the Hamilton-Verstappen duel, the constructors’ title, the Ocon-Alonso fight … All the challenges of the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi

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Obviously this duel will focus all the attention. Two drivers with the same number of points on the eve of the last Grand Prix of the season, this had not been seen since 1974. Sunday December 12, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will start on the same or almost equal footing for snatch the drivers’ world title. But behind the battle of the leaders, there is still a little light to be shed. Especially for the stables.

The different scenarios for the coronation

A whole season that will be played over 55 laps, maybe even less. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will therefore have to decide between themselves on the Abu Dhabi track for the epilogue of a championship which will have been epic from start to finish. On paper, the equation is simple: the Briton and the Dutch have the same number of points (369.5) and whoever finishes ahead of the other is sacred.

However, there are some subtleties to take into account depending on the scale of points awarded. Thus Max Verstappen could still be crowned if he ends up at 10th place, and obtains the point of the best lap in the race, while Lewis Hamilton finishes 9th.

For Hamilton, the situation opens up even more possibilities: the seven-time world champion will win an 8th coronation if he finishes in one of the first eight places and is ahead of Max Verstappen, if he finishes 9th and Max Verstappen finishes 10th without obtaining the point of the best lap in the race or finally if he is 10th and Max Verstappen does not scores no points (beyond 10th place or abandonment)

These projections are as true as they are theoretical. In practice, this could prove to be more complicated insofar as Verstappen, who has one more victory than his rival this season (9 against 8) would be declared the winner if the two drivers retire. Hence the fear, shared by many observers, of attending a race where the two men collide. The title of world champion would then be in the hands of the marshals, responsible for examining the regularity of a possible collision.

Will Mercedes clinch an eighth star?

With 28 points ahead of Red Bull, the German firm has a relatively comfortable mattress to hope to seek an eighth consecutive crown, which would be a record in the history of this discipline. Concretely, there remain 44 points to distribute between teams for this last race and the firm with the star only needs 17 units to capture the title constructors.

In the event that Lewis Hamilton were to be crowned, Toto Wolff’s team would achieve another double that would make Mercedes even more legendary. If, on the other hand, the Briton was beaten by Verstappen, this constructor title would constitute a consolation, admittedly small, but nevertheless welcome.

Who owns the red lantern?

If, behind Mercedes and Red Bull, the positions will not move any more, Scuderia Ferrari being sure to climb on the podium, it is at the back of the pack that there is still some suspense. The Haas team, which has overlooked the development of its car in 2021, is almost doomed to finish red lantern with, for the moment, zero points on the clock. It is therefore to avoid the penultimate place that it will fight between Williams, who finished last in the standings for the past three seasons and Alfa Romeo, ten points behind the British firm.

Leclerc, Norris and Sainz in a handkerchief, Ocon in Alonso’s retro

Even if it is honorary, the 5th final place in the drivers’ standings should be worth a nice tussle between Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), who has 4 points ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren), himself with only 4.5 units. more than Carlos Sainz Junior (Ferrari). A little further in the Top 10, the French Esteban Ocon is in the rear wing of his teammate at Alpine, Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard is only 5 points ahead of the young Frenchman who would mark the spirits if he were to overtake the former world champion for their first year of cohabitation.


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