As the Formula 1 circus revs its engines and gears up for the race week once again, the destination this time lies amidst the captivating landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula as the crowds head for the Qatar Grand Prix. Let's take a look at the last time out in the desert, where two giants were in the midst of an exhilarating title fight, leaving the world on the edge of their seats.
As the third to last race of the 2021 season, the Qatar Grand Prix brought drama and controversy as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were still neck and neck in the drivers' Championship with only 14 points separating the two.
As the Qatar race weekend approached, Lewis Hamilton appeared to be riding a wave of momentum following what could be described as one of the greatest races of his career. Just a week earlier, at the Autodromo de Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Hamilton faced a formidable challenge with a 25-place grid penalty heading into the Sprint Race. However, in a display of sheer brilliance, the seven-time F1 champion executed a stunning drive, surging from 20th to 5th during the Sprint Race and from 10th to 1st in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
In Qatar, Lewis Hamilton stormed to the pole position, while Max Verstappen qualified in second. However, it was Verstappen this time around receiving penalties, resulting in him being demoted to fifth for the race start.
Lewis Hamilton then performed another stellar drive, comfortably beating Max Verstappen with a +25.743 second lead and closing the championship gap to 8 points.
Tyres suffered at the new circuit
Heading to a new circuit is always going to be a challenge. For the 2021 Qatar race weekend, Pirelli, the exclusive tyre supplier for the sport since 2011, opted for the three hardest tyre compounds available. Their recommendation was a two-stop strategy for the race as the tyre wear seemed to be too high for a one-stopper.
Unsurprisingly, several teams decided to gamble with the one-stop strategy anyway, resulting in multiple sudden punctures during the Grand Prix.
The first casualty was Valtteri Bottas, as he suffered a puncture on Lap 33 and eventually had to retire from the race.
Later in the race, McLaren's Lando Norris and both Williams drivers, George Russell and Nicholas Latifi, also experienced sudden punctures. All drivers felt the punctures came out of nowhere as their tyres felt stable moments before.
"They should make the tyres better. It's dangerous for us as drivers. We risk a lot every time and if we can't just drive a Formula 1 car around the circuit, what can you do?
"I didn't even do a very long stint, 20 laps, 25 laps, whatever. I should still be able to drive the circuit.”
-Lando Norris during post-race interviews
Oh, how times have changed
We are currently on round 18 of 23 and it is highly expected Max Verstappen will be crowned three-time F1 World Champion this weekend.
Going into the Qatar GP, Max Verstappen has 400 championship points, a staggering 177 points adrift of his teammate and closest championship rival in second, Sergio Perez. Only 180 points are on the table for the remainder of the season.
As the Qatar GP is one of three Sprint weekends in the six remaining rounds of the season, 34 points are for grabs over the whole weekend (8 points for the Sprint race, 25 points for the Grand Prix, 1 point for the fastest lap of the race)
Red Bull has already secured a second consecutive constructors' championship at the Japanese Grand Prix and could secure the driver's Championship on Saturday.
If Max Verstappen finishes sixth or higher on Saturday, Sergio Perez will be officially out of the title race. Even if Verstappen fails to score during the sprint, with Sergio Perez winning, all Verstappen needs to do on Sunday is finish 8th.
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