Why the 2021 title fight is far from F1's worst, despite its toxic background

The ‘Schumacher’ Netflix documentary did many things extremely well.

Against a backdrop of well-chosen archive footage and images, an impressive range of talking-head contributors from the seven-time world champion’s Formula 1 career were assembled to discuss his achievements and legacy. Contributions from many – including perhaps best of all: Jean Todt and Ross Brawn – articulately explained the complexities of character behind such a legendary figure. But they ultimately took a back seat compared to the expressions of love and devotion from Michael’s family.

Mick Schumacher’s explanation that he and his father “would have much more to talk about” now they both share “the language of motorsport” is as heart-breaking as it is insightful when considering the Haas rookie’s route to F1 in the aftermath of his father’s 2013 skiing accident.

Many of those who have watched and even helped Mick’s progression wonder what else he might’ve gained from having Michael’s immense motorsport experience to tap into during that time.

There were problems with the film. Notably, it omitted large parts of Schumacher’s F1 career and several controversies – although Brawn’s memories of Jerez 1997 were wonderfully un-sanitised. There was also a sense that ‘Schumacher’ did not reveal anything new about Michael’s career, but given the success of Drive to Survive in bringing F1 to a new audience, this was likely not the ultimate point of the production.

In any case, Jerez 1997 and Suzuka 1990 – relevant to the documentary’s story because of Schumacher taking on F1’s leading-figure role following Ayrton Senna’s death – are worth thinking about right now in 2021.

Michael Schumacher, Benetton B194 leads Damon Hill, Williams FW16B

Photo by: Motorsport Images

F1 is now two weeks removed from Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton having their second crash of the season. Unlike at Silverstone, the Italian Grand Prix incident removed both from contention. Just like at the British race, the Monza clash unleashed a wave of background toxicity on social media.

But neither incident came close to the controversies of Suzuka 1990 or Jerez 1997 (or, for slightly different reasons given it involved an already crashed and damaged car, Adelaide 1994).

And neither do the rest of the other more minor clashes between the pair so far in 2021, which are really starting to rack up now (Imola, Barcelona, Monza lap one, plus the track limits farrago late in the Bahrain race).

Hamilton simply hasn't been involved in any incidents along the same cynical lines as those involving Senna and Schumacher, which rightly stain their respective reputations

Silverstone and Monza were controversial and needed judging after the fact – with both incidents respectively correctly sanctioned in Autosport’s opinion. Both also had scarily close calls with one driver being seriously injured, but they were both very near to being declared racing incidents. And neither comes close to the particular cynicism at play in the controversies at Suzuka or Jerez.

With the Monza incident still very fresh, F1 heads to Sochi this weekend for the eighth Russian GP since the race joined the championship’s calendar back in 2014.

After this event a year ago, the pair of penalties Hamilton was awarded for conducting illegal pre-race practice starts meant the Mercedes driver was briefly on the verge of a race ban before the penalty points he had also been initially given for those incidents alongside the in-race time addition were rescinded.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W11, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes F1 W11, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16, Esteban Ocon, Renault F1 Team R.S.20, Daniel Ricciardo, Renault F1 Team R.S.20, and the rest of the field at the start

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

For the few hours before sense prevailed, having one of F1's cleanest high-profile racers in such a position was a travesty. Hamilton simply hasn't been involved in any incidents along the same cynical lines as those involving Senna and Schumacher, which rightly stain their respective reputations. It’s the same for Verstappen – although his career is shorter so far and 2021 his first experience of a title battle.

With that in mind, F1 2021 is really entering its end game now.

If Red Bull can inflict a first ever defeat for Mercedes in the Russian GP – a record stretching back to 1913 given Benz’s pair of pre-WW1 triumphs in what was then a St Petersburg event – it will begin the title run-in as the heavy favourite.

The team has already rocked Mercedes at its previous strongholds at Paul Ricard and, to a certain extent given F1 never got to see how a full grand-prix-distance battle would play out between Hamilton and Verstappen, Silverstone (going by the Dutchman’s sprint race win there).

The Sochi track is also rather similar to Baku, with its long straights, succession of medium-speed 90-degree turns and smattering of high-speed stuff. This bodes well for Red Bull given its pre-blowout dominance in the Azerbaijan race.

Tyre performance will again be a key consideration to success this weekend too – although for a different reason compared to Baku as the Sochi layout tests rear tyre wear far harder towards the end of a lap, especially on Pirelli’s softest compounds.

Track walk branding

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

The continuing opening-up of global travel restrictions means that, at the time of writing, the concluding events of the 2021 season feel more certain to take place than at this stage a year ago.

Although there are set to be two new events compared to the ‘traditional’ modern season’s concluding chapters – and the Qatar replacement for Australia is still yet to be formally announced – Hamilton has typically been excellent at delivering as the pressure builds ever higher while the final rounds tick by. This has even been the case when he hasn't necessarily had a season's clear best car, such as the fight with Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari in 2018.

The Sochi track is also rather similar to Baku, with its long straights, succession of medium-speed 90-degree turns and smattering of high-speed stuff. This bodes well for Red Bull

If it therefore turns out to be the reigning champion winning in Sochi – the Baku event did after all come before Mercedes introduced its Silverstone upgrades – the unfamiliar pressure on Verstappen increases further.

So, how then might the outcome of the upcoming race impact the nature of any further clashes and potential crashes between 2021’s two fierce rivals? Such results, good or bad, will rightly go down major pieces of F1 history. Perhaps one day, this tale too will be further immortalised in a tell-all streaming series...

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12 and Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B collide

Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images