third place at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, catapulted the Spanish ace to fifth place in the world championship.
Sainz surpassed his teammate and often surpassed him while learning a new car and environment at Ferrari. Not an easy task, but he needs to bring that same level of determination and work ethic to the 2022 season as LeClerc will be eager to prove that he is the number one driver at Ferrari.
3. Lando Norris – McLaren Racing
Third-placed Lando Norris from Great Britain and McLaren F1 watches during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit on December 11, 2021 in Parc Ferme | Dan Istitene / Getty Images
Lando Norris may be the breakout star of 2021. His early season performances proved he is a legitimate contender for the championship, and the Briton has anything but a win on his way to sixth in this season the championship ranking done.
In Sochi, Russia, a pole position was almost turned into a victory. Still, his four podiums, including teammate Daniel Ricciardo’s runner-up in Italy, showed his true potential throughout the season.
When Norris is on, he’s the most dominant driver in the narrow midfield. He has yet to take his first win but it seems like a simple matter of time before that happens. The final races of 2021 may have been less spectacular, but much of it was bad luck. Expect Norris to take off in 2022 and be voting for wins throughout the season.
2. Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes GP
Lewis, you are the greatest racing driver in Formula 1 history and you have challenged your heart every lap of this incredible season.
You are an impeccable athlete on and off the track and have delivered an impeccable performance. pic.twitter.com/fCCmO0qwkj
– Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@ MercedesAMGF1) December 16, 2021
Lewis Hamilton is one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time. Seven world championships, 103 wins, one accolade and he was only one lap away from his eighth world title. He did all of this while being an activist and a vocal supporter of equality and the LGBTQ community.
In 2021, the triumphant advance of Hamilton and Mercedes was facing its greatest challenge. A resurgent Red Bull Racing Team with the incredibly fast Max Verstappen challenged the Silver Arrows in every race at every turn. Hamilton didn’t break under pressure, but his performances showed cracks.
The mistakes in Imola and the awkward restart in Baku seemed atypical for the champion, whom the fans got to know as a competitor who completed his races without errors. His reputation for never having a bad day seemed in question and Red Bull took full advantage of that. Hamilton would have easily won the championship if these mistakes had not happened, instead he went into the last race tied with his main rival.
That loss is going to sting, but there is every reason to believe that Hamilton is aiming for an eighth world title and making 2022 his year.
1. Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing
As a deserved world champion, Max Verstappen was by far the most consistent driver of the season. He finished 19 of the 23 races that season in either first or second place.
His relentless, aggressive driving style meant that Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes GP always fell by the wayside in wheel-to-wheel races. It was only when Mercedes made a decisive engine change at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix that it looked as if Hamilton could keep up with Verstappen’s pace.
His driving style is spectacular and his races absolutely relentless. In Verstappen’s world there are no compromises, and when he is in the seat of a Formula 1 car, he is always at the limit of his possibilities.
Verstappen is probably the fastest driver in Formula 1 and now that he has his first world title he will want more. He’ll be the title favorite in 2022, and if he continues to perform like he did in 2021, then there may be no one who can stop him.
Similarly: Max Verstappen joins an elite brotherhood of young Formula 1 champions
