Motorsports

21 races down, one to go. For only the second time in Formula 1 history, the title protagonists enter the final race of the season tied on points (which when you consider they’re on 369.5, is absolutely incredible). Max Verstappen leads the championship by dint of his 9 wins compared to Lewis’ 8, so assuming that there isn’t a double no-score, it’s winner takes all!

Max Verstappen has an 8-point lead over Lewis Hamilton, so a big points swing with a Hamilton disaster could give Max the title a race early. However, with the season being as close and crazy as it has been, can you bet against a close finale?

Three rounds to go and Formula One heads to Melbo… Oh. The Qataris have taken another sporting event off the Aussies. The title battle is still super close, helped by Hamilton’s masterful drive at Interlagos and a controversial bit of driving by Verstappen to keep him behind. This is going to boil over at some point.

Max Verstappen’s hand is starting to head closer to the Driver’s title after a dominant display in the Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton hasn’t given up on the title, and heading to the country of his idol Ayrton Senna, he’ll be raring to get back into it. Formula 1 has its third (and hopefully final ever, but unlikely…) Sprint Race on Saturday, so remember that we’ll have qualifying on Friday.

Formula 1 stays in North America and heads up the hills to the high altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. A short circuit with an incredible atmosphere, the circuit is regularly awarded "best Promotor" by Formula 1, so they like coming here. Sergio Perez is finally in a front-running car, can you imagine the scenes in the stadium if he sticks it on Pole or gets a podium! The Hamilton vs Verstappen fight is still absolutely scintillating, which one will come out on top this time? We’ll find out at the MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX!

With the irony of a Russian-sponsored and liveried American F1 team comes the return of Formula 1 to America, sponsored by a Saudi oil company… Traditionally a Lewis Hamilton stronghold, the circuit is littered with many copies of brilliant corners around the world – and fit together in a string that works!

After replacing Canada and getting cancelled, the Turkish Grand Prix reappears on the F1 calendar in place of Singapore. One of Herman Tilke’s masterpieces, the Istanbul Park circuit threw a spanner into the works last season when a recent resurfacing made the track treacherous.

Formula 1 heads for the Black Sea coast, back to the 2014 Winter Olympic Park, for the penultimate event at the Sochi Autodrom, thanks to the announcement of Igora Drive for 2023. An often criticised circuit, Sochi does have its moments and is a particular favourite of Valtteri Bottas, who is still looking for his first win of the season.

The second triple-header of 2021 is nearly over and we finish at a circuit which just seems to suit the post-2017 cars after 3 years of fantastic races. Verstappen has won two Grands Prix (I deliberately avoided saying “races”), and is taking charge of the title battle between him and Lewis Hamilton. Also don’t forget that it is the second time we will see Sprint Qualifying.

The Belgian not-Grand Prix has just passed, and hopefully we can get over the shortest ever Grand Prix with the long-awaited return of Zandvoort to the calendar. A short track with small runoff and actual grass and gravel as track limits will really challenge the drivers along with the bruising two massively banked corners!

The summer break is nearly over and Formula 1 returns to the mighty Spa-Francorchamps. The longest circuit on the calendar, Spa regularly throws up incredible and unexpected races, just what we need in this season of incredible and unexpected races!