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Formula 1
Abu Dhabi GP
F1 Abu Dhabi GP Live Commentary and Updates - race day
Minute by minute updates for the Abu Dhabi GP 2021 F1 season finale
Max Verstappen sealed the 2021 Formula 1 world title with Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory, clashing with Lewis Hamilton again and benefiting from a controversial late FIA safety car call.
The two rivals came together on the opening lap, but it was the decision to allow a final lap shootout that gave Verstappen the chance to put a decisive pass on Hamilton – who had led most of the race but was unable to stop during a virtual safety car and the full safety car that followed Nicholas Latifi crashing during the closing laps.
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No investigation necessary for Tsunoda vs Alonso. They both went wheel to wheel at the green flag running restart with Tsunoda producing a strong defence, resulting in Alonso having to back out and go off track at Turn 12.
So Tsunoda keeps seventh place and now Alonso has his mirrors full of the other AlphaTauri of Gasly. On lap 42 Gasly dives down the inside of Alonso at Turn 6 to take eighth place.
Hamilton is keeping the gap at around 14s now, lapping in the 1m26s with Verstappen. Perhaps the Red Bull's just saving for a final push later, but with 15 to go, he needs a second a lap on the Mercedes.
Ferrari also went for the strategy gamble under VSC with Leclerc who, having pitted again to switch to the mediums, is in 12th place chasing down Ricciardo.
Traffic coming up for Hamilton - the quartet of Leclerc, Ricciardo, Ocon and Alonso are battling ahead.
Verstappen's managing to take 0.2s out of Hamilton per lap at this point, which may be more as Hamilton comes up to deal with traffic.
10 laps to go - how are your nerves?
"It says I have seven laps?" Hamilton asks. "Ignore the dash," comes the reply - there's more than that remaining.
Verstappen took a second out of Hamilton on lap 47, but there was the traffic ahead. Alonso moves over, freeing up Hamilton.
Pit stop
Norris pits while defending in fifth from Bottas and it sounds like it was a slow puncture for the McLaren driver. Cruel luck for the Brit.
That pitstop has put Norris slap bang in the middle of the Alonso-Ocon-Ricciardo-Leclerc battle. Norris gets by Ocon to take ninth place on the exit of Turn 5.
Like for like on lap 50, Hamilton and Verstappen both logging 1m26.7s laps.
And on lap 51, Hamilton's now opened the gap by a tenth as Verstappen hits the traffic - bolstered by an extra car after Norris' stop.
Norris, with his fresh tyres, gets ahead of Alonso to take eighth place. Small comfort having been running in fifth and he now has a 11.5s gap to bridge to catch Gasly.
Safety car
Latifi has crashed - safety car deployed!
Pit stop
Verstappen pits for soft tyres now!
This race and this season is providing drama right to the finish!
Crash
Latifi was racing Schumacher, going wheel to wheel through Turn 9 and goes wide and off track. It looks like with dirty tyres the Williams driver loses grip through Turn 14 and spins into the wall.
Mercedes has decided not to pit Hamilton this time around - and it looked as though they were going to pit, but they won't. "We would have lost track position" says Hamilton's race engineer.
There's three laps left at this point. Will we get going again?
The call for a safety car simply had to come with Latifi's car facing nose first to the wall on the track and unable to move. A small brake fire briefly sparked up in Latifi's front-left to make matters worse but it is quickly under control.
Mechanical problem
Red Bull is retiring Perez. That's it for the second Red Bull driver - and all but cements the constructors' title for Mercedes.
Lapped cars won't be allowed to overtake - so we should get a lap of racing - but Verstappen will have to fight through.
Safety car in this lap! One racing lap!
Race control let the lapped runners through! This is it!
"Michael..." says Wolff, lost for words. That's it.
Verstappen makes the lunge into Turn 5 - and he takes the lead!
Hamilton comes back at him into Turn 9 - but Verstappen holds him! The title is his!
Checkered flag
Max Verstappen wins the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - AND the title!
Good. Lord.
Carlos Sainz Jr finished third - we missed that among all the fun. Tsunoda and Gasly were fourth and fifth, with Bottas, Norris, Alonso, Ocon and Leclerc completing the top 10.
Have you caught your breath yet? We haven't.
Quote
Verstappen "It's unbelievable. All race, I kept fighting and then I had that opportunity on the final lap. Finally, a bit of luck for me. I want to say thank you to Checo too, he's the best team-mate."
Sainz: "I was very strong today. With the safety car at the end, nerves were high, but I kept it together."
Hamilton: "Firstly, a big congratulations to Max and his team. I think we did an amazing job this year. It's been the most difficult of seasons. We gave it everything, and we never gave up."
By: Autosport Staff
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